1. 1985 Miami (sugar bowl), 35-7: No question this is number one. This is a top 5 win in the history of the program. Miami was ranked 2 and hoping for a share of a natty if things fell the right way. They were loaded with talent. No one really gave us a chance, including most of our own fans. We not only won but thrashed Miami. And finished number ranked number 4.
2. 1985 Auburn, 38-20: the was the sec opener. They were ranked number 1 and had Bo Jackson. We not only won but throttled them. This really set the 85 season in motion.
3. 1991 Notre Dame, 35-34: Notre Dame was ranked 5th and we were playing at Notre Dame. We had already lost two games at this point. The 1991 season doesn’t look as dominant without this win. The ND team was loaded. We over came a 24 point deficit.
4. 1989 UCLA, 24-6: UCLA was ranked 6th, we were unranked. After a 5-6 season in 1988 and winning a squeaker against Colorado st to open the 89 season, there was lot of anxiety and uncertainty. Going on the road and pounding the 6th ranked team kicked off the sec championship run in 89. This game was arguably the beginning of a run that lasted until the 2001 sec championship game.
5. 1990 Florida, 45-3: As Brent has pointed out, John Wards pregame intro for this game was just something else. This may have been the most electric Neyland has ever been next to the 98 FL game. Florida came into this game ranked 9. This was actually a good FL team. They finished 9-2. Their kind of forgotten about because they were on probation. This kicked off the 1990 sec champ run as it was the first quality win of the season. It also had the famous Dale Carter kick return for a TD.
6. 1982 Bama, 35-28: I’m sure some on this board will disagree not having a bama win higher. I just can’t put any of this top 5 lower. This was the Bears last season. This also snapped an 11 game bama win streak. Bama was ranked 2 when this game was played, but petered out a bit toward the end of the season.
7. 1985 Bama, 16-14: Bama was ranked 15. Tenn came into this game 2-1-1. We tied ucla and lost to Fl. A win against wake forest didn’t prove much. So the 85 team didn’t have anything on its resume but the auburn game at this point. This was at legion field. This is a classic spot for tenn to stumble. This win further set into motion season of the sugar Vols. Remember also the Dale Jones int. Bama actually finished 9-2-1 this season.
8. 1979 Notre Dame, 40-18: this was the first signature win of the Majors era. Majors didn’t have a winning season in 77 or 78. Nothing special ultimately became of the 79 season, they finished 7-5. But this game was special. Majors hadn’t beaten a ranked team up to this point. ND came into this game ranked 13. Thrashing a top 15 ND team in Neyland was the first signature moment of the majors era.
9. 1990 Virginia (sugar bowl), 23-22: Some may think this should be higher. I don’t place it higher just just because VA was unranked. Va was 7-0 and ranked number 1 earlier in the season. The cavs petered down the stretch, losing 3 of their last 4 to finish 8-3. We overcame a 16 pt deficit. The 90 season was a lot more fun because of this win, and this was a fun game. But tenn shouldn’t have been in 16 pt deficit to begin with.
10 tie. 1989 Auburn, 21-14: Auburn was ranked 4 in this game. The 89 season was interesting because it was a true three way tie for the sec champ. We had one conference loss to bama, bama had one conference loss to auburn, auburn had one conference loss to us. Winning this game gave us our share of the championship. If we lose to auburn, they would have the sole champion.
10 tie. 1989 Arkansas (cotton bowl), 31-27: the hogs came in ranked 10 and southwest conference champions. Chuck Webb rushed for 250 something yards. Winning this game gave us a final ranking of number 5. The 89 season looks a lot more dominant with this win. The was also the first game to be played in 1990s.
2. 1985 Auburn, 38-20: the was the sec opener. They were ranked number 1 and had Bo Jackson. We not only won but throttled them. This really set the 85 season in motion.
3. 1991 Notre Dame, 35-34: Notre Dame was ranked 5th and we were playing at Notre Dame. We had already lost two games at this point. The 1991 season doesn’t look as dominant without this win. The ND team was loaded. We over came a 24 point deficit.
4. 1989 UCLA, 24-6: UCLA was ranked 6th, we were unranked. After a 5-6 season in 1988 and winning a squeaker against Colorado st to open the 89 season, there was lot of anxiety and uncertainty. Going on the road and pounding the 6th ranked team kicked off the sec championship run in 89. This game was arguably the beginning of a run that lasted until the 2001 sec championship game.
5. 1990 Florida, 45-3: As Brent has pointed out, John Wards pregame intro for this game was just something else. This may have been the most electric Neyland has ever been next to the 98 FL game. Florida came into this game ranked 9. This was actually a good FL team. They finished 9-2. Their kind of forgotten about because they were on probation. This kicked off the 1990 sec champ run as it was the first quality win of the season. It also had the famous Dale Carter kick return for a TD.
6. 1982 Bama, 35-28: I’m sure some on this board will disagree not having a bama win higher. I just can’t put any of this top 5 lower. This was the Bears last season. This also snapped an 11 game bama win streak. Bama was ranked 2 when this game was played, but petered out a bit toward the end of the season.
7. 1985 Bama, 16-14: Bama was ranked 15. Tenn came into this game 2-1-1. We tied ucla and lost to Fl. A win against wake forest didn’t prove much. So the 85 team didn’t have anything on its resume but the auburn game at this point. This was at legion field. This is a classic spot for tenn to stumble. This win further set into motion season of the sugar Vols. Remember also the Dale Jones int. Bama actually finished 9-2-1 this season.
8. 1979 Notre Dame, 40-18: this was the first signature win of the Majors era. Majors didn’t have a winning season in 77 or 78. Nothing special ultimately became of the 79 season, they finished 7-5. But this game was special. Majors hadn’t beaten a ranked team up to this point. ND came into this game ranked 13. Thrashing a top 15 ND team in Neyland was the first signature moment of the majors era.
9. 1990 Virginia (sugar bowl), 23-22: Some may think this should be higher. I don’t place it higher just just because VA was unranked. Va was 7-0 and ranked number 1 earlier in the season. The cavs petered down the stretch, losing 3 of their last 4 to finish 8-3. We overcame a 16 pt deficit. The 90 season was a lot more fun because of this win, and this was a fun game. But tenn shouldn’t have been in 16 pt deficit to begin with.
10 tie. 1989 Auburn, 21-14: Auburn was ranked 4 in this game. The 89 season was interesting because it was a true three way tie for the sec champ. We had one conference loss to bama, bama had one conference loss to auburn, auburn had one conference loss to us. Winning this game gave us our share of the championship. If we lose to auburn, they would have the sole champion.
10 tie. 1989 Arkansas (cotton bowl), 31-27: the hogs came in ranked 10 and southwest conference champions. Chuck Webb rushed for 250 something yards. Winning this game gave us a final ranking of number 5. The 89 season looks a lot more dominant with this win. The was also the first game to be played in 1990s.
Last edited:
