Success revisited: Sugar Vols were smart and lucky

#26
#26
Yep, Smart did that one year, I forgot they ran it that year. But that Kent State game was a 10 point game with 10 minutes to go (that was a 5-7 Kent State team too), Mizzou took a late drive to win, UK was a ten point game and Ohio State should’ve beaten them. Kudos to UGA for pulling those out but that sure doesn’t seem different than our close games to Arkansas, Florida, Syracuse and Auburn. Sounds similar to me.
None of those games were in doubt other than Missouri and Ohio State, they also beat several bowl teams pretty badly. They led us 27-6 with 4 minutes left. Oregon won 10 games, TCU beat Michigan to earn a spot in the championship game. They were good. Again, I disagree with the guy you were bantering with but 2022 Georgia was pretty unstoppable when they brought their A game.
 
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#27
#27
None of those games were in doubt other than Missouri and Ohio State, they also beat several bowl teams pretty badly. They led us 27-6 with 4 minutes left. Oregon won 10 games, TCU beat Michigan to earn a spot in the championship game. They were good. Again, I disagree with the guy you were bantering with but 2022 Georgia was pretty unstoppable when they brought their A game.
I don’t disagree with any of that. I certainly didn’t mention our game as they thoroughly dominated us. The only reason Kent State and Kentucky weren’t blow outs is UGA didn’t play their best. That’s true of everyone though. That’s why we beat Auburn by 8 in 1998. That UGA team was ridiculously talented though.
 
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#31
#31
I don’t disagree with any of that. I certainly didn’t mention our game as they thoroughly dominated us. The only reason Kent State and Kentucky weren’t blow outs is UGA didn’t play their best. That’s true of everyone though. That’s why we beat Auburn by 8 in 1998. That UGA team was ridiculously talented though.
The key is that even when Tennessee was st its best, it was surviving most big games like Florida who Fulmer rarely beat and never really blew out other than 1993 while Smart and others beat teams like us soundly.
 
#32
#32
To me, this is why Tennessee sometimes gets disrespect by media. They tend to be top 10 program but never the program. Even in 1998, they got lucky. We don't do things like our rivals were they go through seasons winning major games by 3 TDs and looking dominate. Florida looked that way with Meyer and Spurrier, Alabama with Saban, and Georgia with Smart.
Just about every team that wins the NC gets “lucky” at some point during the season
 
#33
#33
Urban Meyer won 2 national titles in 3 years and was pretty dominant from 2006 through 2009. Spurrier win the SEC 6 times in the 1990s. Bear Bryant has an amazing run.
You didn’t mention Bryant with the other names. You did mention Spurrier though and I just looked at the last 30 years and you don’t really see anyone except Saban with spurts. You see some 2 of 3. Yes, Urban, dominated with Tebow. Your original point was that we don’t dominate in the big games on our schedule and then referenced 98 as an example. I countered with, most teams don’t dominate everyone on their schedule. Every now and then you see someone truck every team or everyone but maybe 1, but it’s very very rare.
 
#34
#34
The key is that even when Tennessee was st its best, it was surviving most big games like Florida who Fulmer rarely beat and never really blew out other than 1993 while Smart and others beat teams like us soundly.
They have, but the talent disparity between us and UGA, say in 2022, was nothing like the difference between us and Florida in 1998. Those aren’t even remotely comparable situations.
 
#35
#35
They have, but the talent disparity between us and UGA, say in 2022, was nothing like the difference between us and Florida in 1998. Those aren’t even remotely comparable situations.

That is my point, you watch Tennessee and they have never looked as impressive as Alabama with Saban, Florida with Urban Meyer and Spurrier, Georgia with Smart, or most the National Powers in their runs. We always have that team we can't beat like Spurrier with Fulmer or Smart with Heupel.
 
#37
#37
That is my point, you watch Tennessee and they have never looked as impressive as Alabama with Saban, Florida with Urban Meyer and Spurrier, Georgia with Smart, or most the National Powers in their runs. We always have that team we can't beat like Spurrier with Fulmer or Smart with Heupel.
Give Heup more time. He’s a better coach than Kirby, we just need to continue catching up on talent.
 
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#38
#38
We won two SEC titles when Florida was on probation in 85 and 90. Recently Spurrier was trying to get Florida recognized for the 90 SEC title to share with us. Of course we beat them that year convincingly but tied Auburn and lost to Bama.
it doesn't make those titles any less valid... Florida was on severe probation for massive cheating scandals...just like when UK basketball got the death penalty twice.. they deserved it
 
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#39
#39
To me, this is why Tennessee sometimes gets disrespect by media. They tend to be top 10 program but never the program. Even in 1998, they got lucky. We don't do things like our rivals were they go through seasons winning major games by 3 TDs and looking dominate. Florida looked that way with Meyer and Spurrier, Alabama with Saban, and Georgia with Smart.
every national title winner the last 70 years except Nebraska in 1995 has been "lucky" at some point....Florida didn't look that way with Meyer as they were lucky as hell to escape Neyland in 2006 due to a bad ref's call...Spurrier was lucky tons of time and even the year they finally won the NC title had to have 4 other teams lose the last two weeks. And Smart and UGA has had lucky moments as well
 
#40
#40
That is my point, you watch Tennessee and they have never looked as impressive as Alabama with Saban, Florida with Urban Meyer and Spurrier, Georgia with Smart, or most the National Powers in their runs. We always have that team we can't beat like Spurrier with Fulmer or Smart with Heupel.
and Spurrier had problems with Bowden, and Smart can't beat Bama...every coach has that thorn in the side
 
#41
#41
Did I miss one? My bad. They certainly didn’t steamroll everyone. Wasn’t that the year they were only up like 1 score in the 4th against Kent State? And Ohio State certainly should’ve beaten them. The point is, basically no one just flattens everyone and very few run the table. It’s unrealistic to expect it or to try and say our title was somehow lesser because we didn’t do what almost never happens. Nebraska 94 (I think that’s the right year) beat everyone handily. Maybe a Miami team did around 2001 but I’d have look. Most champs have close games or a loss.
No, they were up 32-16 after 3. They had a close one at Mizzou, 26-22 and the playoff game against OSU 42-41. All the rest were double digit wins, with 11 of them being by 17+, my own criteria of whipped because that's 3 scores. That's pretty much steamrolling everyone.
 
#42
#42
No, they were up 32-16 after 3. They had a close one at Mizzou, 26-22 and the playoff game against OSU 42-41. All the rest were double digit wins, with 11 of them being by 17+, my own criteria of whipped because that's 3 scores. That's pretty much steamrolling everyone.
I went back and looked. It wasn’t 1 score but it was 32-22 with 10 minutes left against a not so good Kent State team who finished 5-7. That game sticks in my memory more than Mizzou did because it was so weird to see. I forgot they needed a late drive to beat Mizzou.
 
#47
#47
and Spurrier had problems with Bowden, and Smart can't beat Bama...every coach has that thorn in the side

Go back and look at the year over year results on how they beat us (as well as others), even how soundly they beat us in Neyland Stadium. Then find me a period in Tennessee history where we did the same to them as consistently as they did to us.

Find a period where Tennessee went multiple seasons ranked #1 or in top 5 winning more than 2 or 3 SEC Championships in a decade like they did.
 
#48
#48
Go back and look at the year over year results on how they beat us (as well as others), even how soundly they beat us in Neyland Stadium. Then find me a period in Tennessee history where we did the same to them as consistently as they did to us.

Find a period where Tennessee went multiple seasons ranked #1 or in top 5 winning more than 2 or 3 SEC Championships in a decade like they did.
huh?
- we were 13-2 vs Florida at the beginning of the series
- we have beaten UGA 9 in a row before
- we have beaten Bama 11 out of 14 years in a row before

the SEC was unevenly scheduled from 1933-1960 and we still won a lot of conference titles
from 1960-1985 we struggled with coaching but still won a couple
from 1985-2007 we won 5 SEC titles and was close like 10 more times
 
#49
#49
huh?
- we were 13-2 vs Florida at the beginning of the series
- we have beaten UGA 9 in a row before
- we have beaten Bama 11 out of 14 years in a row before

the SEC was unevenly scheduled from 1933-1960 and we still won a lot of conference titles
from 1960-1985 we struggled with coaching but still won a couple
from 1985-2007 we won 5 SEC titles and was close like 10 more times

That was Neyland era, you are proving my point. Our entire success is from Neyland era. Take it out and we are no better than Ole Miss. Neyland era is a LONG TIME AGO now.

What are our records against Florida and Georgia since 1992? They have owned us since the SEC East formation.
 
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