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

[peaygolf]

REPORTED!!!
MODS this is ban worthy.

I did say "MIGHT"

 

[Tin Man]

I hate to admit this...............after this game, I really thought, "Butch might be the guy."

What I remember is the embarrassment of an administration that no coach wanted to work under, and Butch Jones eagerly taking the job, proclaiming Tennessee to be a career destination. He was correct, maybe not for him, but the ship is now righted, and it’s good to be a Tennessee Vol!

 

[malinoisvol]

I remember CBJ calling time out in the final minute to allow everyone to soak it in. Classless... MEH, maybe. Cathartic... Absolutely.

 

[peaygolf]

I remember CBJ calling time out in the final minute to allow everyone to soak it in. Classless... MEH, maybe. Cathartic... Absolutely.

After, what, eleven years……soak it in!

 

[Orange.]

I hate to admit this...............after this game, I really thought, "Butch might be the guy."

I never could stand him after the second half of the 2015 Oklahoma game. He lost the game in vivid fear, trying to run the clock out for 25 minutes. That could have been one of the most dominant wins over a highly ranked team for us in a while. Looked like it would be hard to win by fewer than 4 TDs.

 

[peaygolf]

I never could stand him after the second half of the 2015 Oklahoma game. He lost the game in vivid fear, trying to run the clock out for 25 minutes. That could have been one of the most dominant wins over a highly ranked team for us in a while. Looked like it would be hard to win by fewer than 4 TDs.

It should be on my list of greatest wins…..

 

[Orange.]

But anyway, on to brighter things! Here is a great photoshop of your photo from that thrilling 2016 Florida win, which was very very fun. And Jenning was awesome!

Remember how that Gayt DB trash talked all week before the game! Then on gameday, this:

 

[joevol33]

I never could stand him after the second half of the 2015 Oklahoma game. He lost the game in vivid fear, trying to run the clock out for 25 minutes. That could have been one of the most dominant wins over a highly ranked team for us in a while. Looked like it would be hard to win by fewer than 4 TDs.

That and the Florida game we lost, Butch lost me . I mean I never thought he was the greatest thing, but I did want to believe he was going to be different. Unfortunately, I was wrong.

 

[peaygolf]

41 days…..

#41 - 34-33 vs #17 Syracuse (1998)

When the 1998 Tennessee Volunteers stepped in the Carrier Dome to take on #17 Syracuse to start the season, there wasn't a lot of national conversation about UT getting a chance to win the first ever BCS Championship. Eight players were picked in the NFL Draft from the ‘97 team, three coming in the first round: Marcus Nash, Terry Fair and most importantly, quarterback Peyton Manning.

Things couldn't have started better for UT if they tried. The very first possession, the Vols went 80 yards down the field in just seven plays. Tee Martin, making his first start, hooked up with Peerless Price on a 12-yard pass for a touchdown.

Syracuse responded with a touchdown pass of its own, Donovan McNabb to tight end Steve Brominski, to tie the game at 7.

Before halftime, Martin called his own number: a quarterback sneak from the goal-line gave Tennessee a 14-7 lead through two quarters.

In the third quarter, Syracuse added two field goals to cut the lead to 1 point, but in came running back Jamal Lewis. Lewis took flight over defenders and across the goal-line to push the Vols further ahead, 21-13.

The defense joined in on the fun. Defensive tackle Darwin Walker stripped McNabb of the football, Tennessee recovered, and a Jeff Hall field goal pushed the lead to 11 for the Vols.

In the 4th quarter, Tennessee faced its first moment of adversity in the '98 season. McNabb drove Syracuse down the field twice, throwing a touchdown to receiver Kevin Johnson and taking it in himself on a run. Syracuse now led 27-24.

Tennessee would add a touchdown in the fourth quarter to take back the lead, but McNabb and Syracuse were far from out of it. Two more field goals put UT into a 33-31 hole with 2:38 left in the game.

On fourth down during the drive, Tee Martin fired a pass to a slanting Cedrick Wilson, but it would fall to the ground incomplete. Just when it looked like the Vols would start the season 0-1, a yellow flag came flying down from the belt of a nearby referee. Pass interference on Syracuse, first down Tennessee. The Vols continued the drive and got the ball down to the ten yard line with 4 seconds left. From there, Jeff Hall kicked a 27 yard FG to give UT a 34-33 victory.

Tee made the plays when needed and the controversial penalty (it was the correct call) saved the day. Without the win……there is no National Championship. Period!

 

[Orange.]

41 days…..

#41 - 34-33 vs #17 Syracuse (1998)

When the 1998 Tennessee Volunteers stepped in the Carrier Dome to take on #17 Syracuse to start the season, there wasn't a lot of national conversation about UT getting a chance to win the first ever BCS Championship. Eight players were picked in the NFL Draft from the ‘97 team, three coming in the first round: Marcus Nash, Terry Fair and most importantly, quarterback Peyton Manning.

Things couldn't have started better for UT if they tried. The very first possession, the Vols went 80 yards down the field in just seven plays. Tee Martin, making his first start, hooked up with Peerless Price on a 12-yard pass for a touchdown.

Syracuse responded with a touchdown pass of its own, Donovan McNabb to tight end Steve Brominski, to tie the game at 7.

Before halftime, Martin called his own number: a quarterback sneak from the goal-line gave Tennessee a 14-7 lead through two quarters.

In the third quarter, Syracuse added two field goals to cut the lead to 1 point, but in came running back Jamal Lewis. Lewis took flight over defenders and across the goal-line to push the Vols further ahead, 21-13.

The defense joined in on the fun. Defensive tackle Darwin Walker stripped McNabb of the football, Tennessee recovered, and a Jeff Hall field goal pushed the lead to 11 for the Vols.

In the 4th quarter, Tennessee faced its first moment of adversity in the '98 season. McNabb drove Syracuse down the field twice, throwing a touchdown to receiver Kevin Johnson and taking it in himself on a run. Syracuse now led 27-24.

Tennessee would add a touchdown in the fourth quarter to take back the lead, but McNabb and Syracuse were far from out of it. Two more field goals put UT into a 33-31 hole with 2:38 left in the game.

On fourth down during the drive, Tee Martin fired a pass to a slanting Cedrick Wilson, but it would fall to the ground incomplete. Just when it looked like the Vols would start the season 0-1, a yellow flag came flying down from the belt of a nearby referee. Pass interference on Syracuse, first down Tennessee. The Vols continued the drive and got the ball down to the ten yard line with 4 seconds left. From there, Jeff Hall kicked a 27 yard FG to give UT a 34-33 victory.

Tee made the plays when needed and the controversial penalty (it was the correct call) saved the day. Without the win……there is no National Championship. Period! Good choice, of course, and GBO!



View attachment 564961

Huge inter-sectional game, and of course even much bigger in retrospect. We had so many guys cramping up indoors, I remember. Not sure what was going on there. First time I ever saw Donavan McNabb play (for the bad guys). Looked like an incipient beatdown early and turned nail-biter late, as you say. Good choice, as usual, and GBO!

 

[Orange.]

Top 40 time! Buckle our seat belts!

 

[Tin Man]

Top 40 time! Buckle our seat belts!

@peaygolf > Casey Kasem

 

[peaygolf]

@peaygolf > Casey Kasem

 

[gnm53108]

Huge inter-sectional game, and of course even much bigger in retrospect. We had so many guys cramping up indoors, I remember. Not sure what was going on there. First time I ever saw Donavan McNabb play (for the bad guys). Looked like an incipient beatdown early and turned nail-biter late, as you say. Good choice, as usual, and GBO!

Think they blamed it on supplement they were taking. Creatine. Said they weren’t ever using it again. Most points our defense gave up all year.

 

[StarRaider]

We had so many guys cramping up indoors, I remember. Not sure what was going on there.

Despite its namesake, the Carrier Dome aint got no Carrier AC

 

[NeverWe'llSever]

Watched that Syracuse game on YouTube. Stressful 25 years later!

 

[peaygolf]

40 days…..

#40 - 30-27 vs #4 LSU (2005)

UT entered the ‘05 season ranked #3 and favored to win the SECE, but after barely escaping UAB and losing to UF, the Vols had to travel to #3 LSU…….after Hurricane Rita postponed the game to Monday night.

Things could not have started off worse, and after Erik Ainge’s pass was intercepted and returned for a short TD, LSU lead 21-0 at halftime.

LSU transfer Rick Clausen came off the bench to rally Tennessee with a touchdown pass and a one-yard touchdown sneak that made it 24-14 with 9:35 left.

Jonathan Hefney intercepted JaMarcus Russell and returned it 26 yards to the LSU 2 on the next possession. When Riggs scored from two yards out with about 71/2 minutes to play, the crowd went silent as the lead was down to three.

Then Tennessee's defense forced another LSU punt and Riggs's 22-yard run helped get James Wilhoit in position for a 28-yard field goal that tied it. Overtime…….

The Tigers had first crack in overtime, but managed only a 31-yard field goal by Colt David.

Riggs accounted for all the Vols' yards in overtime with a 10-yard reception and four runs. He powered through the line and into the end zone to send the hurricane-weary Louisianans home with a bitter loss.

The 21 point comeback vs the #4 team in the country was huge, but a QB controversy was taking place. The season would completely fall apart a couple weeks later, and UT would limp home with a 5-6 record.

On that Monday night however…..it was a monumental win for the Vols!

 

[Rifleman]

I hate to say it but I had to leave this game at the half. I developed heat related illness and once we got into car and AC I perked up. We stopped at Puelo's in Strawberry Plains and ended up watching the rest of the game there. I still say my leaving turned them around.

Were you at Puelo's in Strawberry Plains every game day from then until we lost one? Or do you have a lower superstition level than me?

 

[peaygolf]

39 days……

#39 - 20-13 vs #7 Alabama (1996)

The Vols entered the season ranked #2, but a loss to UF had UT ranked #6 when they hosted undefeated, yet untested Alabama.

Early on, the Tide looked like their undefeated record was legit. They built a 13-0 lead into the second half, selling out to stop the run and pressure Manning. Finally, Manning caught them on a blitz and hit Joey Kent for a 54 yard score to get them on the board. Then he led them down the field for a game-tying score after Terry Fair intercepted a Freddie Kitchen’s pass in the fourth quarter.

Manning was still struggling and Jay Graham was having difficulty getting going, but later on in the final period, Graham finally broke free, and outraced the Tide defense for a 79 yard touchdown to put UT ahead 20-13.

Bama wouldn’t quit, and marched down inside the Vols 20. A Leonard Little strip sack, and Jonathan Brown recovery, sealed the Vols second consecutive victory over the hated Tide.

 

[OneManGang]

I think that run was right after Eli Gold said something to the effect that Graham wasn't a very good running back.

 

[peaygolf]

I think that run was right after Eli Gold said something to the effect that Graham wasn't a very good running back.

 

[OneManGang]

Upon further review it may have been Graham's 75-yard run in 1995 that shut up Eli Gold.



Found this on the 1996 game with Tennessee legends John Ward and Peyton Manning, narrated by the equally legendary Fred Thompson.

 

[Orange.]

None of that^^^ site's Vols videos are playing. I don't know if that is a coincidence or an attack.

But you can see it here at 2:31:34 (includes scoring recap to set the stage). The strip sack by Leonard Little that @peaygolf points out to clinch our win is at 2:43:43. (You can also see the Bammaw deliberately rolling Little's legs after he is on the ground, if you care to notice.)

 

[Orange.]

40 days…..

#40 - 30-27 vs #4 LSU (2005)
....

This photo shows the reason that I wish both teams had been wearing traditional unis for this past years dominating win at Baton Rouge. I like the AD's announcement last year that we would go with traditional unis for traditional rivals to stress our brand. And it had some enjoyable side-effects, such as denying KY that status and crushing them in the black mambas, which I love btw. Maybe cheat the corners of the policy and call LSU a traditional rival. The highlights just read better in orange imo.

 

[Orange.]

41 days…..

#41 - 34-33 vs #17 Syracuse (1998)

When the 1998 Tennessee Volunteers stepped in the Carrier Dome to take on #17 Syracuse to start the season, there wasn't a lot of national conversation about UT getting a chance to win the first ever BCS Championship. Eight players were picked in the NFL Draft from the ‘97 team, three coming in the first round: Marcus Nash, Terry Fair and most importantly, quarterback Peyton Manning.

Things couldn't have started better for UT if they tried. The very first possession, the Vols went 80 yards down the field in just seven plays. Tee Martin, making his first start, hooked up with Peerless Price on a 12-yard pass for a touchdown.

Syracuse responded with a touchdown pass of its own, Donovan McNabb to tight end Steve Brominski, to tie the game at 7.

Before halftime, Martin called his own number: a quarterback sneak from the goal-line gave Tennessee a 14-7 lead through two quarters.

In the third quarter, Syracuse added two field goals to cut the lead to 1 point, but in came running back Jamal Lewis. Lewis took flight over defenders and across the goal-line to push the Vols further ahead, 21-13.

The defense joined in on the fun. Defensive tackle Darwin Walker stripped McNabb of the football, Tennessee recovered, and a Jeff Hall field goal pushed the lead to 11 for the Vols.

In the 4th quarter, Tennessee faced its first moment of adversity in the '98 season. McNabb drove Syracuse down the field twice, throwing a touchdown to receiver Kevin Johnson and taking it in himself on a run. Syracuse now led 27-24.

Tennessee would add a touchdown in the fourth quarter to take back the lead, but McNabb and Syracuse were far from out of it. Two more field goals put UT into a 33-31 hole with 2:38 left in the game.

On fourth down during the drive, Tee Martin fired a pass to a slanting Cedrick Wilson, but it would fall to the ground incomplete. Just when it looked like the Vols would start the season 0-1, a yellow flag came flying down from the belt of a nearby referee. Pass interference on Syracuse, first down Tennessee. The Vols continued the drive and got the ball down to the ten yard line with 4 seconds left. From there, Jeff Hall kicked a 27 yard FG to give UT a 34-33 victory.

Tee made the plays when needed and the controversial penalty (it was the correct call) saved the day. Without the win……there is no National Championship. Period!



View attachment 564961

Look what I just found!