mooreaj21
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I like to look back on the history of the football program from time to time & today I noticed something. How were we not claimed National Champions in 1939 & 1956? Back then the National Champion was named before the Bowl games started & more times than not that team would go on to lose in their bowl game. I understand that the Athletic Department claims 6 National Championships ('38, '40, '50, '51, '67, & '98), most Rival fans will say Tennessee only has 2 ('51 & '98), but I noticed this today & thought I would share it with my fellow Vol fans.
1939 - Tennessee is coming off an 11-0 season & a National Championship, that '38 season Tennessee outscored their opponents 293-16. At the beginning of the '39 season Tennessee was unranked, UT first showed up in the AP Poll (which was the dominate poll back then & still is today) after beating Chattanooga 28-0. The following week #5 Tennessee hosted #8 Alabama for Homecoming, UT went on to beat Alabma 21-0, after the victory Tennessee became the #1 team in the Country by the AP Poll. Tennessee proceded to stay there for 4 straight weeks & after beating Vanderbilt 13-0 UT fell to #4 in the AP Poll. Tennessee finished the regular season 10-0 & was not scored upon. The final AP Poll before the bowl games had Tennessee ranked #2, Texas A&M finished #1 & was claimed the National Champion. Tennessee went on to lose to USC in the Orange Bowl 14-0.
1956 - Tennessee starts the season unranked after going 6-3-1 in 1955. After beating Auburn in the home opener 35-7 UT became ranked #9, Tennessee then slowly moved up the AP Poll until finally being ranked #3. The following week #3 Tennessee traveled to Atlanta to take on then #2 Georiga Tech, UT won the game 6-0. After beating GT, Tennessee became the #1 team in the nation. The next week Tennessee faced #19 Ole Miss & UT won that game 27-7 but end up falling to #2 in the Polls. Tennessee went on to finish the regular season 10-0 & ranked #2 in the AP Poll, Oklahoma finished 10-0 & ranked #1. Tennessee went on to lose to Baylor in the Sugar Bowl 13-7.
This same season Johnny Majors finished 2nd in the Heisman voting to Paul Hornung who played on a 2-9 Notre Dame team.
Just found it interesting..sorry if nobody cares
1939 - Tennessee is coming off an 11-0 season & a National Championship, that '38 season Tennessee outscored their opponents 293-16. At the beginning of the '39 season Tennessee was unranked, UT first showed up in the AP Poll (which was the dominate poll back then & still is today) after beating Chattanooga 28-0. The following week #5 Tennessee hosted #8 Alabama for Homecoming, UT went on to beat Alabma 21-0, after the victory Tennessee became the #1 team in the Country by the AP Poll. Tennessee proceded to stay there for 4 straight weeks & after beating Vanderbilt 13-0 UT fell to #4 in the AP Poll. Tennessee finished the regular season 10-0 & was not scored upon. The final AP Poll before the bowl games had Tennessee ranked #2, Texas A&M finished #1 & was claimed the National Champion. Tennessee went on to lose to USC in the Orange Bowl 14-0.
1956 - Tennessee starts the season unranked after going 6-3-1 in 1955. After beating Auburn in the home opener 35-7 UT became ranked #9, Tennessee then slowly moved up the AP Poll until finally being ranked #3. The following week #3 Tennessee traveled to Atlanta to take on then #2 Georiga Tech, UT won the game 6-0. After beating GT, Tennessee became the #1 team in the nation. The next week Tennessee faced #19 Ole Miss & UT won that game 27-7 but end up falling to #2 in the Polls. Tennessee went on to finish the regular season 10-0 & ranked #2 in the AP Poll, Oklahoma finished 10-0 & ranked #1. Tennessee went on to lose to Baylor in the Sugar Bowl 13-7.
This same season Johnny Majors finished 2nd in the Heisman voting to Paul Hornung who played on a 2-9 Notre Dame team.
Just found it interesting..sorry if nobody cares
