Countdown to September 2nd vs UVA. (Top 150 Vols wins)

[peaygolf]

81 days…….

#81 - 20-7 vs #15 Alabama (1960)

Early turnovers doomed Bama on this day, as a fumble by Ray Abruzzese on the first play of the game set up Tennessee’s first score on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Bill Majors to Charles Wyrick. Later in the 1st quarter, Tommy White fumbled and Cotton Letner returned it 41 yards for a TD and a 14-0 lead, and the Vols were on their way to victory.

Glenn Glass would score from the three to give UT a 20-7 halftime lead. Neither team would score in the second half, as Neyland played his field position “game.”


Tennessee wasn’t overwhelming that year, finishing 6-2-2, but it was on that wonderful October day as it handed Bama its only loss of the season.

 

[peaygolf]

80 days…….

#80 - 42-0 vs #18 Auburn (1980)

UT started 0-2 after losing heartbreakers to two of the best teams in the country. After a victory over Washington State, the Vols had to travel to #18 Auburn. 1-3 looked like a guarantee.

What happened that day is kinda remarkable. The defense was amazing, holding All-American James Brooks to 36 yards rushing. The offense, lead by Jeff Olszewski, ran over and around the Tigers all day. Olszewski had 11 completions in a row and threw for 2 touchdowns, while James Berry had 3 TD runs. Terry Daniels had 125 yards rushing on 21 attempts, as the Vols dominated the Tigers 42-0 in front of the largest crowd in Auburn history. Olszewski was named Southeast back of the week.

The victory gave hope to a season that looked squandered, but a stretch of four losses, after getting to 3-2, derailed the season.

 

[OneManGang]

80 days…….

#80 - 42-0 vs #18 Auburn (1980)

UT started 0-2 after losing heartbreakers to two of the best teams in the country. After a victory over Washington State, the Vols had to travel to #18 Auburn. 1-3 looked like a guarantee.

What happened that day is kinda remarkable. The defense was amazing, holding All-American James Brooks to 36 yards rushing. The offense, lead by Jeff Olszewski, ran over and around the Tigers all day. Olszewski had 11 completions in a row and threw for 2 touchdowns, while James Berry had 3 TD runs. Terry Daniels had 125 yards rushing on 21 attempts, as the Vols dominated the Tigers 42-0 in front of the largest crowd in Auburn history. Olszewski was named Southeast back of the week.

The victory gave hope to a season that looked squandered, but a stretch of four losses, after getting to 3-2, derailed the season.

View attachment 556858

I was working in Texas that fall. Now mind you, this was loonnggg before the internet, In fact, the office I was working in had one of the very first fax machines. You loaded a sheet of thermal paper onto a roller and put the phone receiver on a hookup on the side of the machine and started the roller. It literally received one vertical line of print at a time, i.e. a single letter would take 6-8 passes to emerge. It took something like 45 minutes to transmit a single page ... and we thought it was something out of James Bond.

The only way you could get non-SWC scores in the local media was to wait until the Sunday paper came out ... and sometimes the Tuesday paper!!

I went to the Confederate Air Force (since PC-ed to the "Commemorative Air Force") show in Harlingen that year. Tennessee Ernie Ford was the MC and when the chaplain included a prayer for Texas who was playing OU that day, Ford quipped, "Padre, could you throw in a mention of my Tennessee Vols? They're playing Alabama today and could use all the help they can get!"

 

[Tin Man]

80 days…….

#80 - 42-0 vs #18 Auburn (1980)

UT started 0-2 after losing heartbreakers to two of the best teams in the country. After a victory over Washington State, the Vols had to travel to #18 Auburn. 1-3 looked like a guarantee.

What happened that day is kinda remarkable. The defense was amazing, holding All-American James Brooks to 36 yards rushing. The offense, lead by Jeff Olszewski, ran over and around the Tigers all day. Olszewski had 11 completions in a row and threw for 2 touchdowns, while James Berry had 3 TD runs. Terry Daniels had 125 yards rushing on 21 attempts, as the Vols dominated the Tigers 42-0 in front of the largest crowd in Auburn history. Olszewski was named Southeast back of the week.

The victory gave hope to a season that looked squandered, but a stretch of four losses, after getting to 3-2, derailed the season.

View attachment 556858

Both Tennessee and Auburn would end their seasons at 5-6, but Auburn entered the season with high expectations and went 0-6 in the conference (UT 3-3). Honestly, the Vols shellacking Auburn on their home field was the season high point for me. Yes, the Big Orange would score more points against Kentucky and Vanderbilt, but defeating them was to be expected.

 

[peaygolf]

79 days……..

#79 - 30-21 vs #13 Auburn (1991)

"The largest crowd in Neyland Stadium history at the time (97,731) watched #5 Tennessee take the last of the annual meetings with Auburn before the SEC's expansion. This was the Carl Pickens Show as the future NFL wide receiver caught four passes for 172 yards, including touchdowns of 87 and 67 yards. Both big plays came in the second half after the Vols led 10-7 at halftime."

The Tigers kept answering, though, and the Vols had to go on a long, clock-chewing drive and kick a field goal with 1:48 to seal the win.
Andy Kelly had 3 TD passes and freshman James Stewart had 141 yards rushing helping UT to the victory.

The win was the third in a row over a ranked team, but the next two were against UF and Bama. Two tough losses hurt, but a 9-2 regular season was still a solid year.

 

[OrangeTsar]

 

[WeeohdeeWood]

Just like that we are in the seventies. It's happening!

 

[peaygolf]

78 days……

#78 - 13-8 vs #11 Mississippi State (1958)

The Vols had just been soundly beaten by Auburn the week before and had to travel to Memphis to play the Bulldogs.

Murray Armstrong scored both Touchdowns for UT, leading the Vols to an upset victory.

After a scoreless first half, Armstrong intercepted a pass and returned it for a 57 yard TD. MSU would score and take the lead 8-7…….but in the final moments, Armstrong caught a pass from Bill Majors in the back of the end zone to give UT the win.

1958 was not a great season, with UT going 4-6, but the upset of Mississippi State was a huge win.

 

[Tin Man]

Just like that we are in the seventies. It's happening!

1970s?
[VIDEO=][/VIDEO]

 

[OneManGang]

78 days……

#78 - 13-8 vs #11 Mississippi State (1958)

The Vols had just been soundly beaten by Auburn the week before and had to travel to Memphis to play the Bulldogs.

Murray Armstrong scored both Touchdowns for UT, leading the Vols to an upset victory.

After a scoreless first half, Armstrong intercepted a pass and returned it for a 57 yard TD. MSU would score and take the lead 8-7…….but in the final moments, Armstrong caught a pass from Bobby Majors in the back of the end zone to give UT the win.

1958 was not a great season, with UT going 4-6, but the upset of Mississippi State was a huge win.

View attachment 557214

One quibble: that pass would have been thrown by Bill Majors, not Bobby.

Both Vol legends, but different eras.

 

[peaygolf]

Just like that we are in the seventies. It's happening!

I'm not that old!

 

[Tin Man]

I'm not that old!

You are forgiven. Indeed, I and some of my contemporaries are pleased that you follow us, exhibiting such true and aptly expressed Voldom.

 

[Rifleman]

I'm not that old!

I wouldn't worry, especially since most of us are in here are hoping 23 is the new 98.

 

[peaygolf]

You are forgiven. Indeed, I and some of my contemporaries are pleased that you follow us, exhibiting such true and aptly expressed Voldom.

Actually....I am that old. I remember half the 70's

 

[Rifleman]

Actually....I am that old. I remember half the 70's

I remember Custer's Last Stand and the phonograph, then things get fuzzy . . . wait, you mean the 1970s?

 

[peaygolf]

77 days…..

#77 - 34-27 vs #17 Pittsburgh (2022)

“Tennessee trailed 10-7 at the end of the first quarter, and then played its only really “good,” quarter of football of the game. The Vols scored 17 points in the second stanza, to Pittsburgh’s seven, and took a 24-17 lead into halftime.

Unfortunately, Tennessee’s third quarter was worse than it’s first. The Vols had 29 yards of total offense, two punts, a fumble and a blocked punt all in 15 minutes of football that was excruciatingly hard to watch.

After Jaylen Wright’s fumble, Tennessee’s defense held Pitt to a FG — it was the only one of Pitt’s kicker’s three attempts he made on the day.

Hooker and the offense needed 15 plays to go 41 yards on the following drive and couldn’t score a touchdown. Chase McGrath, a bit surprisingly, nailed a 51-yard attempt, which put the Vols’ lead up to a full seven points at 27-20.

Tennessee’s defense forced a punt on Pitt’s next drive, but Flowers muffed the catch, and the Panthers recovered on the Vols’ 39-yard line.

Pittsburgh’s backup QB, Nick Patti, out there hobbling around on one leg for much of his time on the field, led his offense to two fourth-down conversions, the second of which was a touchdown pass to the back of the endzone that tied the game at 27.

The game went to overtime, and a holding call negated an 18-yard TD scoring run by Hooker on the second play of the period. But the very next play, Hooker connected with Tillman for Hooker’s second TD pass of the game. This ended up as the game winner.”

The game was a confidence builder for the remainder of the season. Without the win, I don’t think the season would have gone the way it did. UT won, despite not play well for much of the game, on the road, against a really good team. UT grew up on that Saturday……

 

[Vol49er]

77 days…..

#77 - 34-27 vs #17 Pittsburgh (2022)

“Tennessee trailed 10-7 at the end of the first quarter, and then played its only really “good,” quarter of football of the game. The Vols scored 17 points in the second stanza, to Pittsburgh’s seven, and took a 24-17 lead into halftime.

Unfortunately, Tennessee’s third quarter was worse than it’s first. The Vols had 29 yards of total offense, two punts, a fumble and a blocked punt all in 15 minutes of football that was excruciatingly hard to watch.

After Jaylen Wright’s fumble, Tennessee’s defense held Pitt to a FG — it was the only one of Pitt’s kicker’s three attempts he made on the day.

Hooker and the offense needed 15 plays to go 41 yards on the following drive and couldn’t score a touchdown. Chase McGrath, a bit surprisingly, nailed a 51-yard attempt, which put the Vols’ lead up to a full seven points at 27-20.

Tennessee’s defense forced a punt on Pitt’s next drive, but Flowers muffed the catch, and the Panthers recovered on the Vols’ 39-yard line.

Pittsburgh’s backup QB, Nick Patti, out there hobbling around on one leg for much of his time on the field, led his offense to two fourth-down conversions, the second of which was a touchdown pass to the back of the endzone that tied the game at 27.

The game went to overtime, and a holding call negated an 18-yard TD scoring run by Hooker on the second play of the period. But the very next play, Hooker connected with Tillman for Hooker’s second TD pass of the game. This ended up as the game winner.”

The game was a confidence builder for the remainder of the season. Without the win, I don’t think the season would have gone the way it did. UT won, despite not play well for much of the game, on the road, against a really good team. UT grew up on that Saturday……

View attachment 557393

Man I’ve always wondered how last season would’ve went had we not got this one. Like your description said, it was an ugly ugly win, but so vital

 

[OneManGang]

Actually....I am that old. I remember half the 70's

So can I. I just can't remember which half!

 

[peaygolf]

76 days…..

#76 - 24-17 vs #10 LSU (1972 Bluebonnet Bowl)

LSU came into this game 9-1-1 and ranked No. 10 in both polls. The #11 Vols, meanwhile, in their first year with Condredge Holloway at quarterback, went 9-2, their only losses each coming by one score to Alabama and Auburn.

Although the first score of the game was an LSU field goal, the Vols then went off. Holloway threw a touchdown pass and ran for two more, and by the end of the first half, the Vols had a 24-3 lead. However, in the second half, the LSU defense adjusted, and the Vols struggled to move the ball.

Meanwhile, LSU fought back with touchdowns in the third and fourth quarters. All of a sudden, with just under seven and a half minutes to go, they only trailed 24-17. Then LSU got the ball back and a chance to tie before Conrad Graham knocked down a pass on fourth down to secure the victory.

It was the Vols 8th straight bowl and 3rd straight bowl victory. UT would finish 10-2 and ranked #8.

 

[peaygolf]

75 days……

#75 - 31-27 vs #10 Arkansas (1990 Cotton Bowl)

“Tennessee finished with its finest season record since 1970 by taking a hard-fought 31-27 decision over the Southwest Conference champion Razorbacks.

The Vols, paced by the running of Offensive MVP Chuck Webb and an opportunistic defense, raced to a 31-13 lead after three periods, but the Hogs stormed back to close the margin before Alvin Harper recovered an onside kick attempt with 1:23 left on the clock and the Vols were able to run out the clock.

UT had parlayed a field goal by Greg Burke, two TDs by Webb, one on a 78-yard run down the near sideline, an 84-yard pass from Andy Kelly to Anthony Morgan and a 1-yard toss from Kelly to Greg Amsler to take the lead.

Martin Williams and Tracy Hayworth recovered fumbles to blunt two Arkansas drives and Defensive MVP Carl Pickens intercepted an Arkansas pass to stop another drive. Kacy Rodgers made a big play in the fourth quarter, stopping Arkansas tailback Barry Foster on fourth-and-1 at the Vol 9.”

The five wins to end the ‘88 season set up the ‘89 season. The victory over Arkansas was the culmination of the best season in almost 20 years and it was officially the first victory of the 1990s…..a decade of greatness!!!!!!!

 

[Tin Man]

75 days……

#75 - 34-31 vs #10 Arkansas (1990 Cotton Bowl)

“Tennessee finished with its finest season record since 1970 by taking a hard-fought 31-27 decision over the Southwest Conference champion Razorbacks.

The Vols, paced by the running of Offensive MVP Chuck Webb and an opportunistic defense, raced to a 31-13 lead after three periods, but the Hogs stormed back to close the margin before Alvin Harper recovered an onside kick attempt with 1:23 left on the clock and the Vols were able to run out the clock.

UT had parlayed a field goal by Greg Burke, two TDs by Webb, one on a 78-yard run down the near sideline, an 84-yard pass from Andy Kelly to Anthony Morgan and a 1-yard toss from Kelly to Greg Amsler to take the lead.

Martin Williams and Tracy Hayworth recovered fumbles to blunt two Arkansas drives and Defensive MVP Carl Pickens intercepted an Arkansas pass to stop another drive. Kacy Rodgers made a big play in the fourth quarter, stopping Arkansas tailback Barry Foster on fourth-and-1 at the Vol 9.”

The five wins to end the ‘88 season set up the ‘89 season. The victory over Arkansas was the culmination of the best season in almost 20 years and it was officially the first victory of the 1990s…..a decade of greatness!!!!!!!

View attachment 557827

I had great seats at that game.

 

[peaygolf]

74 days……

#74 - 45-42 vs #18 Kentucky (2021)

"The Vols were outgained 612-461 and held the ball for just 13:52, but made the most of it before a sellout crowd in hostile territory. Many spectators had barely settled into seats when Hooker tossed his first TD pass to Javonta Payton on the game's first snap.

Hooker's final TD to Tillman with 11:40 remaining proved to be the biggest as Kentucky got within a field goal on Will Levis' 24-yard touchdown toss. The Wildcats got one last chance after Chase McGrath's missed field goal but couldn't take advantage, turning the ball over on downs with 29 seconds left.

Alontae Taylor came up with Tennessee's biggest defensive play with 6:23 left in the third, reading Levis perfectly to jump a route for a 56-yard interception return for a touchdown that gave the Volunteers their first 10-point lead."

It was CJHs first win over a ranked team, and the first for UT since 2018. A loss would have hurt UTs chances for a bowl game, which was important in helping rebuild a program on the downswing.

I’m my opinion, it was the game that started the CJH era of Vols football.

 

[peaygolf]

EDIT:

Hopefully..............we look back at the 2021 UK game as a much bigger/important win.

 

[IndianaVol]

EDIT:

Hopefully..............we look back at the 2021 UK game as a much bigger/important win.

AGREE - I recall commenting to the missus, little brother, and sista-in-law during that game that THIS game could make or break Heupel at UT. Win and the fanbase is on board with what he's doing, lose and it's three more years of despair until we find the next lottery winner, err head coach at UT.

Glad that team hung on and took the win, we will look back a couple of years from now when (hopefully) the National Champions are clad in Big Orange again and say this won against UK was the pivotal point.

 

[peaygolf]

73 days……

#73 - 26-18 vs #14 LSU (2001)

Kelley Washington caught 11 passes for 256 yards and a touchdown, snapping the Tennessee offense out of a season-long lethargy and leading the No. 7 Volunteers to a 26-18 victory over No. 14 LSU.

Of Washington's 11 catches, all went for first downs. Five of those came on third down. It was the breakout game expected from the 22-year-old freshman since he arrived on campus after playing professional baseball for four years.

LSU had a 7-6 halftime lead, but UT stormed back in the 2nd half to lead 26-7. Tennessee took the lead for the first time by driving 82 yards in 16 plays. Clausen's quarterback draw from the LSU 3 ended the opening possession of the second half. A 2-point conversion pass was batted down, leaving the Vols up 12-7.

A 70-yard touchdown pass from Clausen to Washington came on Tennessee's next possession. Travis Stephens capped a 70-yard drive in 10 plays the next time the Vols got the ball to make it 26-7.

LSU came back and had a final possession, but a desperation passin the end zone fell incomplete. The victory put UT 3-0 and visions of 1998 were in everyone’s mind.