Now that the Phillip Fulmer era is winding down, I've been wandering down memory lane and here are my top five highs and top five lows of the Fulmer era:
Top 5 Highs:
1. October 14, 1995: Tennessee 41 Alabama 14. The Vols score on the first or second offensive play to end nine years of misery.
2. September 19, 1998: Tennessee 20 Florida 17Tennessee beats Florida in overtime to end the Spurrier curse.
3. January 4, 1999: Tennessee 23 FSU 16. Dwayne Goodrich's Pick-6 leads TN to the national title.
4. December 1, 2001: Tennessee 34, Florida 32. In touching irony, Steve Spurrier loses his last home game at Florida to Tennessee.
5. January 1, 2005. Tennessee beats Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl. Perhaps the last complete game in the Fulmer era.
6* A bonus. October 3, 1998. Tennessee 17 Auburn 9. The game that led me to believe it was possible for TN to win the national title. Specifically, after Tee Martin fumbles, the ball rolls to the one and TN shuts Auburn out on four tries at the one.
The Worst of Times:
1. September 16, 1995: Florida 62 Tennessee 37. Jay Graham tries to leap the line of scrimmage and fumbles. Part of Florida's 48 point third quarter.
2. November 9, 1996: Memphis 21 Tennessee 17. The loss mars Peyton Manning's junior year and, until Wyoming this year, was Tennessee's largest point spread upset of all time.
3. December 8, 2001: LSU 31 TN 20. Coming off a road upset of Florida, Tennessee need only beat LSU to advance to play Miami in the national title game. The 21st ranked Tigers upset the 2nd ranked Vols.
4. 2002-2003 Peach Bowls. The Vols embarass themselves against a fair Maryland team and an unranked Clemson team.
5. October 20, 2007: Alabama 41 Tennessee 17. I called my wife into the room in the third quater because I didn't want her to miss what I thought was the game that would end Phillip Fulmer's tenure. TN looked outclassed after looking completely outclassed against Florida several weeks earlier. Tennessee rallied to win the East, but the structural flaws were exposed more fully in 2008.
Top 5 Highs:
1. October 14, 1995: Tennessee 41 Alabama 14. The Vols score on the first or second offensive play to end nine years of misery.
2. September 19, 1998: Tennessee 20 Florida 17Tennessee beats Florida in overtime to end the Spurrier curse.
3. January 4, 1999: Tennessee 23 FSU 16. Dwayne Goodrich's Pick-6 leads TN to the national title.
4. December 1, 2001: Tennessee 34, Florida 32. In touching irony, Steve Spurrier loses his last home game at Florida to Tennessee.
5. January 1, 2005. Tennessee beats Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl. Perhaps the last complete game in the Fulmer era.
6* A bonus. October 3, 1998. Tennessee 17 Auburn 9. The game that led me to believe it was possible for TN to win the national title. Specifically, after Tee Martin fumbles, the ball rolls to the one and TN shuts Auburn out on four tries at the one.
The Worst of Times:
1. September 16, 1995: Florida 62 Tennessee 37. Jay Graham tries to leap the line of scrimmage and fumbles. Part of Florida's 48 point third quarter.
2. November 9, 1996: Memphis 21 Tennessee 17. The loss mars Peyton Manning's junior year and, until Wyoming this year, was Tennessee's largest point spread upset of all time.
3. December 8, 2001: LSU 31 TN 20. Coming off a road upset of Florida, Tennessee need only beat LSU to advance to play Miami in the national title game. The 21st ranked Tigers upset the 2nd ranked Vols.
4. 2002-2003 Peach Bowls. The Vols embarass themselves against a fair Maryland team and an unranked Clemson team.
5. October 20, 2007: Alabama 41 Tennessee 17. I called my wife into the room in the third quater because I didn't want her to miss what I thought was the game that would end Phillip Fulmer's tenure. TN looked outclassed after looking completely outclassed against Florida several weeks earlier. Tennessee rallied to win the East, but the structural flaws were exposed more fully in 2008.
