Vols 10 greatest comeback wins in school history

#26
#26
I would change the ranking of #3 to #2 because of the significance of that game....and it probably should be up there tied for #1 with the ND comeback win. Our comeback against LSU was miraculous---but it had no real significance or impact on the season.

It goes without saying that the comeback win against Arkansas in '98 was the most significant comeback victory at UT since the 1950s IMO.

And I watched every play of that comeback against ND....broke my remote control in the first half....
 
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#27
#27
esarmstrong said:
Without a doubt the 1991 Notre Dame game is number one. Biggest comeback from a deficit against Notre Dame at their home stadium in school history. Down 31-7 with only seconds to go in the first half and converting that into a 35-34 win.
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Absolutely!!
 
#29
#29
dduncan4163 said:
Tennessee football: Vols 10 greatest comeback wins in school history

Here's the list for yall that despise slideshows.

10. 2016 No. 11 Tennessee Volunteers at No. 25 Georgia Bulldogs
9. 2001 No. 6 Tennessee Volunteers at Kentucky Wildcats
8. 2016 No. 19 Florida Gators at No. 14 Tennessee Volunteers
7. 2015 No. 19 Georgia Bulldogs at Tennessee Volunteers
6. 2007 Vanderbilt Commodores at No. 19 Tennessee Volunteers
5. 1991 (Sugar Bowl) Virginia Cavaliers vs. No. 10 Tennessee Volunteers
4. 2014 Tennessee Volunteers at South Carolina Gamecocks
3. 1998 No. 10 Arkansas Razorbacks at No. 1 Tennessee Volunteers
2. 2005 No. 10 Tennessee Volunteers at No. 4 LSU Tigers
1. 1991 No. 13 Tennessee Volunteers at No. 5 Notre Dame Fighting Irish


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3. Nov. 14, 1998
No. 10 Arkansas Razorbacks at No. 1 Tennessee Volunteers

Final score: Tennessee Vols win 28-24

"This comeback is memorable for many reasons. Tennessee football beat an undefeated team in the top 10 at home in November with this one after reaching No. 1 the week before, they went on to win the national title, and there was an insane play to cause it all.

We’re obviously talking about that Clint Stoerner fumble. But the Arkansas Razorbacks gave a much bigger scare to the Vols in the first half. Stoerner and co. built a 14-0 lead and then later extended it to 21-3.

Heading into the game 8-0, there were questions if they were legit under first year head coach Houston Nutt. With such a lead to validate those questions, there were serious concerns about the Vols being able to come back since Tee Martin was having a rough day. But Martin made it respectable with a first half touchdown to Peerless Price, cutting it to 21-10.

In the second half, Martin scored a touchdown while the Hogs had a field goal to make it 24-17. That wouldn’t make this seem like much of a comeback. But at that point, the offense went completely cold. They got another field goal but could not completely close the gap, despite the defense coming to life and a blocked field goal returned the other way.

A safety on a bad snap during a punt wasn’t even going to be enough, as down 24-22, the Vols were stopped on four downs. So, with under two minutes to go and looking to run out the clock, Arkansas looked to be in the clear. That’s when the fumble happened, as Stoerner tripped over his own offensive lineman on a generic handoff.

Billy Ratliff recovered, the Vols were back in business. With their newfound momentum, they simply turned to Travis Henry. The power back filling in for an injured Jamal Lewis touched the ball every play on the next drive and carried UT into the end zone to get them that first lead of the game. It was a comeback that took forever, but it happened."



I remember every one of these games fondly but the 98 Arkansas game is my favorite Neyland and Vol memory. I'll never forget the stumble fumble. Neyland was a madhouse. Billy Ratliff and Travis Henry became Tennessee folk heros that day.
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I know tons of UT fans revel in the ND comeback but there’s no way the Arkansas game is anything but #1. Here’s how you can tell. If you had to erase one from history which one would you erase? I can’t imagine that most UT fans would choose to erase the game that led to the National Champion being clad in Big Orange! Plus, the comeback margins were 24 for ND and 23 for Arkansas. If you reversed the names from the games and had UT beaten Ark by 24 in 1991 and ND in 1998 then no one even questions it. That Arkansas team was tough, as we unfortunately saw again in ‘99. Anyway, down 23 with 2 undefeated teams in November and a NC on the line, not to mention UT needing a truly miraculous play to win, makes ‘98 Arkansas number 1 without a doubt. I was 4th row upper deck that game close to midfield and I seriously thought the upper deck was coming down when that fumble happened. It was shaking like crazy. My best friend left in the first half as it was cold, rainy, and we sucked it up but I stuck it out and am so glad as that was one of my best memories at a game while in school.
 
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#31
#31
Tennesseefan2019 said:
Don't forget the 1984 Alabama game and the 1973 Duke game;)
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I was at the 1984 Bama game. Me & a buddy jumped the fence and dodged two Alabama state troopers to run on the field! We ran and hugged Todd Kirk( my friend’s younger brother) and Troy Hale, Todd’s roommate. I made it on the local news that night, almost colliding with Johnny Majors.🤣 Was also at the Sugar bowl that same year, as well as the 98 Arkansas game. Great memories!
 
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#33
#33
OrangeOtis said:
I was at the 1984 Bama game. Me & a buddy jumped the fence and dodged two Alabama state troopers to run on the field! We ran and hugged Todd Kirk( my friend’s younger brother) and Troy Hale, Todd’s roommate. I made it on the local news that night, almost colliding with Johnny Majors.🤣 Was also at the Sugar bowl that same year, as well as the 98 Arkansas game. Great memories!
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Forgot to mention the most important part of the Bama game, for me. I got to go in the dressing room with Todd Kirk! The players kept chanting “jerseys, jerseys,jerseys” and Majors said “If you’ll be quite and let me talk you can keep your jerseys!”😂
 
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#34
#34
Technically, the 1986 Sugar Bowl could be on the list although we only trailed once, 7-0. The Hurricanes were only able to score as a result of a fake punt that set them up inside our 20. That got our boys’ collective dander up and they went on to put together the most complete, sustained, maximal-effort performance I have seen from a Tennessee team, particularly against an outstanding opponent, in watching the Big Orange play football for 53 years.
 
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#37
#37
I was at 1, 5, and 7. The Miracle at South Bend will always be my favorite road experience.
 
#38
#38
dduncan4163 said:
Tennessee football: Vols 10 greatest comeback wins in school history

Here's the list for yall that despise slideshows.

10. 2016 No. 11 Tennessee Volunteers at No. 25 Georgia Bulldogs
9. 2001 No. 6 Tennessee Volunteers at Kentucky Wildcats
8. 2016 No. 19 Florida Gators at No. 14 Tennessee Volunteers
7. 2015 No. 19 Georgia Bulldogs at Tennessee Volunteers
6. 2007 Vanderbilt Commodores at No. 19 Tennessee Volunteers
5. 1991 (Sugar Bowl) Virginia Cavaliers vs. No. 10 Tennessee Volunteers
4. 2014 Tennessee Volunteers at South Carolina Gamecocks
3. 1998 No. 10 Arkansas Razorbacks at No. 1 Tennessee Volunteers
2. 2005 No. 10 Tennessee Volunteers at No. 4 LSU Tigers
1. 1991 No. 13 Tennessee Volunteers at No. 5 Notre Dame Fighting Irish


image


3. Nov. 14, 1998
No. 10 Arkansas Razorbacks at No. 1 Tennessee Volunteers

Final score: Tennessee Vols win 28-24

"This comeback is memorable for many reasons. Tennessee football beat an undefeated team in the top 10 at home in November with this one after reaching No. 1 the week before, they went on to win the national title, and there was an insane play to cause it all.

We’re obviously talking about that Clint Stoerner fumble. But the Arkansas Razorbacks gave a much bigger scare to the Vols in the first half. Stoerner and co. built a 14-0 lead and then later extended it to 21-3.

Heading into the game 8-0, there were questions if they were legit under first year head coach Houston Nutt. With such a lead to validate those questions, there were serious concerns about the Vols being able to come back since Tee Martin was having a rough day. But Martin made it respectable with a first half touchdown to Peerless Price, cutting it to 21-10.

In the second half, Martin scored a touchdown while the Hogs had a field goal to make it 24-17. That wouldn’t make this seem like much of a comeback. But at that point, the offense went completely cold. They got another field goal but could not completely close the gap, despite the defense coming to life and a blocked field goal returned the other way.

A safety on a bad snap during a punt wasn’t even going to be enough, as down 24-22, the Vols were stopped on four downs. So, with under two minutes to go and looking to run out the clock, Arkansas looked to be in the clear. That’s when the fumble happened, as Stoerner tripped over his own offensive lineman on a generic handoff.

Billy Ratliff recovered, the Vols were back in business. With their newfound momentum, they simply turned to Travis Henry. The power back filling in for an injured Jamal Lewis touched the ball every play on the next drive and carried UT into the end zone to get them that first lead of the game. It was a comeback that took forever, but it happened."



I remember every one of these games fondly but the 98 Arkansas game is my favorite Neyland and Vol memory. I'll never forget the stumble fumble. Neyland was a madhouse. Billy Ratliff and Travis Henry became Tennessee folk heros that day.
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Looks like we never had big comebacks before 1991. More millennium memory. Does anyone remember the comeback against Ga. in 1968. 1st game on tartin turf at Neyland. I do agree the N.D. Comeback was probably the best.
 
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#42
#42
The arky game was most important, but have to admit the 2nd half a** stomping we handed fl in '16 was deeply satisfying. 2016 ga game bout gave me a stroke. 2 game-winning hail Mary's back to back and us ending up on the winning end on their field no less is just crazy. Games like that don't come around often.
 
#44
#44
Volosaurus rex said:
I understand their rationale for making many of these selections but, if they are going to include the 2007 Vanderbilt game, they simply must include the 1987 game vs. the Commodes. I believe that, technically, it still holds the distinction of being the largest deficit from which we have come back to win.

Vandy played the most flawless quarter of football that I have ever seen them play against Tennessee and, early in the second quarter, led us, 28-3. That is, until the Big Orange ground game got untracked. We slowly and methodically scored five straight touchdowns to take a 38-28 lead before prevailing by the final margin of 38-36.
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Reggie Cobb ran wild, on Candy, that evening. Though we were behind, 28-3, and Vandy had scored on all four of it's possessions, I never really worried. Somehow, I knew that the offense would get on track, and beat them.
 
#46
#46
I'd like to say 1986, vs Miami, in The Sugar Bowl. But, we only trailed for a very short time, at 7-0. It is mind boggling, that we led for three quarters, won 35-7, and it really wasn't that close.
My pick is the Miracle at South Bend. We were down 31-7, to a team that many thought would win the NC. At team full of NFL caliber talent, on both sides of the ball. In the most unfriendly (And cold) environment in the country. We never panicked. We stuck to our game plan. Ran our offense, as usual. The defense stepped up it's game, slowing The Irish offense. When Dale Carter picked off Rick Meir, late in the game, I knew we would score, and take the lead. They couldn't stop us. I just wish we'd burned a bit more clock, doing it. The missed FG, coupled with John Ward's incorrect call, gave me a heart attack. But, slow motion shows that the ball hit off of Jeremy Lincoln's butt, as he flew by, trying to block the kick.
 
#47
#47
dobre_shunka said:
Any list that can't find a place in the top 10 for the 1986 Sugar Bowl is pretty suspect.
Click to expand...

Why would a game where we proceeded to dominate from a one score deficit to lead the next 3 quarters fall under the category of a great “comeback win” though?
 
#48
#48
Volosaurus rex said:
Technically, the 1986 Sugar Bowl could be on the list although we only trailed once, 7-0. The Hurricanes were only able to score as a result of a fake punt that set them up inside our 20. That got our boys’ collective dander up and they went on to put together the most complete, sustained, maximal-effort performance I have seen from a Tennessee team, particularly against an outstanding opponent, in watching the Big Orange play football for 53 years.
Click to expand...
Amen!! A total team effort! "There is no limit to what you can achieve, when no one cares who gets the credit".
 
#49
#49
We 'came back' from a 0-0 end of first quarter tie to open up a can of whoopazz on Coach Stevie's first visit as coach of da ga-ga-ga-tators. Woooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Nelly!!!!


 
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