A Statistical Analysis and Ranking of Tennessee’s Greatest Teams, Part 2

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Volosaurus rex

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#1
Listed chronologically, candidates for the greatest Tennessee football team of all time can be grouped into the following eras:

Pre-poll, pre-SEC Neyland years:
1928 (9-0-1. Ranked 2nd by Billingsley for that year.)
1929 (9-0-1. Ranked 3rd by Billingsley for that year.)
1931 (9-0-1. Ranked 3rd by Billingsley for that year.)
1932 (9-0-1. Ranked 3rd by Billingsley for that year.)

This was the first true dynasty of Neyland’s career. Because it coincided with the pre-poll, pre-SEC period, it does not receive sufficient recognition from Tennessee fans.

Pre-World War II era Neyland teams:
1938 (11-0. Ranked 2nd AP. Declared National Champions by Billinsley, Dunkel, Litkenhous and a host of other mathematical systems.) 110th all-time in Billingsley’s Top 200.

1939 (10-1. As most Vol fans well know, this was the last major college football team to finish a regular season undefeated, untied and unscored upon. Ranked 2nd AP and 1st by Billingsley prior to the Rose Bowl loss to USC but 3rd after that game.)

Post-World War II Neyland teams:
1950 (11-1. 5th Coaches Poll, 4th AP. Ranked National Champions by Billingsley after Cotton Bowl victory over Texas.)
1951 (10-1. Consensus National Champions. Ranked 4th by Billingsley after Sugar Bowl loss.) 146th all-time in Billingsley’s Top 200.

Wyatt/Dickey/Battle years:
1956 (10-1. Ranked 2nd in both polls and 1st by Billingsley prior to the Sugar Bowl loss. Billingsley ranked them 3rd after the bowl game). 176th all-time in Billingsley’s Top 200.

1967 (9-2. Ranked 2nd in both polls prior to Orange Bowl loss to Oklahoma and 3rd by Billingsley after that game. Declared National Champions by Litkenhous. This was the final year in which National Champions were declared prior to the completion of all bowl games.)

1970 squad (11-1. Sugar Bowl champions. Ranked 4th in both final polls and by Billingsley.)

Majors years:
1985 (9-1-2. Sugar Bowl champions. Ranked 4th in both final polls and 5th by Billingsley.)

Fulmer years:
1995 (11-1. Ranked 2nd and 3rd, respectively, in the Coaches Poll and AP, and 3rd by Billingsley.)

1998 (13-0. Consensus National Champions and BCS Champions.) 3rd best all-time in Billingsley’s Top 200.

Needless to say, we will probably never come to agreement on the ranking for, say, the five best Tennessee teams of all time. Most Vol fans, however, will probably consider the 1998 squad as the very best team, based in no small part on greater personal familiarity. In any event, this topic should be a lot of fun to debate.
 
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#2
#2
It's hard to believe the '39 team didn't win ANYbody's NC. Remember, all the votes were cast before the bowls in those days. Bowls were exhibitions.

Perhaps UT's greatest statistical achievement was allowing only 5 wins to Alabama during a 4 decade stretch -- 1938 to 1960 (23 games).
 
#4
#4
WiseOlVol said:
It's hard to believe the '39 team didn't win ANYbody's NC. Remember, all the votes were cast before the bowls in those days. Bowls were exhibitions.

Perhaps UT's greatest statistical achievement was allowing only 5 wins to Alabama during a 4 decade stretch -- 1938 to 1960 (23 games).
Click to expand...

So two years in the 30s and one year in the 60s qualifies to count both decades?
 
#10
#10
brianlsanders said:
What the 1938 and 1939 Tennessee teams did is unbelievable. Only gave up a total of 30 points in 22 games and 14 were in the 1939 Rose Bowl.

Went 15 games in a row without allowing a point.

]
Click to expand...

Neyland was 173-31-12 (.829) but the most impressive stat is; 109 of those wins were shut outs.

And, don't forget, he took time off to whip the Germans in WWII, too.
 
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#11
#11
Volosaurus rex said:
Listed chronologically, candidates for the greatest Tennessee football team of all time can be grouped into the following eras:

Pre-poll, pre-SEC Neyland years:
1928 (9-0-1. Ranked 2nd by Billingsley for that year.)
1929 (9-0-1. Ranked 3rd by Billingsley for that year.)
1931 (9-0-1. Ranked 3rd by Billingsley for that year.)
1932 (9-0-1. Ranked 3rd by Billingsley for that year.)

This was the first true dynasty of Neyland’s career. Because it coincided with the pre-poll, pre-SEC period, it does not receive sufficient recognition from Tennessee fans.

Pre-World War II era Neyland teams:
1938 (11-0. Ranked 2nd AP. Declared National Champions by Billinsley, Dunkel, Litkenhous and a host of other mathematical systems.) 110th all-time in Billingsley’s Top 200.

1939 (10-1. As most Vol fans well know, this was the last major college football team to finish a regular season undefeated, untied and unscored upon. Ranked 2nd AP and 1st by Billingsley prior to the Rose Bowl loss to USC but 3rd after that game.)

Post-World War II Neyland teams:
1950 (11-1. 5th Coaches Poll, 4th AP. Ranked National Champions by Billingsley after Cotton Bowl victory over Texas.)
1951 (10-1. Consensus National Champions. Ranked 4th by Billingsley after Sugar Bowl loss.) 146th all-time in Billingsley’s Top 200.

Wyatt/Dickey/Battle years:
1956 (10-1. Ranked 2nd in both polls and 1st by Billingsley prior to the Sugar Bowl loss. Billingsley ranked them 3rd after the bowl game). 176th all-time in Billingsley’s Top 200.

1967 (9-2. Ranked 2nd in both polls prior to Orange Bowl loss to Oklahoma and 3rd by Billingsley after that game. Declared National Champions by Litkenhous. This was the final year in which National Champions were declared prior to the completion of all bowl games.)

1970 squad (11-1. Sugar Bowl champions. Ranked 4th in both final polls and by Billingsley.)

Majors years:
1985 (9-1-2. Sugar Bowl champions. Ranked 4th in both final polls and 5th by Billingsley.)

Fulmer years:
1995 (11-1. Ranked 2nd and 3rd, respectively, in the Coaches Poll and AP, and 3rd by Billingsley.)

1998 (13-0. Consensus National Champions and BCS Champions.) 3rd best all-time in Billingsley’s Top 200.

Needless to say, we will probably never come to agreement on the ranking for, say, the five best Tennessee teams of all time. Most Vol fans, however, will probably consider the 1998 squad as the very best team, based in no small part on greater personal familiarity. In any event, this topic should be a lot of fun to debate.
Click to expand...

Tl:dr
 
#12
#12
brianlsanders said:
What the 1938 and 1939 Tennessee teams did is unbelievable. Only gave up a total of 30 points in 22 games and 14 were in the 1939 Rose Bowl.

Went 15 games in a row without allowing a point.

1938 Tennessee Volunteers football team - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

1939 Tennessee Volunteers football team - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Click to expand...

To further expound upon your point, the 1938, ’39 and ’40 teams collectively shut out 25 of their 30 regular season opponents and surrendered a total of 75 points, including bowl games, over the course of 33 games, an astonishing total in any era.
 
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