Feels like 98 Opening with Syracuse

[YankeeVol]

Weren't we still ranked around #10? Or low teens? And Syracuse was a top 20 team as well from what I recall. They were a good team. Our defense that year was elite.

We were #10, they were #14

AND we played them in a Dome

 

[bpalmer28]

McNabb was a load and damn near won that game himself.

I do agree it feels eerily similar.

Just this weird vibe.

Elite defense. Potentially dominant OL.

A lot can be accomplished with those key ingredients.

 

[The Original Fade]

I’ve never been a believer in luck. Ratliff pushed the Arkansas center causing him to trip Stoerner. Wasn’t luck. The biggest break was the PI I call late in that Syracuse game. When the breaks go your way, score. That’s what those guys did. Every team gets breaks, not every team cashes in on them.

Ratliff didn’t “push” Burlsworth into Stoerner. I don’t know why Vol fans continue to believe this as if denial of it takes away from the game or something. Burlsworth moved back too quickly and aggressively and Stoerner tripped over him. Simple as that. And that’s not a knock at all on the great player that Ratliff was, but in truth he didn’t bull rush Burlsworth into Stoerner

 

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

And that Syracuse team was A LOT better than this one.

So was the 2001 Syracuse team we opened against.

We were a lot better in 98 and 01 as well…

 

[TheDirector]

We play 8 teams this season that we played in 98. 1998 Football Schedule - University of Tennessee Athletics

I think it's actually 9 teams? Syracuse, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, UAB, Arkansas, Kentucky, Vandy, Miss State

 

[zeppelin128]

 

[ZZ13]

McNabbs performance that day was the best I've ever seen from a college QB in all my years. Still to this day.

Immediately after the game I told my son: "we aren't winning anything this year with our QB". I thought he was awful except for the 55 yard run. I told my son the same thing after the Auburn game (he was truly awful that game). How wrong I was.

 

[PC Jr.]

During 1998 Vols championship season, we opened with Syracuse (just like this year). It was a hard fought game against Donavan McNabb but Tennessee won by 1 point. Then we went on to beat Florida and eventually win the National Championship.

Just like this 2025 season, 1998 was supposed to be a “down year”. It was the 1st year without our star QB Peyton Manning and most in the national media thought Tennessee would take a step back as we turned to the 1st season with Tee Martin. But the team rallied around each other with great defense, a strong running game, and timely passes by Tee. In 98, we shocked college football by winning it all the year AFTER our star QB left.

I realize Nico was no star last year, but his star ranking and abilities led many to believe he could lead us back to the national championship. Yet just like 98, here we are with a new QB, an excellent defense, and a strong running game.

It does not. I was there.

 

[AllMidSouth65]

I was there in that hot box of an arena. It was sweltering in there. And the ‘Cuse fans that were around and behind us had tried their best to drink every beer that could be found.

Mcnabb was a special talent. one of best opposing QB games I have ever seen. but when the game was at the do or die point our unproven QB Tee Martin uncorked a fabulous long run to get us in a position to go for the win. And we got a call on interference that UT doesn’t typically get in a hostile atmosphere like that.

High Presaure field goal for the win. A solid gutsy win.

That is the way I remember it

 

[Frank Duncan]

I DON'T BELIEVE in "Luck"....only...DESTINY!!!
"How 'BOUT Them VOLS??!!"

Intersection of highway 70 and charlotte pike .. left goes to Bellevue, straight goes to Newsom Station/ Pegram.

 

[RavinDave]

You can really tell the season is about to start.

The older I get the longer the offseason.

 

[OrangeInKy]

Ratliff didn’t “push” Burlsworth into Stoerner. I don’t know why Vol fans continue to believe this as if denial of it takes away from the game or something. Burlsworth moved back too quickly and aggressively and Stoerner tripped over him. Simple as that. And that’s not a knock at all on the great player that Ratliff was, but in truth he didn’t bull rush Burlsworth into Stoerner

Sure looks to me like that’s what happened. It didn’t in person, but in the years since, I’ve seen it a thousand times and looks like Billy gets a strong push forcing Burlsworth back. The players involved say that’s what happened. So I guess that’s where the narrative comes from.