1999 team.....

[OrangeInKy]

I was in Fayetteville in 99. Hogs blew our doors off in the first half. We were NOT ready to play. Still had a chance to win at the end, but couldn't get it done in the red zone.

Should have definitely won the game based on talent. Very disappointing loss and ended any shot at rematch vs FSU in BCS championship.

Yes. I know. Not sure I would say the team lacked drive though

 

[MyBloodRunnethOrange]

We lost by 10 points (31-21).

Are you sure you're not thinking of the Orange Bowl after the 1997 season (when we lost 42-17)? Because it kind of looks like we did better in this one.

The game was much more one sided than the score. They lined up and just ran it down our throats. We didn't have an answer. It felt like they picked up 10-12 yards every time they ran the ball. Very few times I saw our defense get manhandled like that.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

The game was much more one sided than the score. They lined up and just ran it down our throats. We didn't have an answer. It felt like they picked up 10-12 yards every time they ran the ball. Very few times I saw our defense get manhandled like that.

Pretty much this, though I thought we had lost by more than 10, and if you check out the breakdown at Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_Fiesta_Bowl), apparently early in the 3rd we cut it to 3, and we cut it to 10 with a little over 7:00 left in the game.

But it was definitely one of those games where it felt like we were having to scrap to even stay in the game and Nebraska was basically running at will. A big reason is they jumped up 17-0 and we didn't score until less than a minute before halftime.

 

[08Vol]

Pretty much this, though I thought we had lost by more than 10, and if you check out the breakdown at Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_Fiesta_Bowl), apparently early in the 3rd we cut it to 3, and we cut it to 10 with a little over 7:00 left in the game.

But it was definitely one of those games where it felt like we were having to scrap to even stay in the game and Nebraska was basically running at will. A big reason is they jumped up 17-0 and we didn't score until less than a minute before halftime.

I want to say their last 2 touchdown drives started within their own 10 yard line. Running the ball for 90+ yards twice in a row demoralizes another team

 

[Volosaurus rex]

I want to say their last 2 touchdown drives started within their own 10 yard line. Running the ball for 90+ yards twice in a row demoralizes another team

Unfortunately, your memory on this point is all too accurate. "After the Volunteers rallied from a 17-0 deficit to cut it to 17-14 early in the second half behind the passing of Tee Martin, the Huskers (12-1) finished Tennessee off with second-half touchdown drives of 96 and 99 yards. . . . Cedric Wilson's 44-yard touchdown pass to Donte' Stallworth, his second TD catch of the game, came on a Tennessee trick play that reduced the lead to 31-21 with 7:25 to play. But the Vols never got the ball again. Nebraska, which finished the game with 23 consecutive rushing plays for 156 yards, drove downfield and Tennessee (9-3) could do nothing to stop the clock from running out" ( USA TODAY Latest news).

Anybody who questions the value of redshirting should take a look at those Nebraska offensive lines. They routinely fielded lines that consisted of fifth-year redshirt senior roadgraders.

 

[TN_Transplant]

(3) David Cutcliffe had moved on to take the head coaching position at Ole Miss. Fulmer fully trusted Cutcliffe as offensive coordinator; he never relinquished the same degree of control to Randy Sanders.

This!

 

[nashvols1]

#6 Fuller got complacent.

#7 Team had the "ME" attitude.

Really, these should be #1 and #2!

 

[ZZ13]

I was in Fayetteville in 99. Hogs blew our doors off in the first half. We were NOT ready to play. Still had a chance to win at the end, but couldn't get it done in the red zone.

Should have definitely won the game based on talent. Very disappointing loss and ended any shot at rematch vs FSU in BCS championship.

You sure you were at the right stadium? We were up 17-14 at halftime and blew a 24-14 lead later on two silly bombs that the secondary muffed.

 

[ajvol01]

Unfortunately, your memory on this point is all too accurate. "After the Volunteers rallied from a 17-0 deficit to cut it to 17-14 early in the second half behind the passing of Tee Martin, the Huskers (12-1) finished Tennessee off with second-half touchdown drives of 96 and 99 yards. . . . Cedric Wilson's 44-yard touchdown pass to Donte' Stallworth, his second TD catch of the game, came on a Tennessee trick play that reduced the lead to 31-21 with 7:25 to play. But the Vols never got the ball again. Nebraska, which finished the game with 23 consecutive rushing plays for 156 yards, drove downfield and Tennessee (9-3) could do nothing to stop the clock from running out" ( USA TODAY Latest news).

Anybody who questions the value of redshirting should take a look at those Nebraska offensive lines. They routinely fielded lines that consisted of fifth-year redshirt senior roadgraders.

Redshirts and steroids

 

[ajvol01]

You sure you were at the right stadium? We were up 17-14 at halftime and blew a 24-14 lead later on two silly bombs that the secondary muffed.

I guess I just remembered it wrong. The pick 6 to start the game is all I could think of

 

[thebjd]

We also had significant injuries that season. We looked like the best team in the country after beating Notre Dame and we were set up for a run to the championship. The Arkansas game was really what kept us from at least getting in the game for a rematch against the Noles.

 

[ajvol01]

We also had significant injuries that season. We looked like the best team in the country after beating Notre Dame and we were set up for a run to the championship. The Arkansas game was really what kept us from at least getting in the game for a rematch against the Noles.

I remember lots of injuries in 2002 - who was out in '99?

 

[nashvols1]

We also had significant injuries that season. We looked like the best team in the country after beating Notre Dame and we were set up for a run to the championship. The Arkansas game was really what kept us from at least getting in the game for a rematch against the Noles.

I remember a LB from (I think Virginia Tech) calling out Fuller "for running up the score on a mediocre ND team". After that ND game Fuller said "We should get a number two ranking in the poles". Then we let Arkansas make amends! Smh

 

[Boston Vol]

I remember a LB from (I think Virginia Tech) calling out Fuller "for running up the score on a mediocre ND team". After that ND game Fuller said "We should get a number two ranking in the poles". Then we let Arkansas make amends! Smh

That was Corey Moore, the all american DE from VA Tech. He didn't like Fulmer very much because Tennessee didn't recruit him. He's from Tennessee.

 

[99gator]

I disagree. Recruiting is only part of the equation. It's what you do with them once they're on campus that really matters.

Look at Oregon's, Mizzou's, TCU's, & Baylor's recruiting rankings vs their production on the field. Gameday coaching matters!

Signed
Will Muschamp

 

[Backwards K]

You sure you were at the right stadium? We were up 17-14 at halftime and blew a 24-14 lead later on two silly bombs that the secondary muffed.

Deon Grant went out of the game with a cramp that led to the game winner by the Hogs.

 

[ManchesterV]

You forgot beating a #5 Ohio State in 1996,

Apparently, the Northwestern team UT beat at the end of 1997 was ranked #9/#11. (Also, as an aside, apparently the Virginia Tech team that an unranked UT beat in the 1994 Gator Bowl was ranked #15/#17, around the same area as the #16 Boston Colloge team that UT beat after 1992).

Majors also looked to have had a really bad loss to Penn State, ones to Maryland and Iowa, and one to Purdue (although to be fair, that was a really good Purdue team, finished ranked in the top 10).

To Majors' credit though - save for the Sugar Bowl win against Miami and the Fiesta Bowl loss to Penn State - Majors' bowl games were all pretty much close games as far as the final scores, win or loss.

I'll give you the Fulmer bowl wins but notice they were in the early years of his tenure. The decline started late 90s and the bowl wins really became scarce. I totally respect and appreciate what CPF did at Tennessee. But he did lose his drive and passion and I think the bowl games proved it. It was a legendary run from mid 92 thru FL in 2001. I'll throw in a NASCAR reference. Petty and Waltrip raced 10 years too long until people started to forget how great they were. Coach did the same. It's a shame. He could have moved into the AD spot and been an unquestioned legend. But he didn't and it's sad. Time heals all. Once Butch has us back on top, people will start to forget the last 6 years of his tenure. Unfortunately, 5 straight NCs won't wash the stink of Dooley off.

 

[Volosaurus rex]

I'll give you the Fulmer bowl wins but notice they were in the early years of his tenure. The decline started late 90s and the bowl wins really became scarce. I totally respect and appreciate what CPF did at Tennessee. But he did lose his drive and passion and I think the bowl games proved it. It was a legendary run from mid 92 thru FL in 2001. I'll throw in a NASCAR reference. Petty and Waltrip raced 10 years too long until people started to forget how great they were. Coach did the same. It's a shame. He could have moved into the AD spot and been an unquestioned legend. But he didn't and it's sad. Time heals all. Once Butch has us back on top, people will start to forget the last 6 years of his tenure. Unfortunately, 5 straight NCs won't wash the stink of Dooley off.

With the exception of Jim Brown, very few great players or coaches retire at the top of their game. And it is a shame because they inevitably diminish their legacies slightly. Human nature being what it is, however, they rationalize that first off year as simply a fluke. Three or four years later it finally dawns on them that, in John Ward's words, "It's time."

 

[HoptownVol]

The 99' team was missing Cutcliffe, and the insanely ridiculous luck we had in 98'. Thats it.

 

[ajvol01]

The 99' team was missing Cutcliffe, and the insanely ridiculous luck we had in 98'. Thats it.

Al Wilson, Peerless Price, Shawn Bryson, Jeff Hall, Jeremaine Copeland, Jarvis Reado, Mercedes Hamilton

Alex Brown would NOT have handled Jarvis Reado like Josh Tucker

 

[GLDunlap]

The game was much more one sided than the score. They lined up and just ran it down our throats. We didn't have an answer. It felt like they picked up 10-12 yards every time they ran the ball. Very few times I saw our defense get manhandled like that.

In the 2nd half Nebraska had a 96 yard drive and a 99 yard drive all on the ground. I like that style of football myself. It just demoralizes teams. Arkansas will do that a few games this year. I still miss Sam Pittman. He is one thing that Dooley got right.