Most Surprising Vol Win?

[volsknx]

One that hasn't been mentioned, but it changed the course of Tennessee football in the '90s:

September 12, 1992

Tennessee 34
@Georgia 31

Georgia was ranked #14 and we had a very young team and an interim head coach. Expectations were pretty low before the season... but then we saw how good Heath Shuler was. Also, Georgia had 6 turnovers.

Have to add in there that Florida win in the downpour along with that Georgia victory. Both, I think, were surprises.

 

[joevol33]

Come back vs lsu with Rick Clausen, that one shocked me.

 

[knox-townVOL]

2013 Tennessee vs South Carolina deserves to be mentioned.

The wife and I got $10 tickets the Ticket Office was selling leading into that game. Nosebleed seats, and we were definitely going to get crushed by #11 SC. I was really just going to see if we could make a game of it.

 

[Volfan1000]

The game against Notre Dame when Floyd Miley had a pick six.

 

[O.G.HomeGrownUTVOL]

2013 Tennessee vs South Carolina deserves to be mentioned.

The wife and I got $10 tickets the Ticket Office was selling leading into that game. Nosebleed seats, and we were definitely going to get crushed by #11 SC. I was really just going to see if we could make a game of it.

I was also there. I couldn't talk for a week after that game. North's catch was amazing that day!

 

[thehill98]

Tenneseee - 10. Miami - 6. 2003

I never ever thought we'd come close to winning that game going into it.

I’d agree with this one. There’s been a lot mentioned, and some games were very improbable comebacks. But this is one where I think most people thought we’d be doing good just to make it competitive. This was toward the end of Miami’s last dominant run, but they still were loaded with talent and we were on the road. 01 Florida was a bigger upset by the spread, but we were a very talented team that year that didn’t get much credit until we beat Florida. 03 was not as talented but I remember a defense that played out of this world and our punting was a deadly weapon that day.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

2016 Florida. For the simple reason I don’t ever expect us to beat UF.

 

[Rylee_Vol18]

The Miracle at South Bend

 

[VolinMC]

The 10-6 win at Miami was what first popped in my mind. The comeback at Notre Dame is a close second tho.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

One that hasn't been mentioned, but it changed the course of Tennessee football in the '90s:

September 12, 1992

Tennessee 34
@Georgia 31

Georgia was ranked #14 and we had a very young team and an interim head coach. Expectations were pretty low before the season... but then we saw how good Heath Shuler was. Also, Georgia had 6 turnovers.

Epic game.

 

[BowlBrother85]

Epic game.

Yes, it was. The fall of '92 was my first semester on the Hill. An LB named George Kidd forced a fumble on Georgia's last possession with under a minute left, which sealed the victory. I had a Western Civ. class with him. I heard him say that he slept with that ball the rest of the season for good luck.... and would kiss it good night. LOL.

 

[USAFgolferVol]

I’d agree with this one. There’s been a lot mentioned, and some games were very improbable comebacks. But this is one where I think most people thought we’d be doing good just to make it competitive. This was toward the end of Miami’s last dominant run, but they still were loaded with talent and we were on the road. 01 Florida was a bigger upset by the spread, but we were a very talented team that year that didn’t get much credit until we beat Florida. 03 was not as talented but I remember a defense that played out of this world and our punting was a deadly weapon that day.

We were ranked #5 going into the 2001 Florida game.

 

[wmcovol]

Up until a few years ago, rarely did Tennessee go into a game where I thought they had no chance.

 

[VolinMichigan]

2004
#17 UT - 19
#3 UGA - 14

This one sticks out as a surprise for me. UGA was looking like a potential national champion. UGA had David Greene at QB who, at the time, was the best QB to ever play at UGA. I think Aaron Murray beat a lot of his records. Nobody expected Tennessee to knock off UGA in Athens that year.

 

[BowlBrother85]

We were ranked #5 going into the 2001 Florida game.

That is true, but oddsmakers had Tennessee as a consensus 17 point underdog when the line opened that week. The line closed with Tennessee at +14. The Vegas Sportsbooks shelled out some big orange money that night.

I don't remember Tennessee ever winning a road game after beginning the week as such a heavy underdog, but with bettors loading up on Tennessee, it obviously wasn't a surprise to everybody when Tennessee kept it close - or that they won.

 

[BowlBrother85]

2004
#17 UT - 19
#3 UGA - 14

This one sticks out as a surprise for me. UGA coming off an SEC championship, looking like a potential national champion. UGA had David Greene at QB who, at the time, was the best QB to ever play at UGA. I think Aaron Murray beat a lot of his records. Nobody expected Tennessee to knock off UGA in Athens that year.

I watched that game at the Downtown Grill and Bar on Gay St. I was drunk out of my mind on IPA's by the 4th quarter. We got a little tight at the end, and gave them a chance.

 

[peaygolf]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=II3pMSULfOc&psig=AOvVaw2NEUUWLSREUJm56Q_7jk2T&ust=1623075920849000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CA0QjhxqFwoTCOiX4tyag_ECFQAAAAAdAAAAABAJ

1979
UT- 40
ND- 18

after loosing to rutgers

 

[adammav9]

Not so much that we won but the way we came out and dominated Cal in the 2006 opener was definitely surprising.
They jumped on them early and kept pouring it on. Meachem arrived that day.

 

[OneVolNation]

Man, that second half comeback victory against Florida in 2016 was special. The win over Georgia that same year too.

 

[ENGRVOL]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=II3pMSULfOc&psig=AOvVaw2NEUUWLSREUJm56Q_7jk2T&ust=1623075920849000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CA0QjhxqFwoTCOiX4tyag_ECFQAAAAAdAAAAABAJ

1979
UT- 40
ND- 18

after loosing to rutgers

View attachment 372271

Great choice. Those first few years of Major's return were rough and us destroying a good Notre Dame team was not expected.

Another choice would be the 2013 South Carolina game given it may have been one of our worst teams in recent memory and it was South Carolina's best season in the modern football era (finished #4 in the country that year) though don't know if you call beating any south carolina team surprising.

 

[mad4vols]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=II3pMSULfOc&psig=AOvVaw2NEUUWLSREUJm56Q_7jk2T&ust=1623075920849000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CA0QjhxqFwoTCOiX4tyag_ECFQAAAAAdAAAAABAJ

1979
UT- 40
ND- 18

after loosing to rutgers

View attachment 372271

Not only was it surprising that we won but how one sided it turned out to be.

 

[BowlBrother85]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=II3pMSULfOc&psig=AOvVaw2NEUUWLSREUJm56Q_7jk2T&ust=1623075920849000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CA0QjhxqFwoTCOiX4tyag_ECFQAAAAAdAAAAABAJ

1979
UT- 40
ND- 18

after loosing to rutgers

View attachment 372271

... and then got blown out the next week @ unranked Ole Miss 44-20. That big win over Notre Dame was sandwiched in between two very embarrassing losses. 1979 was a weird season.

Also, Tennessee had a 17-0 halftime lead over #1 Alabama in Birmingham that year. It was Jekyll and Hyde all season.

 

[BowlBrother85]

The game against Notre Dame when Floyd Miley had a pick six.

Not to nitpick, but Floyd Miley returned Darryl Hardy's block field goal on the last play of the first half to make the score 31-14, when Notre Dame had a chip shot FG attempt to make the score 34-7. It was also the play where Notre Dame's All-American kicker Craig Hentrich injured his leg. Hentrich's injury loomed large on the last play of the game - another blocked FG attempt from a scrub named Rob Leonard by Jeremy Lincoln. That kick probably wouldn't have made been good anyway.

 

[Sarms58]

One that hasn't been mentioned, but it changed the course of Tennessee football in the '90s:

September 12, 1992

Tennessee 34
@Georgia 31

Georgia was ranked #14 and we had a very young team and an interim head coach. Expectations were pretty low before the season... but then we saw how good Heath Shuler was. Also, Georgia had 6 turnovers.

Georgia also had Ray Goff...I miss Ray Goff....

 

[swampfoxfan]

1971 #5 heavily favored Penn State featuring Lidell Mitchell and Franco Harris was kicked to the curb by #12 Tennessee.