College football's 10 unbreakable records

#1
YankeeVol

YankeeVol

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#1
Some love for the General. ESPN Insider article so I wont link.

1. Tennessee's shutout streak: The game has changed dramatically over the past 30 years, so consider how much it's transformed over the past 70-plus years. The athletes, the parity, the rules, the strategy -- they've all changed. So it stands to reason that we'll never see a team go the entire regular season unbeaten, untied and unscored on again like Tennessee did in 1939 under then-Major Robert Neyland, who would go on to become Gen. Neyland. His Vols racked up 17 straight regular-season shutouts from Nov. 5, 1938 season through Oct. 12, 1940. That's a total of 68 straight quarters in which nobody scored on Tennessee.

It's hard to fathom such defensive dominance in this day and age, especially considering 30 FBS teams averaged more than 35 points per game last season.

As it was, the Vols were unable to achieve total perfection in 1939. They lost 14-0 to USC in the Rose Bowl after outscoring opponents 212-0 during the regular season. Neyland didn't make any excuses afterward. "We weren't stale or off form. We were outclassed," he said. "We were beaten badly by a superior team, and my hat is off to [then-USC coach] Howard Jones."

The year before, Duke also came agonizingly close to throwing up all zeros, going 9-0 during the regular season while not allowing a single point. Like the Vols, the "Iron Dukes" made the cross-country trek to the Rose Bowl in the postseason and led USC 3-0 early in the fourth quarter. But the Trojans' fourth-string quarterback, Doyle Nave, came off the bench late in the game to connect with "Antelope" Al Krueger on four straight passes. The final one was a 19-yard touchdown with 40 seconds remaining, lifting USC to a 7-3 win and spoiling Duke's perfect -- and unblemished -- season.

Current team that could come close: It's foolish to even suggest that this one would ever be broken, even if the 1985 Chicago Bears were allowed to come back and play a season in the collegiate ranks. But we'll go with Alabama. As long as Nick Saban is in Tuscaloosa, the Crimson Tide are going to be a load on defense.
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#3
#3
Thanks, Yankee! I was wondering what was in that article, but couldn't access it. :hi:
 
#4
#4
No team will ever come close to the Tennessee streak. As far as bammer is concerned, I'm praying whoever replaces saban is named Mike.
 
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#9
#9
joevol33 said:
One of the reasons I hate usc!
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In 1930's that was quite a trip for east coast teams. Neyland took it like a man but I've read stories the train ride there was essentially a big party. Bowl games were just glorified exhibition games back then. No stakes attached. I doubt the players had their hearts in it.
 
#15
#15
alexbond45 said:
It was A&M who stole the national championship. AP Poll crowned winners based off regular season.
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Can Tennessee ever catch a break? 1939. 1956. This program has gotten slighted so many times in regards to national titles and Heisman winners. Paul Hornung's 1956 Heisman is the most infuriating. What a joke.
 
#16
#16
burntorangeVOLffle said:
In 1930's that was quite a trip for east coast teams. Neyland took it like a man but I've read stories the train ride there was essentially a big party. Bowl games were just glorified exhibition games back then. No stakes attached. I doubt the players had their hearts in it.
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Bowden Wyatt, who was already through at Tennessee, was a close friend of my Dad. I'd always heard the same thing when they visited. Especially the train ride for some, but not all. There were a lot of players who still took the bowl seriously,... but not as much as a regular season game. Then, there were always those managed to bring some East Tennessee liquid corn along.

I still believe some of that was going on in Fulmer's loss to Penn St. in the Outback. I sat behind the Vols bench for that game, and it really appeared some weren't "giving their all".
 
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#17
#17
Orangedogsrule said:
Bowden Wyatt, who was already through at Tennessee, was a close friend of my Dad. I'd always heard the same thing when they visited. Especially the train ride for some, but not all. There were a lot of players who still took the bowl seriously,... but not as much as a regular season game. Then, there were always those managed to bring some East Tennessee liquid corn along.

I still believe some of that was going on in Fulmer's loss to Penn St. in the Outback. I sat behind the Vols bench for that game, and it really appeared some weren't "giving their all".
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When hungover, all is less than when not hungover.
 
#18
#18
NeverWe'llSever said:
Can Tennessee ever catch a break? 1939. 1956. This program has gotten slighted so many times in regards to national titles and Heisman winners. Paul Hornung's 1956 Heisman is the most infuriating. What a joke.
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Tommy McDonald and Jim Brown probably agree as well.
 
#19
#19
Orangedogsrule said:
Nope

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1939_college_football_season
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It was close to one:

Texas A&M was awarded the national championship by the AP Poll, Billingsley Report, Boand System, College Football Researchers Association, DeVold System, Dunkel System, Helms Athletic Foundation, Houlgate System, National Championship Foundation, Poling System, Sagarin Ratings, Williamson System, and Berryman (QPRS). (The ones in italics were awarded retroactively)

USC was named national champions only by the Dickinson System.

And the Litkenhous and a retroactive Sagarin Ratings named Cornell the national champion for that year.
 
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