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

[OneManGang]

136 days….

#136 - 10-7 vs Auburn (1981)

Neither team was ranked, but after getting beat by Georgia and USC by a combined score of 87-7 in the opening two weeks, UT was in a must win. UT had beaten an overmatched Colorado St team the week before with a freshman QB, Alan Cockrell, making his first start. All eyes were on UT, as another SEC loss and a 1-3 start would be disastrous. On the fifth play of the game, Cockrell was lost for the season and Steve Alatorre entered. With the Vols trailing 7-3, Alatorre drove the Vols down the field and scored the go-ahead touchdown on a keeper in the second quarter. Both defenses held during the second half, but Auburn marched down the field with 5 minutes left and had the ball on the 4 yard line with 15 seconds left, but was out of time outs. Tiger QB, Ken Hobby fumbled the snap and fell on the ball as time ran out, preserving the Vols third win in a row over Auburn.
The Vols would go on to finish 7-4 and win the Garden State Bowl. A loss vs Auburn would have most certainly sent the season in a tailspin. The ‘81 season might have been Coach Majors best coaching job after the horrific start. The Auburn victory turned the season around……..

View attachment 547215

As we were watching that USC debacle, a friend of mine remarked that even allowing for TV time outs, halftime and when Tennessee had the ball, USC was still moving at about 15 miles an hour! USC had some 403 (no, that is not a mis-print) yards rushing of which Marcus Allen accounted for 219. Total offense for the Trojans was 532 yards. The Vols had 159 yards.

The week before, Herschel Walker had lit up the Vols for 161 yards as the Dawgs posted some 563 yards of total offense. The Vols had but 152 yards.

Bottom line: not only was Tennessee outscored 87-7, but had given up a combined 1,095 yards in total offense, whilst posting a measly 311.

By the end of the USC game most Vol fans were in the fetal position, curled up around a bottle of whisky and feebly twitching.

 

[Tin Man]

135 days……

#135 - 38-31 vs #19 Georgia (2015)

The Vols came into the game with a record of 2-3 and had blown 2TD leads in their three losses. The Vols decided to break tradition with the debut of the Smoky Grey uniforms, but quickly fell behind 24-3 with about 3 minutes left in the first half. A Dobbs TD pass on 4th and 8 with a minute left and a FG after Georgia fumbled the kick off cut the lead to 24-17. The second half belonged to Josh Dobbs, as he passed for 2 TDs and ran for another as UT held on for the third largest comeback in school history. Dobbs threw for over 300 yards, rushed for over 100 yards, and accounted for all 5 touchdowns. The Vols would only lose once again during the season.

View attachment 547377

That fourth loss shall no be mentioned here.

 

[peaygolf]

As we were watching that USC debacle, a friend of mine remarked that even allowing for TV time outs, halftime and when Tennessee had the ball, USC was still moving at about 15 miles an hour! USC had some 403 (no, that is not a mis-print) yards rushing of which Marcus Allen accounted for 219. Total offense for the Trojans was 532 yards. The Vols had 159 yards.

The week before, Herschel Walker had lit up the Vols for 161 yards as the Dawgs posted some 563 yards of total offense. The Vols had but 152 yards.

Bottom line: not only was Tennessee outscored 87-7, but had given up a combined 1,095 yards in total offense, whilst posting a measly 311.

By the end of the USC game most Vol fans were in the fetal position, curled up around a bottle of whisky and feebly twitching.

I know……that’s why I believe it was the best coaching season Majors had. Even after the 42 pt win vs CSU, I remember thinking 3 or 4 wins at best that year….

 

[peaygolf]

134 days……

#134 - 38-24 vs #24 Nebraska (2016 Music City Bowl)

Bowl games don’t matter as much today as they used to, but after the victory in the MCB in 2016, expectations were pretty high after back to back 9 win seasons.

Dobbs ran for three touchdowns and 118 yards and threw for 291 yards and another score, while Derek Barnett got the sack he needed to break a tie with the late Reggie White for the school career record.

The Volunteers beat a Big Ten team in a bowl for a third straight year and notched their first win in three tries against the Cornhuskers. It was first time Tennessee has won three straight bowls since 1994-1996. Little did we know at the time, but this “big” win didn’t help the momentum for the foreseeable future.

 

[Tin Man]

Three straight Bowl victories - Dobbs, Dobbs, Dobbs. Butch Jones just happened to be the HC at the time (without Dobbs, 4-8, 0-8 in 2017).

 

[Vol49er]

For me, Barnett is the 3rd most legendary in the 21st century for the Vols (Eric Berry #1, Hendon #2). Seeing him break the sack record was an excellent coda to his career here

 

[MAD]

134 days……

#134 - 38-24 vs #24 Nebraska (2016 Music City Bowl)

Bowl games don’t matter as much today as they used to, but after the victory in the MCB in 2016, expectations were pretty high after back to back 9 win seasons.

Dobbs ran for three touchdowns and 118 yards and threw for 291 yards and another score, while Derek Barnett got the sack he needed to break a tie with the late Reggie White for the school career record.

The Volunteers beat a Big Ten team in a bowl for a third straight year and notched their first win in three tries against the Cornhuskers. It was first time Tennessee has won three straight bowls since 1994-1996. Little did we know at the time, but this “big” win didn’t help the momentum for the foreseeable future.

View attachment 547494

This is so bizarre to me and am wondering if any of you guys have this feeling?

It’s easy to remember all the doom and gloom of the Kiffin, Dooley, Jones and Pruitt era and forget we did have a pretty good period under Butch for a short time. It’s almost like any and all positives have been erased from my memory, which is strange for me because I’m far from being a negavol.

 

[Tin Man]

Remember fondly the Vols who wore the uniform and do not dwell on the coaches.

 

[peaygolf]

133 days….

#133 - 38-14 vs #24 Notre Dame (1999)

The #4 Vols entered the contest with the Irish at 6-1 and knowing that #2 Penn St had already lost. Visions of a NC repeat swelled.

Tee Martin threw for three touchdowns and ran for one and Travis Henry gained 132 yards and scored once. Martin’s 43-yard heave to Leonard Scott in the back of the end zone and Henry’s 40-yard run up the middle in the third quarter gave the Vols a 31-7 lead. That was too much even for the Irish, who had come from behind to win three of their last four games. Martin ran 14 yards on a bootleg to score the Vols’ last touchdown with 2:14 left in the game, capping an 18-play, 91-yard drive that took nearly 10 minutes off the clock and dashed any hopes Notre Dame had of a comeback.

The victory was sweet, but the following weeks upset loss to Arkansas dashed any hope of a repeat championship.

 

[OneManGang]

To this graybeard, the 1999 Vols remain one of the greatest disappointments.

A quick perusal of the roster reveals that Tennessee had more NFL talent on that squad that most NFL teams. They shouldn't have lost a single game, let alone three (Florida, Arkansas and Nebraska).

Personal observation: my season tickets at that time looked right down the Tennessee sidelines. Being an old Offensive lineman, I tended (and still tend) to watch the line play closely. One thing I noticed that year (and in subsequent seasons) was Fulmer's behavior.

During the run up to the national championship, if the O-line was stinking the place up, Coach Fulmer would meet them at the hashmark and start chewing them out. He'd chew them all the way to the the sidelines. Then chew them while they were there, and thence all the way back to the hashmark as they returned to the field. Most times they responded and got with the program.

Or they got chewed out again.

After 1998, he'd greet them with that annoying "golf clap" of his and leave the chewing (if any) to a subordinate.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

136 days….

#136 - 10-7 vs Auburn (1981)

Neither team was ranked, but after getting beat by Georgia and USC by a combined score of 87-7 in the opening two weeks, UT was in a must win. UT had beaten an overmatched Colorado St team the week before with a freshman QB, Alan Cockrell, making his first start. All eyes were on UT, as another SEC loss and a 1-3 start would be disastrous. On the fifth play of the game, Cockrell was lost for the season and Steve Alatorre entered. With the Vols trailing 7-3, Alatorre drove the Vols down the field and scored the go-ahead touchdown on a keeper in the second quarter. Both defenses held during the second half, but Auburn marched down the field with 5 minutes left and had the ball on the 4 yard line with 15 seconds left, but was out of time outs. Tiger QB, Ken Hobby fumbled the snap and fell on the ball as time ran out, preserving the Vols third win in a row over Auburn.
The Vols would go on to finish 7-4 and win the Garden State Bowl. A loss vs Auburn would have most certainly sent the season in a tailspin. The ‘81 season might have been Coach Majors best coaching job after the horrific start. The Auburn victory turned the season around……..

View attachment 547215

That was Pat Dye's first Auburn team, if I remember correctly. Those first two games are classic examples of things aren't always as bad as they seem. Southern Cal and Georgia ended up having very good teams and going to the Fiesta and Sugar respectively. That was a tall opening order.

 

[peaygolf]

132 days…..

#132 - 26-8 vs #14 Maryland (1975)

After playing the Terps in the ‘74 Liberty Bowl, they opened the ‘75 season with them in Knoxville. The Vols defense forced 4 fumbles and an interception in the easy victory. The Vols offense sputtered at times, but the magical Stanley Morgan scored on a short run, a 50 run, and a 70 yard punt return to give UT all they needed. The Terps would go on to finish 9-2-1, win the ACC Championship, and defeat UF in the Gator Bowl.
The ‘75 season didn’t finish the way it started for the Vols (7-5) but that season opening victory was a huge win.

 

[Tin Man]

Raise your hand if you were there.

 

[OneManGang]

 

[peaygolf]

131 days…..

#131 - 23-22 vs Virginia (1991 Sugar Bowl)

The 1990 Vols would finish the regular season with a record of 8-2-2 and were crowned SEC champions and returned to the Sugar Bowl to face Virginia. UVA had been ranked #1 for two weeks, but entered the game losing three of their final four games. The Vols came out flat and fell behind 16-0 at halftime after three turnovers in the first five possessions. The third quarter saw UT only get 3 points, but held the Cavaliers scoreless. The fourth quarter saw 26 combined points, starting with a Virginia turnover that led to a Tennessee touchdown 94 yards later on a Tony Thompson 7 yard run. Virginia added a second field goal of the game extend the lead to 19–10. Andy Kelly's touchdown pass to Carl Pickens closed it to 19–17. Virginia could only muster up another field goal, and a five-point lead with 2:31 left. Kelly led the Vols down the field, driving 79 yards in two minutes, completing seven of nine passes for 64 yards. It ended with a one-yard Thompson touchdown run that gave Tennessee its first lead with 31 seconds remaining. The missed 2 point conversion kept the lead to one point, but it was enough for the victory. Tony Thompson ran for 154 yards and Andy Kelly passed for 273 yards and was named MVP.

 

[StarRaider]

90 was a crazy season, opening tie vs. Colorado somewhere in Orange County CA, lose CW the next game, tie aubie errr aubie ties us after we do some choking, WTFH out of the gutturds.... lose those games to bubba and one of the best ever played in Neyland vs. notre dame. Tony Thompson was a heck of a #2 back thank goodness.

 

[peaygolf]

130 days…..

#130 - 38-7 vs Florida (1970)

The first real game of the UT/UF “rivalry” occurred in 1970, the year after Doug Dickey left UT to go to Hogtowne. It was Bill Battle’s first season in Knoxville and he couldn’t afford to lose to his predecessor. The Gators came into Knoxville wanting to stop the run, but forgot about Bobby Scott. Scott threw two TDs and set a school record with 385 passing yards in the #11 Vols easy victory. The defense wasn’t going to be outdone, as it intercepted four passes while Conrad Graham and Jackie Walker returned two of them for TDs. The crowd in Neyland filled the air with “boos and cat-calls” directed at Dickey all game long. My family made the trek to the game and said the atmosphere was filled with nervous energy at the outset, but reached a feverish peak during the second half when victory was well in hand. Beating Dickey was a monumental win for all Vols.

 

[EasternVol]

142 days…..

#142 - 26-24 vs #23 Mississippi State (1991)

After a 2-0 start, the #6 Vols hosted the #23 Bulldogs. Trailing for the first time in the season, Andy Kelly led UT to 10 fourth quarter points and a huge early season victory. Kelly threw for 330 yards and 2TDs, the last one with only 1:50 left in the game. Kelly also rushed for a TD, the first of his career.

View attachment 546205

That game was far too close for comfort.
A lady sitting a few seats to the side of us must have said 'throw it to Carl' about 40 times. I'm pretty sure Kelly could hear her. Finally we got ahead and she went quiet.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

131 days…..

#131 - 23-22 vs Virginia (1991 Sugar Bowl)

The 1990 Vols would finish the regular season with a record of 8-2-2 and were crowned SEC champions and returned to the Sugar Bowl to face Virginia. UVA had been ranked #1 for two weeks, but entered the game losing three of their final four games. The Vols came out flat and fell behind 16-0 at halftime after three turnovers in the first five possessions. The third quarter saw UT only get 3 points, but held the Cavaliers scoreless. The fourth quarter saw 26 combined points, starting with a Virginia turnover that led to a Tennessee touchdown 94 yards later on a Tony Thompson 7 yard run. Virginia added a second field goal of the game extend the lead to 19–10. Andy Kelly's touchdown pass to Carl Pickens closed it to 19–17. Virginia could only muster up another field goal, and a five-point lead with 2:31 left. Kelly led the Vols down the field, driving 79 yards in two minutes, completing seven of nine passes for 64 yards. It ended with a one-yard Thompson touchdown run that gave Tennessee its first lead with 31 seconds remaining. The missed 2 point conversion kept the lead to one point, but it was enough for the victory. Tony Thompson ran for 154 yards and Andy Kelly passed for 273 yards and was named MVP.

View attachment 548068

1990 was one of those crazy years in college football where no one was really very good. 1984 and 2007 were two others. Sadly, that is the last time we went to the Sugar Bowl.

 

[StarRaider]

1990 was one of those crazy years in college football where no one was really very good. 1984 and 2007 were two others. Sadly, that is the last time we went to the Sugar Bowl.

Yep Colorado and Georgia Tech were 1990 co national champs.... GT had to beat a 6-6 Nebraska team in their NC bowl game lol. But that was the impetus to get us to the (bowl coalition or something) NC game in 92.

84 was Brigham Young, 07 was 3 loss (including one to kensucky... any team that loses to the kroger copy cats should never be considered as a nc) lousyanna state

 

[RDU VOL#14]

133 days….

#133 - 38-14 vs #24 Notre Dame (1999)

The #4 Vols entered the contest with the Irish at 6-1 and knowing that #2 Penn St had already lost. Visions of a NC repeat swelled.

Tee Martin threw for three touchdowns and ran for one and Travis Henry gained 132 yards and scored once. Martin’s 43-yard heave to Leonard Scott in the back of the end zone and Henry’s 40-yard run up the middle in the third quarter gave the Vols a 31-7 lead. That was too much even for the Irish, who had come from behind to win three of their last four games. Martin ran 14 yards on a bootleg to score the Vols’ last touchdown with 2:14 left in the game, capping an 18-play, 91-yard drive that took nearly 10 minutes off the clock and dashed any hopes Notre Dame had of a comeback.

The victory was sweet, but the following weeks upset loss to Arkansas dashed any hope of a repeat championship.
View attachment 547702

I was 17 years old. My first UT game ever. Great, life changing night for me.

 

[peaygolf]

I was 17 years old. My first UT game ever. Great, life changing night for me.

Whippersnapper……

 

[RDU VOL#14]

Whippersnapper……

41 now. 1999 doesn’t seem all that long ago. Thanks for doing this. These are a lot of fun. I remember watching the UT vs UVA Sugar Bowl game.

 

[peaygolf]

129 days…..

#129 - 21-17 vs #18 Wisconsin (2008 Outback Bowl)

2007 was an odd year that included three regular season losses, a Eastern Division title, and an agonizing SECG loss. The reward for a 9-4 record was another Outback Bowl bid, but without three starters due to academic reasons.
Erik Ainge threw for 365 yards and two touchdowns in his final game for the Vols, who also got a stellar performance from a defense that improved dramatically since early season losses to California and Florida. Josh Briscoe filled in for Lucas Taylor by catching 7 passes for 101 yards and a touchdown.
The SECG still stung, but the win over a solid Wisconsin team did give the Vols a positive ending to the ‘07 season, and the last 10 win season until 2022…….

 

[utchs81]

129 days…..

#129 - 21-17 vs #18 Wisconsin (2008 Outback Bowl)

2007 was an odd year that included three regular season losses, a Eastern Division title, and an agonizing SECG loss. The reward for a 9-4 record was another Outback Bowl bid, but without three starters due to academic reasons.
Erik Ainge threw for 365 yards and two touchdowns in his final game for the Vols, who also got a stellar performance from a defense that improved dramatically since early season losses to California and Florida. Josh Briscoe filled in for Lucas Taylor by catching 7 passes for 101 yards and a touchdown.
The SECG still stung, but the win over a solid Wisconsin team did give the Vols a positive ending to the ‘07 season, and the last 10 win season until 2022…….


View attachment 548359

I honestly felt really bad for the UW quarterback. He took a ton of hits in that game.