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Tennessee vs. Arkansas Rivalry History: Five Greatest Games

By Caleb Calhoun

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Sep 20, 2014; Memphis, TN, USA; General view of the Liberty Bowl before the game between the Memphis Tigers and the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports

5. 1971 Liberty Bowl

Tennessee Wins 14-13

This was the first time since 1907 that the two teams had played and only the second time in the history of the series, and what a thriller it was!

The Vols entered the game at 9-2 and ranked No. 9 in the country under second-year head coach Bill Battle, and the Razorbacks came in at 8-2-1 and ranked No. 18 in the country.

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    • Despite losing to Alabama and Auburn, this was a memorable season for Tennessee. Phil Fulmer was on the roster as a future head coach, it was the last time the Vols would beat Florida in The Swamp until 2001, and they closed out the regular season stunning No. 5 ranked Penn State 31-11.

    Arkansas, meanwhile, was a tie away from winning the Southwest Conference, but they beat the champion Texas Longhorns 31-7 in a blowout.

    Tennessee scored first in this game after a two-yard touchdown run in the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead, but a 36-yard touchdown pass from Arkansas tied the game at 7. That would be the final bit of scoring until the fourth quarter.

    As the fourth quarter arrived, Arkansas drilled two field goals to take the lead 13-7. In a game marred by controversy, the Razorbacks appeared to take a 16-7 lead with a field goal that was waived off by a holding call. And then, in a foreshadow of things to come, Arkansas had the ball late in the game and fumbled, but as all the bodies piled up on the ball, it was tough to see recovered.

    The ball was awarded to Tennessee, even though it likely should have stayed with Arkansas, and the Vols drove in for the winning touchdown to win the game 14-13 and win the Liberty Bowl. An Arkansas fumble to lose this series was a sign of things to come.

    Next: The 1992 Neyland Stadium Shocker

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