Top 10 Opening Games in Tennessee Football History
9. 2012: Tennessee Vols beat N.C. State Wolfpack 35-21
Let’s ignore the disaster that eventually arrived this season in what would become Derek Dooley’s final year as head coach of the Tennessee football program. The opener to the 2012 season actually left something to be excited about.
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Tennessee was playing N.C. State in the Georgia Dome, or as we liked to call it, the House of Horrors, to open the year. The Wolfpack were a solid football team at the time, and the Vols were looking for a big opening victory to set the tone for the year that they were supposed to return to glory.
The Vols struck first in this Friday night match-up with a 41-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Bray to Cordarrelle Patterson, but after a missed extra point and a touchdown by N.C. State, the Georgia Dome curse seemed alive and well with the Vols down 7-6.
But then the team broke it open with plenty of big plays. An interception set up a 72-yard pass from Bray to Zach Rogers, then the Vol defense forced a safety, then Patterson rushed 67 yards for a touchdown in his coming out party.
Tennessee was up 22-7 and never looked back.
The Vols held onto beat the Wolfpack 35-21, and while the year turned out to be a disaster, this game alone was extremely exciting. Tennessee had beaten a solid team in its opener, and the Vols broke the dreaded Georgia Dome curse in the process.
Next: #8: 2001 Syracuse