Favorite Season Opener Memories?

#27
#27
cardvolfan said:
Favorite: UCLA 1989 Tennessee win.
First Memory: Penn State 1972.
Click to expand...
First game under the lights, I remember being on Cumberland with my parents but for some reason we didn’t go to that game even though we had season tickets, maybe those weren’t included in the package, or my dad gave them away.
 
  • Like
Reactions: cardvolfan
#28
#28
Volador said:
Syracuse Game - No doubt about it. Drove over from Boston with a buddy. Sat at the top of the Dome and had to classic UT plastic seat cushions. I beat the HELL outta them the first half and UT was up. At halftime, two very large and very drunk Cuse fans pay me a visit and basically threaten me my life if I keep cracking those cushions (and no lie here gang - those cushions sounded like shotguns going off - esp w me sitting in the last and top most row of the Carrier Dome) Anyway, most of you know this was the first game of our undefeated 98 Championship season and for fear of my life, I sat on the cushions the second half except for the last play of the game when Jeff Hall kicked the winning field goal for the Vols. I moved down behind the goal posts and pounded those puppies and got the UT crowd fired up - then ran like a son of a bitch for about 6 blocks! m(also attended Arkansas game that year in the rain)
Click to expand...
Those two games must have aged you like 10 years.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Volador and RDU VOL#14
#29
#29
As mentioned earlier, 2012 NC State was a lot of fun. All we heard was how Mike Glennon was going to pick us apart, and David Amerson was going to shut down our passing game. We obliterated them. There was so much excitement around the program then. We broke the Top 25 shortly after, and hosted Gameday for Florida. The hype was legit.

That Florida game was so frustrating. We had handily beaten NC State who everyone said was going to be a really good team. Meanwhile Florida had struggled mightily with a suspect Texas AM team with some unknown freshman QB that ate them alive. We knew, based on that, we were going to stripe Florida that game.

As it turns out… NC State would go on to be a 6-7 team, and that freshman QB Florida barely beat at Texas AM was Johnny Manziel who would take down Alabama later that year 🙄
 
  • Like
Reactions: MemphisVol77, MAD and I Love Lamp
#30
#30
DC_Vol said:
Ah i remember that well. NC State fans were certain that David Amerson was going to lock down the field completely. We came out of the gates throwing right at him. He got burned many times that game. Shut their holes.
Click to expand...
Oh yeah Amerson Island… haha.More like fire island after getting torched by Zach Rogers. I watched that w/ State fans in a bar in Myrtle Beach. They were talking all this smack before the game and then it started .
 
  • Like
Reactions: DC_Vol and MAD
#31
#31
cardvolfan said:
Favorite: UCLA 1989 Tennessee win.
First Memory: Penn State 1972.
Click to expand...

That UCLA win in '89 is a favorite memory of mine. Don't think it was on TV, was it? Anyway, one of my best friends and I bought a quart of Jack Daniels (back when it was 90 proof) and a 10 ounce Coke apiece. My Dad had just built a home on Tims Ford Lake and bought a new pontoon boat. We got on the boat in Winchester just as the game was kicking off and drove down to Tims Ford Dam, never getting over 10 miles an hour. All we had on the boat was a quart of Jack, two Cokes, and a transistor radio starring John Ward. We arrived back at the dock just as the game was ending. Those Tennessee fans that attended the game were raising hell; you could hear 'em over Mr. Ward's voice. Man, we were pickled and tore up like a can of kraut, but happy as a pig in slop.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gnm53108, MemphisVol77 and MAD
#32
#32
mad4vols said:
Those two games must have aged you like 10 years.
Click to expand...

If I rank all the Vol victories in order of excitement, I would have to add in the Miracle at South Bend to round out My Top 3. I just happened to be very lucky to attend all 3!!! GBO and yes, games like that add gray hair to you for sure!
 
  • Like
Reactions: youcancallmeAl and MAD
#33
#33
Not sure where to post this but, I have hundreds of Vol Fanpacks, Magazines, Recruiting magazines, and want to pass them on. We are renovating and downsizing. Just can't keep all these really good magazines and game day issues. If someone could direct me to who might be interested, I would appreciate it. Check my avatar for a glimpse of what I have. I am yard selling Thursday-Saturday in Estill Springs, TN if you are in the neighborhood look for the signs. Go Vols!
 
  • Like
Reactions: MemphisVol77 and MAD
#34
#34
87&91ALUM said:
Not sure where to post this but, I have hundreds of Vol Fanpacks, Magazines, Recruiting magazines, and want to pass them on. We are renovating and downsizing. Just can't keep all these really good magazines and game day issues. If someone could direct me to who might be interested, I would appreciate it. Check my avatar for a glimpse of what I have. I am yard selling Thursday-Saturday in Estill Springs, TN if you are in the neighborhood look for the signs. Go Vols!
Click to expand...
There is a place in the pub to post VolNation list (like Craigslist for VN)
 
#36
#36
1985 UCLA vs TENNESSEE
26-26

That was my 1st time in Neyland Stadium. Dad got tickets on the lower level, in the North end zone. I was 10 yrs old and the only thing I can remember was the band forming the T and the way the stadium shook. I've been hooked ever since.

GBO
 
  • Like
Reactions: MemphisVol77 and MAD
#37
#37
DC_Vol said:
Ah i remember that well. NC State fans were certain that David Amerson was going to lock down the field completely. We came out of the gates throwing right at him. He got burned many times that game. Shut their holes.
Click to expand...
Our offense that year was outstanding. Too bad the coach sucked.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MAD
#38
#38
August 31, 2012 inside the Georgia Dome. All I heard the entire two weeks heading into it was Mike Glennon was the next great thing and was going to shred Tennessee. We were rocking inside the dome that night as Tennessee whipped em.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MAD
#40
#40
My 1st game in Neyland was actually a JV game. Tenn vs ND. The only details I remember was how big the stadium was and how freezing cold it was. Very few fans.
My 1st varsity game was Majors first season (I think). Tenn vs Oregon St. Jimmy Streater had a big TD run to lead Tenn to a 14-14 tie.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MemphisVol77, Hacksaw and MAD
#42
#42
OffTackleVol said:
That UCLA win in '89 is a favorite memory of mine. Don't think it was on TV, was it? Anyway, one of my best friends and I bought a quart of Jack Daniels (back when it was 90 proof) and a 10 ounce Coke apiece. My Dad had just built a home on Tims Ford Lake and bought a new pontoon boat. We got on the boat in Winchester just as the game was kicking off and drove down to Tims Ford Dam, never getting over 10 miles an hour. All we had on the boat was a quart of Jack, two Cokes, and a transistor radio starring John Ward. We arrived back at the dock just as the game was ending. Those Tennessee fans that attended the game were raising hell; you could hear 'em over Mr. Ward's voice. Man, we were pickled and tore up like a can of kraut, but happy as a pig in slop.
Click to expand...
I’m sure it was not televised. It was a big surprise as I believe UCLA was ranked 6th and Tennessee 24th going in. We did have a great time, too. Absolutely slaughtered them!
 
  • Like
Reactions: MemphisVol77 and MAD
#43
#43
Hacksaw said:
Agree that '98 on the road vs. Donavan McNabb-led Syracuse is memorable -- and the most meaningful.

Another notable win was vs. Iowa in the '87 Kickoff Classic, which was the first time for us playing in this game that was meant to match-up two preseason-ranked teams from different conferences. Our Vols and the Hawkeyes would both go on to win 10 games. Unfortunately, our two losses that year were really hard to take, making it a classic "what could have been" season.
Click to expand...
I was watching that game in a pizza place in Murray, KY. I was there with my girlfriend at the time, who was not a football fan. When Darrin Miller recovered that fumble and started for the end zone, my emotions and volume started to increase, as it seemed like his fumble return took forever. My girlfriend did not care for my enthusiasm or the volume by which I was expressing it, and she let me know it, not that it stopped me. We wound up breaking up for a variety of reasons (she was a borderline psycho and a Kentucky basketball fan), but that moment is still a very clear and fond memory with absolutely no regrets.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MemphisVol77, VolsSince78, Vols&Vettes and 2 others
#46
#46
OffTackleVol said:
Yes, 2006 Cal game. I can't remember who it was, but one of the good guys blew up the wedge on kick off and hurt, I think, their starting TE. Neyland was a rocking..........
Click to expand...

Robert Ayers knocked the Cal TE Craig Stevens out cold with a concussion.

The crowd kinda paused the party for a few minutes when the Cal doc/trainers said Grace over Stevens. Then we resumed blowing the top off Neyland.

Recall hearing Cal’s HC Tedford calling Stevens Cal’s toughest player. Cal knew they were in the wrong place & time when Stevens was KOed on Play #1.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MAD
#48
#48
A couple for different reasons.
My first was when I was a freshman in 1970 vs SMU. There were no water fountains in Neyland then and they ran out of ice by halftime. Several folks had heat stroke. This game was big incentive to get lights for early season games.
For football reasons, UCLA tie in 1974. Condredge Holloway injured his shoulder, went to UT hospital for x-rays but returned to score the tying TD.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mercuryvol and MAD
#49
#49
cardvolfan said:
Favorite: UCLA 1989 Tennessee win.
First Memory: Penn State 1972.
Click to expand...
Was at this Penn State game in ‘72 - 9 years old with my parents - eyes wide open all night. First game under the lights at Neyland if I’m not mistaken - that just added more to how exciting the whole thing was. UT thumped them and JoPa said he would never come back to Neyland again - and I don’t think he ever did. That said, I may be misremembering some of this, but I remember it was an exciting night for young VFL.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mercuryvol, I4Vols and MAD
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.
Advertisement



Back
Top