Today in UT Football history

[IndianaVol]

Absolutely.

Younger Son&Heir and I went to see Notre Dame play at Clemson last year. To say I was unimpressed by their pre-game is putting it mildly.

Here was my assessment:



View attachment 678371

Tennessee vs The Maxims vs Connecticut

Tennessee vs The Maxims vs Connecticut a/n: I will be speaking at the Veterans Day event at Alvin York State Park on Saturday, 11 November, at 12 Noon CST. The topic is Tennesseans who earned the Medal of Honor in WWI...

www.volnation.com

I work with several Clemson Alumni and they all firmly believe that Clemson has a "rich and storied tradition" of football greatness.
One of them, who I count as one of my closest friends, and I traveled to Knoxville for the South Alabama game in 2021 (she has ties to USA as she got her doctorate there).
Somewhere about midway through the 1st quarter, she leaned over and commented "Clemson has football, but Tennessee has tradition !!!".

 

[peaygolf]

In the realm of all things "What If"...imagine if Fulmer would have lost this game. Would we have kept Majors? Would he have survived the season? Who would we have hired / promoted? What if Majors would have won out, how much longer would he have been coach?...oh the "what Ifs" !!!

That's the main reason I picked this game, and not the '98 UF game..............
I almost went with 1970 SMU.......trying to find more "obscure" games, but this was just too good.

 

[Orange.]

September 17, 1977

UT - 24
Boston College- 18

A productive five-minute spurt in the early part of the fourth quarter gave Tennessee two touchdowns and a field goal, enough to put away Boston College for the first Orange victory under Johnny Majors.

An exuberant head coach was fired up by the vic- tory, despite what he called a tendency on the part of his troops “to play Santa Claus." The reference to St. Nick was inspired by a series of events in the final eight minutes after Tennessee had grabbed a 24-3 lead over the visitors from New England. Boston College rebounded to narrow the gap to 24-18 and tried an on-sides kickoff, to no avail, with only a minute left.

Tennessee shut off Boston's ground game, but surrendered generous chunks of yardage through the air. The Eagles completed 25 of 41 passes for 343 yards, but four interceptions by the Vols repelled the Eagles' scoring threats until the final moments. One of the interceptions. by Greg Jones, propelled Tennessee toward its second TD of the game after holding a slim 7-3 lead into the fourth quarter.

On offense, Jimmy Streater had a TD pass and Kelsey Finch scored twice leading the Vols to the 24-18 victory.


View attachment 677592

Also, look at how late those 10-game seasons had their season openers. Or, not late: It's almost like the waited until fall.

 

[ETV]

In the realm of all things "What If"...imagine if Fulmer would have lost this game. Would we have kept Majors? Would he have survived the season? Who would we have hired / promoted? What if Majors would have won out, how much longer would he have been coach?...oh the "what Ifs" !!!

The one thing I had always wondered in the realm of what if's, would be if Majors had not rushed his return and let CPF continue with the interim title. IMO, the '92 team was capable of winning the east and playing Alabama again for the title. Instead, they lost to an eventual 3-7-1 Arkansas team @ Neyland, followed by Alabama and SC.

 

[IndianaVol]

Also, look at how late those 10-game seasons had their season openers. Or, not late: It's almost like the waited until fall.

Stay tuned - with the 12 team playoff (soon to be 16 IMO) we'll be playing college ball up to February.
People will complain that is detracting from the NFL and they'll push to move the college start up even earlier...we'll have games in the middle of August or earlier.

 

[peaygolf]

September 20, 1969

UT - 31
Chattanooga- 0

The Vols struggled early in their new triple-option offense, fumbling seven times (losing five,) but the young defensive team stepped up and helped the Vols offense out.

Bobby Scott, making his first start, scored twice on the ground and backup Phil Pierce threw a TD to add insult to injury.

Two second half goal line stands by the defense kept the shutout alive.

 

[OneManGang]

September 20, 1969

UT - 32
Chattanooga- 0

The Vols struggled early in their new triple-option offense, fumbling seven times (losing five,) but the young defensive team stepped up and helped the Vols offense out.

Bobby Scott, making his first start, scored twice on the ground and backup Phil Pierce threw a TD to add insult to injury.

Two second half goal line stands by the defense kept the shutout alive.


View attachment 678739

And I was there.

 

[peaygolf]

And I was there.

Even better……. That’s half the fun….looking up games I went to and for others to relive some memories

 

[horseman]

Even better……. That’s half the fun….looking up games I went to and for others to relive some memories

One Man Gang, I have an interesting story for you. A Dr. friend gave me your info yesterday in Chattanooga.
Pls call me 423 802 1646
This is something about my Father and his Military career.
Thanks
Horseman

 

[peaygolf]

September 21, 1963

UT - 34
Richmond- 6


Jim McDonald began his first, and only season, as UT Head Coach with an easy victory over the Richmond Spiders.

Four of the Vols five touchdowns were scored by young sophomores (freshman not eligible yet.) This gave the faithful some hope for the future. Hal Wantland scored twice, while Glen Grey and big Stan Mitchell scored once.

22 sophomores played, with only 8 juniors and 13 seniors getting into the game.

On defense, Steve DeLong was a terror stopping the run and consistently put pressure on the QB.

McDonald went 5-5 and was replaced by Doug Dickey before the next season.

 

[peaygolf]

September 22, 1979

UT - 51
Utah - 18

After falling behind 3-0 after the first quarter, Jimmy Streater hit Willie Gault on a 69 yard touchdown pass early in the second, to give UT a lead it wouldn’t relinquish.

Streater tossed two more TDs and added a 36 yard touchdown run to give the Vols a 37-10 lead going into the fourth quarter.

Back up quarterback Jeff Olszewski ran for two short touchdowns in the fourth to complete the scoring for UT.

Streater was named Southeast Offensive Player of the Week.

Gault’s TD


One of my favorite games I’ve been to…..

 

[Orange.]

@peaygolf I figured it out. You have black type specified (the checkmarked square). Highlight the text and then click the symbol I circled in the lower right. Type will then automatically show as black on white backdrops and as white in dark mode.

 

[peaygolf]

@peaygolf I figured it out. You have black type specified (the checkmarked square). Highlight the text and then click the symbol I circled in the lower right. Type will then automatically show as black on white backdrops and as white in dark mode.View attachment 679681
View attachment 679682


View attachment 679684

thank you

I learned something new today.

 

[peaygolf]

September 23, 1922

UT - 50
Emory & Henry- 0

After a week of conditioning at Camp Wonderland, the “Fighting Volunteers” were ready for their season opener against their neighbors from Virginia.

“Jimmy Smith proved to be the star of the fray, with his excellent generalship at the quarterback position and his end runs. He scored four touchdowns. Rollin Wilson played a good game at half, as did his running mate Phillips. Red Jackson’s broken field running showed future promise.”

 

[StarRaider]

I heard John Wilkerson on the radio this morning say that this is the anniversary of the first time the Vols wore orange jerseys.... I think it was in the 1920's.

 

[Tin Man]

I heard John Wilkerson on the radio this morning say that this is the anniversary of the first time the Vols wore orange jerseys.... I think it was in the 1920's.

Traditions and History - University of Tennessee, Knoxville

 

[chuckiepoo]

Traditions and History - University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Uniforms, Football - Volopedia

The first football uniforms (1892) were put together by the individual players, with many variations, but generally consisted of a black pullover jersey with a sleeveless, buttoned overvest upon which were a “U” and a “T” to the right and left of the opening. In 1902 the overvest was...

volopedia.lib.utk.edu

 

[StarRaider]

Uniforms, Football - Volopedia

The first football uniforms (1892) were put together by the individual players, with many variations, but generally consisted of a black pullover jersey with a sleeveless, buttoned overvest upon which were a “U” and a “T” to the right and left of the opening. In 1902 the overvest was...

volopedia.lib.utk.edu

Orange (wool) jerseys, with black numbers on the back, were first worn on September 23, 1922 (Tennessee 50, Emory & Henry 0).

which is the same game peay has for today.

 

[peaygolf]

Orange (wool) jerseys, with black numbers on the back, were first worn on September 23, 1922 (Tennessee 50, Emory & Henry 0).

which is the same game peay has for today.

I didn’t see it mentioned in the yearbook…….that’s cool. Glad I now know

 

[peaygolf]

September 24, 1960

UT - 10
Auburn- 3

“An inspired Tennessee team scored one touchdown, kicked one field goal and held a highly rated Auburn team to only one field goal in an impressing victory in the season’s opening game.”

“Tailback Bill Majors turned the tide for the Vols by intercepting a pass and returning it 46 yards to the Auburn 22. Four plays later fullback, Bunny Orr raced across from the four yard line for UTs touchdown.”

Auburn kicked a FG in the third quarter to cut the lead to four, but Vols tailback George Canale raced 33 yards late to set up a 19 yard FG from Cotton Latner to give UT the 10-3 victory.

 

[StarRaider]

 

[peaygolf]

September 25, 1954

UT - 19
Mississippi St - 7

“Paced by a stiff defense and a strong offense that showed only an occasional weakness in the blocking department, the Vols proved that a ‘green’ team can win.”

Keith Drummond blocked a MSU punt that was recovered at the one yard line, and moments later, recovered a Vols fumble in the end zone for UTs first score.

One of several star sophomores, Johnny Majors, showed his talents with an 80 yard touchdown run that electrified the crowd.

Jimmy Wade and Tom Tracy also had several big runs as well, consistently pounding the Maroons all game long. Pat Oleksiak kept MSU on their heels with precision passing.

 

[StarRaider]

Also today is the 98th Anniversary of (at the time) Captain Neyland's first game. (thanks again to JW and my pup who takes me for early morning walks)

 

[peaygolf]

September 26, 1959

UT - 3
Auburn - 0

Auburn beat the Vols 7-0 during their 1957 national championship season and held UT to zero first downs in 1958. The Plainsman were also riding a 24 game winning streak as they came to Knoxville to open the 1959 season.

From the beginning of the game, the outmanned and “outweighed” Vols did “what they set out to do— make every block and tackle count.” In the second quarter, Ken Sadler pounced on an Auburn fumble at their 43 yard line. Moments later, Cotton Letner, who missed a field goal four minutes earlier, booted a 19 yarder to give UT a 3-0 lead at the half.

UTs defense continued to be relentless, making two goal line stands in the second half to preserve the 3-0 upset.

 

[StarRaider]

9/26/1953 - During halftime of a home football game versus Mississippi State, a contest was held to select the official mascot for the University of Tennessee. The contenders - all hound dogs of different breeds - were brought onto the field. The last dog announced was Brooks' Blue Smokey, who bayed when his name was called. The students burst into applause, which only made Smokey bay louder, and the rest is history. Since that time, ten different Smokeys', all raised by the same Knoxville family, have carried on the tradition.