FBS records that will never be broken...

[Freak]

-Winning streak of 47 games by Oklahoma

-9 INTs thrown in one game (Florida QB John Reaves 1969)

-Most rushing attempt in a game (58 Tony Sands Kansas 1991)

-Most consecutive shutouts (15 Tennessee 1939)

via CFBHOME on X

 

[EverythingOrange]

I still can’t BELIEVE that Tennessee did not claim a National Championship in 1939!

In a 10 game regular season: They were Unbeaten; Untied; and Un-scored upon!!!!

Tennessee was the defending National Champion from 1938…

Yeah, they lost a bowl game - To USC 14-0. But, they had to travel “on train” all the way across the country. —And back then, bowl games were nothing more than a “festival”, anyway….

There will NEVER be another defense / team like THAT — EVER!!!!

 

[Volosaurus rex]

-Winning streak of 47 games by Oklahoma

-9 INTs thrown in one game (Florida QB John Reaves 1969)

-Most rushing attempt in a game (58 Tony Sands Kansas 1991)

-Most consecutive shutouts (15 Tennessee 1939)

via CFBHOME on X

...and "NCAA record for holding opponents scoreless for 71 consecutive quarters." Although it probably isn't formally listed as a defensive, statistical category, "112 of 216 opponents failed to score against [Neyland-coached] Tennessee teams," which qualifies as a smidgen over 50% of games played during his tenure. Or, to quote one of his players, "If he scored a touchdown, he had you beat. If he scored two, the rout was on!" Neyland Stadium - Facilities - University of Tennessee Athletics.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

I still can’t BELIEVE that Tennessee did not claim a National Championship in 1939!

In a 10 game regular season: They were Unbeaten; Untied; and Un-scored upon!!!!

Tennessee was the defending National Champion from 1938…

Yeah, they lost a bowl game - To USC 14-0. But, they had to travel “on train” all the way across the country. —And back then, bowl games were nothing more than a “festival”, anyway….

There will NEVER be another defense / team like THAT — EVER!!!!

Also, I believe back then the NC was declared before the bowl games, so losing the bowl game would've had no effect on the decision.

 

[Special Ed]

It's important to note that Tennessee was without star tailback George Cafego (knee injury) in that Rose Bowl loss to USC.

 

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

I still can’t BELIEVE that Tennessee did not claim a National Championship in 1939!

In a 10 game regular season: They were Unbeaten; Untied; and Un-scored upon!!!!

Tennessee was the defending National Champion from 1938…

Yeah, they lost a bowl game - To USC 14-0. But, they had to travel “on train” all the way across the country. —And back then, bowl games were nothing more than a “festival”, anyway….

There will NEVER be another defense / team like THAT — EVER!!!!

The champions were declared before bowl games back then. It is strange that not a single major poll voted for the defending champions that hadn’t given up a point all year

 

[VolsSportsFan]

How you throw 9 interceptions in one game?

 

[IndianaVol]

Of all those, I could see rushing attempts being the only one even close to being broken.

 

[LivinginthePast]

We have more national championships than rewarded. Why don’t we claim more. Alabama claims the wind blowing against their ass. Robert neyland had some damn good teams.

 

[1Big_Orange_Fan]

Of all those, I see the TN record as the hardest to ever be matched.

 

[ZZ13]

What about 57 takeaways by 1970 Tennessee defense? Which doesn't even include the 8 takeaways against Air Force in the Sugar Bowl. I don't think any team has touched that record since.

 

[Boca Vol]

We have more national championships than rewarded. Why don’t we claim more. Alabama claims the wind blowing against their ass. Robert neyland had some damn good teams.

UT does claim one for '67. It wasn't acknowledged in any UT publication until the '90:s.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

The champions were declared before bowl games back then. It is strange that not a single major poll voted for the defending champions that hadn’t given up a point all year

Texas A&M was the NC's that year. From what I understand they were a very formidable team that year too, going undefeated and outscoring their opponents by some ungodly amount. I think they only gave up 30-something points all year, which would've averaged out to only a little over 3 points per game. Maybe us already being defending NC should've carried more weight by voters, but it sounds like A&M made a very compelling case themselves.

 

[Mccage]

most road wins in shortest time….Sewanee won 5 road wins in 6 days. 1899

 

[GroverCleveland]

most road wins in shortest time….Sewanee won 5 road wins in 6 days. 1899

Yeah. That one is a lock.

 

[Volosaurus rex]

What about 57 takeaways by 1970 Tennessee defense? Which doesn't even include the 8 takeaways against Air Force in the Sugar Bowl. I don't think any team has touched that record since.

Here is another interesting article on this topic: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2399074-the-most-unbreakable-records-in-college-football. According to this source, Tennessee holds another "unbreakable" record:

Date: 1937
Record Holder: Tennessee
Record: 13.9 punts per game
Tennessee punted the ball away a record 139 times in its 10 games in 1939. That’s double the average of seven that Kansas—the nation’s top punting team—managed in 2014. The Jayhawks, along with Texas-San Antonio and Eastern Michigan, all punted 84 times in 12 games last season.
The ’37 Vols finished the season 6-3-1.

This was, of course, during the era when Neyland used the punting game so effectively to win the field-position battle. With respect to the unscored-upon streak, they offer these details:

Date: 1938-40
Record Holder: Tennessee
Record: 17 shutouts
Tennessee’s 17 consecutive regular-season shutouts might be the most impressive record in the bunch. The streak started on Nov. 30, 1938 when it blanked Tennessee-Chattanooga 45-0 and didn’t end until Oct. 19, 1940, when Alabama scored 12 points in a 27-12 loss to the Vols.
The record doesn’t include the postseason games from the same time period: A 17-0 win over Oklahoma in the 1939 Orange Bowl and a 14-0 loss to USC in the 1940 Rose Bowl.
Tennessee outscored its 17 opponents 479-0 during run, a time frame that produced three consecutive SEC titles and the 1938 national championship.
The Vols also hold the NCAA FBS record for the most consecutive quarters opponents held scoreless, 71. That streak lasted from the second quarter of the 14-6 win over LSU on Oct. 29, 1938 until the second quarter of the 27-12 win over Alabama on Oct. 19, 1940.

 

[wmcovol]

I still can’t BELIEVE that Tennessee did not claim a National Championship in 1939!

In a 10 game regular season: They were Unbeaten; Untied; and Un-scored upon!!!!

Tennessee was the defending National Champion from 1938…

Yeah, they lost a bowl game - To USC 14-0. But, they had to travel “on train” all the way across the country. —And back then, bowl games were nothing more than a “festival”, anyway….

There will NEVER be another defense / team like THAT — EVER!!!!

Bama lost the 1964 Orange Bowl but they still claim a NC. Bowls were exhibition games in those days.

 

[WiseOlVol]

It's important to note that Tennessee was without star tailback George Cafego (knee injury) in that Rose Bowl loss to USC.

#1 Pick in NFL Draft by Chicago Cardinals.

 

[Madscientistvol]

How you throw 9 interceptions in one game?

How does your coach not bench you after throwing 8 to get a chance at the 9th.

 

[05_never_again]

I still can’t BELIEVE that Tennessee did not claim a National Championship in 1939!

In a 10 game regular season: They were Unbeaten; Untied; and Un-scored upon!!!!

Tennessee was the defending National Champion from 1938…

Yeah, they lost a bowl game - To USC 14-0. But, they had to travel “on train” all the way across the country. —And back then, bowl games were nothing more than a “festival”, anyway….

There will NEVER be another defense / team like THAT — EVER!!!!

The schedule we played that year was straight doo doo.

No team we beat finished the season ranked. 7 of the 10 wins came against teams who were .500 or worse.

 

[g0d0fm15ch13f]

How you throw 9 interceptions in one game?

You don't stop throwing after your 8th...

 

[Tin Man]

Anyone else go 40 years between attending a home game at Neyland?

 

[dobre_shunka]

Bama lost the 1964 Orange Bowl but they still claim a NC. Bowls were exhibition games in those days.

Didn't Saban campaign to give Bama a national championship last season also?

After all, if they hadn't been screwed by the crowd rushing the field at Vandy, the piped in noise at Neyland and the one bad call at OU, they would have been in the playoff and easily walked away with it

 

[miket4god]

The champions were declared before bowl games back then. It is strange that not a single major poll voted for the defending champions that hadn’t given up a point all year

ESPN even hated us more than 85 years ago.

 

[901 Orange]

Texas A&M was the NC's that year. From what I understand they were a very formidable team that year too, going undefeated and outscoring their opponents by some ungodly amount. I think they only gave up 30-something points all year, which would've averaged out to only a little over 3 points per game. Maybe us already being defending NC should've carried more weight by voters, but it sounds like A&M made a very compelling case themselves.

Giving up 3 points per game is ridiculous but giving up 0 regular season points is unheard of. You would think that at least 1 team could get a fluke TD.