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

[JBD_Vol]

94 days…….

#94 - 30-0 vs Vanderbilt (1985)

Forget the records. Forget it’s Vanderbilt. It’s all about the 1st SEC championship since 1969. UTs surreal season was hanging in the balance and UT would not disappoint.

“My feeling when the clock ran off was that all that work paid off,” said receiver Eric Swanson, who caught touchdown passes of 43 and 24 yards from quarterback Daryl Dickey in the Volunteers’ 27-point first half. Dickey, who threw for 299 yards, also connected with Tim McGee for a five-yard touchdown. McGee grabbed seven passes for 79 yards and moved past Larry Seivers to become Tennessee’s then all-time leading receiver with 123 catches.

Carlos Reveiz contributed field goals of 23, 29, and 24 yards and three extra points, also setting a school record at the time by finishing with 102 points this season, surpassing the mark of 101 set by his brother, Fuad, in 1982.

The Vols would finish the regular season 8-1-2, championships of the SEC, and were invited to the Sugar Bowl. The ‘85 Vols are still regarded as one of the Vols most beloved teams ever. I was fortunate to see two games that season; this one and a special one earlier in the season that you might hear about later on??

View attachment 553895

I was at that game with 2 friends. It was Thanksgiving weekend. We were seniors in high school in our 12th year together at the same school. I had played the night before in the state semifinal game in Memphis where we lost by 2 to a team who had a player that went on to play for the commode doors. They beat Leroy Thompson and Austin East the next week in the finals, at vbilt if I recall correctly. After a long team bus ride back to middle Tennessee, I caught a couple of hours of sleep and then we were up for the ride to Knoxville.

After the game, we went and stayed in Gatlinburg overnight and then back home for school on Monday. Not a good start to the weekend, but watching a comfortable crushing was cool.

 

[SonOfGodVolforlife]

150 days…..

#150 - 24-18 vs Boston College (1977)

Johnny Majors returned home in 1977 after winning the National Championship at Pitt the season before. Hopes were high that Johnny would return the Vols back to national prominence. In Majors second game as HC, Kelsey Finch scored twice and the Vols defense intercepted four Eagle passes to secure the victory. The return to glory would take longer than expected and there would be bigger wins, but the ground work started with the first win during the Majors era……You Can Come Home Again!

View attachment 544877

Idk how but I just found this countdown. I loved last years, and I’ve been waiting for you to do something else like this man it’s so insightful and nostalgic. Sorry I just wanted to let ya know i and alot of others really appreciate this peay and to keep ‘em coming!!!Go Vols!!

 

[Tin Man]

The 1986 Sugar Bowl. We spent so freely, New Orleans didn’t want us to leave.

 

[feathersax]

The 1986 Sugar Bowl. We spent so freely, New Orleans didn’t want us to leave.

Yep, & those street bands on Bourbon St. playing "Rocky Top" early & often. Fun trip.

 

[OneManGang]

I was there at that Vandy game with my brother-by-choice on the top row of the South End Zone Upper Deck. It had been raining all morning and from our perch there was 10/10 cloud cover as far as you could see. The rains had abated about 30 minutes or so before kickoff, but looked like they could resume at any moment.

Then it happened.

As the Pride's drum line marched out for pre-game and the drum major blew the whistle ... Hand O'Gawd ... the clouds parted RIGHT OVER THE SHIELDS-WATKINS FIELD and a brilliant shaft of sunshine lit the stadium.

The crowd went nuts.

We all knew it was Our Beloved Vols' day!

I had visions of HeadDore George MacIntyre standing in the tunnel seeing this and muttering, "OK, boys, God's on their side, let's get back on the bus."

That shaft of sunshine stayed there the entire game.

After we had celebrated the Vols' Championship and left for The Strip, the monsoons returned - but nobody cared.

Note the shadows in @peaygolf's pic.

 

[NorCalVol67]

94 days…….

#94 - 30-0 vs Vanderbilt (1985)

Forget the records. Forget it’s Vanderbilt. It’s all about the 1st SEC championship since 1969. UTs surreal season was hanging in the balance and UT would not disappoint.

“My feeling when the clock ran off was that all that work paid off,” said receiver Eric Swanson, who caught touchdown passes of 43 and 24 yards from quarterback Daryl Dickey in the Volunteers’ 27-point first half. Dickey, who threw for 299 yards, also connected with Tim McGee for a five-yard touchdown. McGee grabbed seven passes for 79 yards and moved past Larry Seivers to become Tennessee’s then all-time leading receiver with 123 catches.

Carlos Reveiz contributed field goals of 23, 29, and 24 yards and three extra points, also setting a school record at the time by finishing with 102 points this season, surpassing the mark of 101 set by his brother, Fuad, in 1982.

The Vols would finish the regular season 8-1-2, championships of the SEC, and were invited to the Sugar Bowl. The ‘85 Vols are still regarded as one of the Vols most beloved teams ever. I was fortunate to see two games that season; this one and a special one earlier in the season that you might hear about later on??

View attachment 553895

2nd time that season the goal posts came down. I participated the first time, this game I watched from the upper deck. It was glorious.

The only game I did not go to that season was at the Swamp, didn’t feel like the long drive. Still my favorite team.

 

[peaygolf]

Idk how but I just found this countdown. I loved last years, and I’ve been waiting for you to do something else like this man it’s so insightful and nostalgic. Sorry I just wanted to let ya know i and alot of others really appreciate this peay and to keep ‘em coming!!!Go Vols!!

It's always fun for me too! Appreciate it.

 

[peaygolf]

93 days……

#93 - 17-6 vs #13 Georgia Tech (1970)


UT started the year unranked, but after getting to 2-1 with wins over the SMU Mustangs and Army Black Knights and a loss to the Auburn Tigers, they were ranked No. 20.

And at 2-1, they had to travel to Atlanta to face the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. GT was 4-0 after a huge season-opening win over the No. 17 ranked South Carolina, and they were now ranked No. 13 in the nation under Bud Carson. After three rebuilding years, the excitement was real in Atlanta.

Tennessee’s defense forced four turnovers on the game. They were all interceptions against Georgia Tech quarterback Eddie McAshan. Meanwhile, Bobby Scott threw two touchdown passes for the Vols. The Vols defense only allowed Tech’ vaunted rushing attack 54 yards on the day. As a result, Tennessee won the game 17-6.

The upset win kickstarted an 11 win season, a Sugar Bowl berth, and a #4 national ranking.

 

[DonVol69]

The 1986 Sugar Bowl. We spent so freely, New Orleans didn’t want us to leave.

Recently watched that game again. Awesome. Watched 90 Colorado last night.

 

[Freak]

@peaygolf where are these images originating from and how are you capturing them? The reason that I ask is that they are very large files for the source/size/resolution and our server doesn't like them for some reason. It's not just your pics, there are some others that are loading slowly as well so I'm trying to troubleshoot here. I temporarily reduced the allowable dimensions, which will resize larger pics, and that seems to have helped for now. Your last pic was only 228KB compared to previous images that were 20x that size.

I appreciate your feedback and thanks for doing this thread. I always enjoy your posts.

 

[peaygolf]

@Freak

I get some from old Tennessee yearbooks and media guides. Some photos are from still images of game films.

If I need to not post pics from certain origins ….please let me know.

 

[Freak]

@Freak

I get some from old Tennessee yearbooks and media guides. Some photos are from still images of game films.

If I need to not post pics from certain origins ….please let me know.

Thanks for the reply.

Are you taking the pics with your phone? I'm just curious as to why the pics are so big and in .png format.

It's fine if you keep posting them. It should auto resize them for now until I figure out why the server is loading them so slowly. It's nothing to worry about on your end. I'm just overly curious because of some board issues we're having.

 

[Freak]

@Freak

I get some from old Tennessee yearbooks and media guides. Some photos are from still images of game films.

If I need to not post pics from certain origins ….please let me know.

Also, do you have a lot of old physical media guides or are you using the ones from the digital archive? I used to collect the old physical media guides and still have them on a shelf. I have most all of them going back to the late 60s or early 70s. And no, I'm not that old, I bought them on ebay.

 

[peaygolf]

Also, do you have a lot of old physical media guides or are you using the ones from the digital archive? I used to collect the old physical media guides and still have them on a shelf. I have. most all of them going back to the late 60s or early 70s. And no, I'm not that old, I bought them on ebay.

I find them on the digital archive……I used to have a bunch from from the early 70’s to about ‘88……must have misplaced them in a move or something?

 

[Freak]

I find them on the digital archive……I used to have a bunch from from the early 70’s to about ‘88……must have misplaced them in a move or something?

Nice. I wish I knew how to download those digital archive guides. There's a way. I wrote a script once upon a time to do just that but they changed the format and I haven't had the time/energy to go back and figure out how to rewrite it.

 

[peaygolf]

92 days……

#92 - 13-0 vs Carson Newman (1926)

UT hired Robert Neyland for the sole purpose of beating Vanderbilt. Little did the administration know that he would take the Vols places they never expected to go.
In late September of 1926, Neyland led the Vols out for his first game as HC vs the Parsons of Carson Newman. The offense still needed some refinement, but two things stuck out that day…..1) the defense was superb, and 2) the kicking game was beyond great. Those two things would be staples for many years under Neyland.

The offense was highlighted by a 95 yard TD by Jimmie Elmore and it was enough to give Coach Neyland his first win as HC.

 

[peaygolf]

91 days……

#91 - 10-9 vs #17 Washington State (1994)

After losing the top two QBs to injuries and starting the season 1-3, UT hosted the top ranked defensive team in the country…..with a true freshman under center making his first start. His name, Peyton Manning.

The defense was revamped, with several key players switching positions. Well, the Vols’ defense stepped up, holding WSU to nine points. Trailing 6-0 in the third, Nilo Silvan took a reverse 62 yards for the score to give the Vols a 7-6 lead.

WSU then went up 9-7, but Manning drove to the 10 early in the fourth quarter to set up a 27-yard field goal, which John Becksvoort nailed to give the Vols a 10-9 lead. Manning’s 41 yard pass to Kendrick Jones was the key play in the final drive. UT then held on for the upset win and turned the season around, going from 1-3 to 8-4 and setting the stage for its epic run of the mid-1990s.

Manning only threw for 79 yards on 7-14 passing, but the poise of the go ahead drive gave fans a glimpse into the future…..

 

[SmashMouth]

I sometimes wonder if that Cal team was better or just wasn't as bad as they lucked but they weren't prepared for the atmosphere at Neyland.

Yeah, Im not so sure they were #9. And playing in that , laid back, West Coast forest. Bro, they had no idea when they stepped into Neyland! Except for beating Bama this year, my all time fav. Could not stop smiling all night!

 

[WeeohdeeWood]

 

[peaygolf]

90 days……

#90 - 48-28 vs #9 Northwestern (1997 Citrus Bowl)

The Vols had jumped to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter on a 43-yard TD pass from Manning to Peerless Price, a 10-yard run for a score by Manning and another TD toss, this one from Manning to Kent from 11 yards out. Price caught six passes for 110 yards and Kent caught five for 122 yards.

After the Wildcats had battled back from a 21-0 first quarter deficit to tie the game, Manning threw a 67-yard TD pass to Joey Kent and beat the clock for a Jeff Hall field goal on the final play of the half to give the Vols a 31-21 halftime lead. The Vols stretched the lead to 38-21 when linebacker Tyrone Hines intercepted a Steve Schnur pass and returned it 30 yards for a score. Hall added another field goal and Manning threw a TD pass to tight end Dustin Moore to conclude the Vol scoring.

Peyton Manning completed 27 of 39 passes for 408 yards to lead the Vols to victory and #9 national ranking…..

 

[Tin Man]

90 days……

#90 - 48-28 vs #9 Northwestern (1997 Citrus Bowl)

The Vols had jumped to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter on a 43-yard TD pass from Manning to Peerless Price, a 10-yard run for a score by Manning and another TD toss, this one from Manning to Kent from 11 yards out. Price caught six passes for 110 yards and Kent caught five for 122 yards.

After the Wildcats had battled back from a 21-0 first quarter deficit to tie the game, Manning threw a 67-yard TD pass to Joey Kent and beat the clock for a Jeff Hall field goal on the final play of the half to give the Vols a 31-21 halftime lead. The Vols stretched the lead to 38-21 when linebacker Tyrone Hines intercepted a Steve Schnur pass and returned it 30 yards for a score. Hall added another field goal and Manning threw a TD pass to tight end Dustin Moore to conclude the Vol scoring.

Peyton Manning completed 27 of 39 passes for 408 yards to lead the Vols to victory and #9 national ranking…..


View attachment 554692

Stewart Mandel was not pleased.

 

[peaygolf]

89 days…….

#89 - 13-0 vs New York University (1931)

The Vols were 8-0-1 during the regular season in 1931, but were passed over by the Rose Bowl after a tie with UK to end the season.

The game vs NYU was arranged by the Knoxville Community Chest Association, working with the UT Athletic Council and New York Mayor Jimmy Walker’s New York Unemployment Relief Committee as a charity game to be played at Yankee Stadium on December 7.

The teams were evenly matched for most of the game, except for two big plays in the second quarter. Beattie Feathers weaved his way around on a 64 yard touchdown run and just before the half, Deke Brackett returned a NYU punt 75 yards for the Vols final points.

Midway through the second half, momentum seemed to switch. NYU was driving and had the ball inside Tennessee's 5-yard line ready to score. Herman Hickman single-handedly pushed the Violets back 18 yards to the 23-yard line in four consecutive plays. The dominating individual performance helped preserve the Vols' shutout and ultimately led to the 13-0 victory.

For Hickman, the performance sealed him as one of the greatest linemen in the South. Press writers, including the famed Grantland Rice, scrambled frantically in a last-minute swap to include Hickman on their All-America ballots for that 1931 season.

The NYC Charity Bowl rarely is mentioned in the lore of Volunteer football, but it is the first “Bowl Game” in UT history………

 

[Orange.]

89 days…….

#89 - 13-0 vs New York University (1931)

The Vols were 8-0-1 during the regular season in 1931, but were passed over by the Rose Bowl after a tie with UK to end the season.

The game vs NYU was arranged by the Knoxville Community Chest Association, working with the UT Athletic Council and New York Mayor Jimmy Walker’s New York Unemployment Relief Committee as a charity game to be played at Yankee Stadium on December 7.

The teams were evenly matched for most of the game, except for two big plays in the second quarter. Beattie Feathers weaved his way around on a 64 yard touchdown run and just before the half, Deke Brackett returned a NYU punt 75 yards for the Vols final points.

Midway through the second half, momentum seemed to switch. NYU was driving and had the ball inside Tennessee's 5-yard line ready to score. Herman Hickman single-handedly pushed the Violets back 18 yards to the 23-yard line in four consecutive plays. The dominating individual performance helped preserve the Vols' shutout and ultimately led to the 13-0 victory.

For Hickman, the performance sealed him as one of the greatest linemen in the South. Press writers, including the famed Grantland Rice, scrambled frantically in a last-minute swap to include Hickman on their All-America ballots for that 1931 season.

The NYC Charity Bowl rarely is mentioned in the lore of Volunteer football, but it is the first “Bowl Game” in UT history………

View attachment 554980

1931

 

[Rifleman]

1931

"Top of the world, Ma!" Wait, I think that was White Heat not Public Enemy. A later film but still good. 1930s was a great decade for film, bad decade for being a human.

Also, Jean Harlow. Hubba! Hubba!

 

[VolsnRavens]

Getting anxious!