The most heartbreaking Tennessee Football loss according to you?

#126
#126
burntorangeVOLffle said:
Easily 2001 SEC CG. To go from the euphoria of the FL game the week before and just one game from playing for a NC, that was definitely the most heart breaking.

But I completely agree @McDad about the GA State game.
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Easily. This was the beginning of the end of the truly powerful teams. The very next year UT lost more homes games than they had in 20 years. That never stopped. IMO this was the best team UT ever fielded. The sad thing is, I don't think any other team in the nation could handle that team outside the SEC. Miami would have gotten dismantled by the front four. They relied on Portis and a freshman Gore to carry that team. They would have hit a brick wall vs UT. They were almost a lock for the title had they won that game. They thumped LSU earlier in the year and were overlooking them. UT should have out talented them, but just couldn't best good talent with great coaching.
 
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#127
#127
1966 Alabama game...Lost on short missed FG

1968 Orange Bowl...Down 19-0, at half, stormed back and Kremser missed late FG

I was young when these losses occurred and hurt much more than losses today...
 
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#128
#128
October 20, 1990. We were ranked #3, Bama unranked. I simply sat in the stands for the longest time after the game ending FG. That was over 30 years ago...but it’s one of those moments etched into your brain. I can “see” the ball sailing between the uprights as the game clock showed 0:00. Gut punch kind of loss.
 
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#131
#131
peaygolf said:
Either ‘01 to LSU
Or
‘92 to Arkansas
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Those would get my vote. We had no business losing to a bad arkansas team and it was the beginning of the end for Johnny majors. Believe if we had won that game the next game which was bama would have been a top 5 matchup and maybe we play better. may have led us to play for a championship though bama was really good that year. In addition to the 01 LSU loss the 99 loss to arkansas cost us a chance to play for a national title as we were #2 in the bcs ahead of va tech that week. The two losses in 1990 were also heartbreaking with an int in the end zone at the end against notre dame and that blocked kick against bama. Should have played for a championship that year as well.
 
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#132
#132
wmcovol said:
Well, in my book, there’s a difference in one just dropping the ball and a running back running thru big holes and over people. But that’s just me.
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Missed and sloppy tackling for most of the game is more damaging than a couple dropped passes for 12-yard gains. But that’s just me.

It was 20 years ago, we don’t have to re-litigate it, I’m trying to give UT absolute credit for a crushing defeat to UF. If Witten could have somehow made this a better win for UT, that’s fine, roll with it.
 
#133
#133
Jaws said:
Most devastating from a UF fan perspective:

1995 Nebraska. UF’s first national title game, clobbered and embarrassed.

1993 FSU. Warrick Dunn broke our hearts in the Swamp.

2001 Tennessee. Greatest Florida team to not win a championship, arguably better than some other championship teams. Spurrier’s last game at the Swamp and probably the best I’ve ever seen a Tennessee team play.
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It's been 20 years and that's still the highwater mark of my Tennessee fandom.
 
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#135
#135
Jaws said:
Missed and sloppy tackling for most of the game is more damaging than a couple dropped passes for 12-yard gains. But that’s just me.

It was 20 years ago, we don’t have to re-litigate it, I’m trying to give UT absolute credit for a crushing defeat to UF. If Witten could have somehow made this a better win for UT, that’s fine, roll with it.
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Witten’s drops were two turnovers in Tenn territory that allowed UF to get back in the game. I’m pretty sure set UF up fr their first 10 pts of the game after Tenn opened a 14-0 lead.

I’m not the one in a Fla board throwing shade on a UF win.
 
#138
#138
ABINGDON VOL FAN said:
Didn’t the UT FG kicker come up a couple yards short on a 40 something yard FG try that would of tied the game. I thought “hell” what college team has a kicker that his short on a FG less than 50 yards. I was stunned at the time.
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I honestly don’t remember.
 
#141
#141
All of them sucked and so many to choose from, but ...

1 - 1990 vs Notre Dame - thought we were gonna pull it out at the end, the great INT to seal it for ND was heart wrenching, when we recovered the onside kick is still about as loud as I’ve ever heard Neyland Stadium. The amount of talent on the field that day was amazing, two great teams and a great game. Gut bomb loss, but maybe the best game I’ve ever seen.

2 - 1992 loss to Arkansas, this one still makes me wanna puke. We were ranked 4th in the nation, had already beaten UF and UGA under Fulmer while Johnny was recovering from a heart attack surgery, Johnny comes back 2 weeks early to coach this one and Arky comes into Neyland 1-4 with a loss to The Citadel (The Citadel for crying out loud!) and a Freshman QB making his first start and we lose 25-24 on a last second FG, sickening ! I’ll never forget walking back down the strip to the car (parked off 17th street) and looking up and seeing a spray painted sheet sign hanging out of one of the windows of the old Campus Inn Hotel, it said “Johnny burnt the biscuits” I laughed my ass off at that.

3 - The 1992 17-17 tie with Bama, all those years of painful losses seemed to be over when we shook Charlie Garner loose for 69 yard TD run, only to watch Jay Barker drive it the length of the field in a minute for a TD and how in the world everybody in the stadium but our defense knew David Palmer was a running a keeper to the right for the 2 pt conversion and tie is beyond me. I was one pissed individual while walking out of Legion Field that day!

4 - The Cotton Bowl loss to Kansas State, I was literally freezing my ass off in the stands, cold and miserable and we played like hot garbage. Probably the worst road trip game I’ve ever attended and I’ve attended a bunch.

Every loss sucked, but off the top of my head those were the worst for me.
 
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#142
#142
JOEY'S ALL VOL !!! said:
All of them sucked and so many to choose from, but ...

1 - 1990 vs Notre Dame - thought we were gonna pull it out at the end, the great INT to seal it for ND was heart wrenching, when we recovered the onside kick is still about as loud as I’ve ever heard Neyland Stadium. The amount of talent on the field that day was amazing, two great teams and a great game. Gut bomb loss, but maybe the best game I’ve ever seen.

2 - 1992 loss to Arkansas, this one still makes me wanna puke. We were ranked 4th in the nation, had already beaten UF and UGA under Fulmer while Johnny was recovering from a heart attack surgery, Johnny comes back 2 weeks early to coach this one and Arky comes into Neyland 1-4 with a loss to The Citadel (The Citadel for crying out loud!) and a Freshman QB making his first start and we lose 25-24 on a last second FG, sickening ! I’ll never forget walking back down the strip to the car (parked off 17th street) and looking up and seeing a spray painted sheet sign hanging out of one of the windows of the old Campus Inn Hotel, it said “Johnny burnt the biscuits” I laughed my ass off at that.

3 - The 1992 17-17 tie with Bama, all those years of painful losses seemed to be over when we shook Charlie Garner loose for 69 yard TD run, only to watch Jay Barker drive it the length of the field in a minute for a TD and how in the world everybody in the stadium but our defense knew David Palmer was a running a keeper to the right for the 2 pt conversion and tie is beyond me. I was one pissed individual while walking out of Legion Field that day!

4 - The Cotton Bowl loss to Kansas State, I was literally freezing my ass off in the stands, cold and miserable and we played like hot garbage. Probably the worst road trip game I’ve ever attended and I’ve attended a bunch.

Every loss sucked, but off the top of my head those were the worst for me.
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I don't think the 2000 Tennessee team wanted to be at the Cotton Bowl and they played like it.
 
#143
#143
2 - 1992 loss to Arkansas, this one still makes me wanna puke. We were ranked 4th in the nation, had already beaten UF and UGA under Fulmer while Johnny was recovering from a heart attack surgery, Johnny comes back 2 weeks early to coach this one and Arky comes into Neyland 1-4 with a loss to The Citadel (The Citadel for crying out loud!) and a Freshman QB making his first start and we lose 25-24 on a last second FG, sickening ! I’ll never forget walking back down the strip to the car (parked off 17th street) and looking up and seeing a spray painted sheet sign hanging out of one of the windows of the old Campus Inn Hotel, it said “Johnny burnt the biscuits” I laughed my ass off at that.

I don't care who you are... That's funny!
 
#144
#144
Watching Chuck Webb getting hurt in the Pacific game.
The North Texas State and Georgia State and Wyoming losses
The 2 losses to Alabama 6-9
The 9-10 Auburn loss in the 70s
 
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#145
#145
the last time I suffered heartbreak I vowed to not let a bunch of 18-22 year old kids that I had absolutely no control over do that again. It was the Alabama game in 1990. After sitting in my seat in Section B for 45 minutes, I decided never again. I now accept losses and wins as just the way things go. I never get too high or too low based on outcomes of games. I still assess games for the why's of losing or winning. Its just that heartbreak is not part of the emotions I feel.. I don't get mad, never did get mad over losses, at losing games.

Being around the team and coaches for many years also helped me better understand the ebbs and flows of college ball. Players have so many distractions that take away from football. It is not a 24/7 deal for them like pro ball is. Like a coach told me one time, he never knows when a game starts if his QBs mind is where it needs to be. It can appear so but did he have a big fight with his girl friend the night before that has distracted him? Might be the second quarter and 2 interceptions later that he learns of the distraction.
 
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#146
#146
wmcovol said:
Witten’s drops were two turnovers in Tenn territory that allowed UF to get back in the game. I’m pretty sure set UF up fr their first 10 pts of the game after Tenn opened a 14-0 lead.

I’m not the one in a Fla board throwing shade on a UF win.
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Throwing shade? I included that game as one of the most crushing losses in UF history, I called it one of the greatest games I’ve seen UT play, I complimented UT’s talent on that team, I said it was a great game and I’m saying now it was well-deserved and earned by Tennessee. That’s throwing shade?

Someone came along and said it would have been a blowout if not for Witten having fumbles. That’s a weird take on a great UT win. Let the game stand without all the “ifs, ands, and buts,” because both sides can claim that. For every Witten drop, there was an equal screw up on the other side, from a Grossman pick to a couple costly missed tackles by Gus Scott. UT won, fair and square, no sense in revising the game with hypotheticals.
 
#148
#148
NO SIR EEE said:
17 was a damn heartbreaker as well
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Yeah, I hate Florida. I hate them with a passion so all losses are painful. Not only because of living here amongst the Fairweather swamp dwellers, but because of all the Volgators here on VN. But after the OK outcome, that Florida game just had something...I can't explain.

Anyway, there's alot of heartbreakers and many that should make more sense to hurt more. But that's the one that always comes to mind first.

For all the reasons to hate on Butch, that's my biggest one.
 
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