Tennessee vs. Arkansas Rivalry History: Five Greatest Games

Mar 13, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks fans during the second half of the third round against Tennessee Volunteers of the SEC Conference Tournament at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports

Tennessee vs. Arkansas is a football series that produced some of the greatest games in SEC history. Here are the five best between the Vols and Razorbacks.

From 1992 to 2002, the Tennessee Volunteers and Arkansas Razorbacks played each other every year when the SEC had that archaic rule of two rivalries for each team. And while the Vols generally dominated that series, winning every game but two, it did produce some incredibly memorable moments.

And the series as a whole has produced some epic games not even falling in that period.

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Of the 17 times these two teams have played, seven games have been decided by one score.

This border series has decided national champions, ruined championship hopes, and facilitated one of the longest games and one of the flukiest plays in college football history.

Both fan bases can point to one game at least in the history of this series that they remember well, and there are honestly plenty more. Despite Tennessee leading the series 13-4 all time, a strong case can be made that it should really be closer to 10-7 or something like that.

After all, Tennessee has been very lucky to squeak by in some games.

At the same, time the Hogs have been lucky as well to get past the Vols, particularly when this rivalry began in 1992.

Even when the game is boring and a blowout, there are still incredible plays, such as the last time the two teams met, when the Vols had the worst tackling on a punt return in college football history. More on that later.

As we analyze the Top Five greatest games in the series history, there are two honorable mentions: Tennessee held on to beat Arkansas 31-27 in the 1990 Cotton Bowl following the 1989 season, and they rallied to take care of business against the Razorbacks Peyton Manning’s senior year in 1997 30-22.

Now, let’s take a look at the best games in the series.

Next: #5: The 1971 Liberty Bowl