‘95 team vs ‘97 team

[#1fulmerite]

We will probably never see again a sec conference championship game where a team turns the ball over 6 times to the other teams 1 and still is able to win the game like in 97.
Picked the 95 team because the 97 team played some really sloppy football at times and the coaching staff at times just seemed so unprepared

Was the ‘95 Fla game the one we were up 2-3 scores then they care roaring back and beat us by double score?

The way Nebraska blew Florida out in the NC, that year’s Nebraska team reminded me of the ‘01 Miami team. No one was going to beat either team that year.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

Was the ‘95 Fla game the one we were up 2-3 scores then they care roaring back and beat us by double score?

The way Nebraska blew Florida out in the NC, that year’s Nebraska team reminded me of the ‘01 Miami team. No one was going to beat either team that year.

I think it was 30-14 Vols late in the first half and the final ended up being 62-37 or something absurd.

 

[Cartervol]

97 had a better defense.

 

[UTwild82]

I went with 95. Maybe it was that beat down of Bama and breaking that streak. Maybe it was the fact we ended the year beating Eddie George and the Ohio State Buckeyes. The only stain on the season was a terrible, absolutely dreadful 2nd half against the Gators.

97 felt like they never played up to their full potential to me. I know we backdoored our way to a SEC title ( TY UGA and LSU), but that team was LOADED. They struggled during the back stretch of the season before getting absolutely exposed vs Nebraska.

97 had more talented, but I'd take 95 in a head to head because I think they would find a way to win.

 

[wmcovol]

I think the ‘95 team played more to its potential. The ‘97 team had probably more talent but seemed to play only when needed. The SECCG had to be the worst performance by a SEC champion. They should have murdered Auburn but kept AU in the game with ridiculous turnovers.

 

[99gator]

97.

1. I don't know what his numbers were, but forget the stats. I assume a senior Peyton Manning was better than a sophomore Peyton Manning.

2. They won a national championship the next year.

3. The 1997 team did not have Raymond Austin on it.

 

[Ned Ray McWorkher]

I would say the 99 team had the best potential other than the qb. And 97 had the obvious edge @ qb but was slightly less talented. 95 & 96 were both excellent teams but a tick below the two above.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

95 had Florida's number well til the 2nd half
97 ty lsu and Georgia for beating florida

And some want to say Peyton couldn’t beat Florida. I guess it was Peyton that let UF score 41 in the second half

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

I would say the 99 team had the best potential other than the qb. And 97 had the obvious edge @ qb but was slightly less talented. 95 & 96 were both excellent teams but a tick below the two above.

I think if Peyton was the QB in 98 and 99 we win back to back NCs.

 

[peaygolf]

I think it was 30-14 Vols late in the first half and the final ended up being 62-37 or something absurd.

Worst game experience I’ve ever witnessed.
God that was brutal. Soft top on my Jeep Wrangler was cut up with razor blades, or something…….

 

[MurphyVol]

This is going back a long time but I swear we were beat up and damaged goods by the Nebraska game. Maybe I’m remembering wrong but we seemed very tired by that game and Nebraska was fresh.

Also Chavis defenses struggled tremendously with any type of misdirection. Not just that season, but his entire career.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

Worst game experience I’ve ever witnessed.
God that was brutal. Soft top on my Jeep Wrangler was cut up with razor blades, or something…….

That’s awful. Wasn’t there a monsoon in the second half of that game too ?

 

[KTrain]

Which team do you guys feel was the better team?

Both ended the regular season with one loss. Both were great teams. Both teams led by Peyton. Both were exciting and fun to watch.

The ‘95 team seemed more dominant to me but did not make the SECCG. Won an exciting bowl game at season’s end.

The ‘97 team played in and won the SECCG but was blown out by one of the best college football teams of all time, not just one of Nebraska’s.

If not for the Memphis State game, I would have included the ‘96 season as well. Now, some of you may want to include them; feel free.

If that Memphis game would have been played in the replay era, Vols would have won. They showed the kickoff return over everyone of announcers said he was plainly down knee touched but they didn't whistle it so no replay back then, just went with the bad calls and lived with them.
The 96' team was great but like a lot of good to great teams sometimes you just go through the motions. They should have beat Memphis straight up easy, don't remember the spread but sure it was 14+ or more.

 

[Ned Ray McWorkher]

I think if Peyton was the QB in 98 and 99 we win back to back NCs.

No team was beating us 98 or 99 if Peyton was our qb. The same could be said if Casey was the '04 qb. We finally had the plethora of recievers we'd been working towards his entire career but we had two rookie assed qb's throwing to them.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

No team was beating us 98 or 99 if Peyton was our qb. The same could be said if Casey was the '04 qb. We finally had the plethora of recievers we'd been working towards his entire career but we had two rookie assed qb's throwing to them.

To be fair to that 01 team and the receiving corp, we had Donte Stallworth, Kelly Washington and Jason Witten. I feel like with that ‘04 group with Meachem and Swain were pretty young with Tony Brown, Fayton and Brett Smith there too.

 

[ZZ13]

The 97 team was too unstable for me. It showed itself early against UCLA when up 24-0, Manning threw a stupid pic at the goal line at the end of the first half. Should have been 31-0 at the half, but we barely hung in for dear life to “not lose” 30-24. Then Mannings 8-25 performance at home against a crappy South Carolina team. And how do you only beat Vandy 17-10. I went to the Arkansas game and that didn’t impress me either. After the Auburn game I remember feeling very lucky to be 11-1.

I’ll take the 95 team. Pretty solid season through its entirety except for the defensive meltdown at FL. And a real nice signature win against a top notch Ohio State team with Eddie George on it.

 

[PlanetVolunteer]

No team was beating us 98 or 99 if Peyton was our qb. The same could be said if Casey was the '04 qb. We finally had the plethora of recievers we'd been working towards his entire career but we had two rookie assed qb's throwing to them.

I feel like they'd still do something to screw it up in 99 or 04

Seems like it was a Fulmer and Majors thing to find a way to blow it no matter what. Some tie or get upset for no good reason. Not show up. Could be a Tennessee is cursed thing but I swear there's an unlimited number of "almost" seasons. Even back to Neylands first few years where he'd either have 1 loss or 1 tie every year inexplicably.

 

[BowlBrother85]

Was the ‘95 Fla game the one we were up 2-3 scores then they care roaring back and beat us by double score?

The way Nebraska blew Florida out in the NC, that year’s Nebraska team reminded me of the ‘01 Miami team. No one was going to beat either team that year.

Yes. It was 30-21, early in the 3rd Quarter.

We drove inside the Florida 5, but had to settle for a chip shot field goal which Jeff Hall missed (he had already missed an extra point). Florida drove the length of the field for a TD to make it 30-28.

We put another good drive together, and were in Florida territory when Jay Graham fumbled while diving over the line for a 1st down. It was scooped up by Florida and returned deep into our end of the field. They scored on the very next play. That made it 34-30.

On the first play of the next possession, Jay Graham fumbled again ... and Florida scored on the very next play (again). That made it 41-30.

We went 3 and out on the next possession and our terrible punter, a red-headed geek named Larry Binion, shanked a 15 yard punt. They scored quickly ... again.

We went from being up 30-21 ... to being down 48-30 in the span of about 10 minutes.

Jermaine Copeland, playing QB, fumbled at our own 20 in the 4th Quarter and Florida put their starting QB, Danny Wuerffel back into the game and he threw another TD pass to a starting WR named Chris Doering. This is notable because Fulmer had put 2nd and 3rd team players in the game by then - on both sides of the ball. Very classy of Spurrier. That made it 62-30.

The final score was 62-37.