Tennessee football: Vols top 10 upset wins in school history

4. 1959: Tennessee beats LSU 14-13

Tennessee football’s win over the LSU Tigers in 1959 did not have any impact on the long-term success of the Vols. Nor did it even have much of an impact on the long-term success of the season. On its own, that makes it similar to the legendary 2005 comeback over LSU in Baton Rouge.

More from Vols Football

• How to Win a GUARANTEED $200 Bonus Betting Just $5 on the Vols vs. Florida!
• Tennessee Football at Florida: Five Keys to a Vols Victory
• Week 3 SEC Power Rankings: Did Tennessee Football’s Win Help At All?
• Week 3 AP Polls: Why Did Tennessee Football Drop in the Polls?
• Tennessee Football: Top Five Performers in 30-13 Win vs. Austin Peay

But what this game did have was an amazing back and forth level of suspense. As a game on its own, it remains one of the most memorable ones in schools history, which is why it’s this high on the list.

Coming off a 4-6 season under Bowden Wyatt, the Vols appeared to be resurgent at this point in November. They were 4-1-1 and ranked No. 13 in the nation. However, LSU was No. 1 in the country and undefeated under the leadership of Paul Dietzel and eventual Heisman winner Billy Cannon.

In what could be considered a game that was due to a slew of luck, Tennessee football pulled multiple rabbits out of the hat. And those rabbits were enough for a memorable huge upset at Neyland Stadium.

Thanks to unusually cold temperatures in the 20s, LSU was already not used to the elements. That kept them in the game, and they were trailing 7-0 at halftime.

But in the second half, the Vols returned a pick-six for a touchdown. They then had a 14-yard offensive touchdown after their defense forced a fumble. So the offense had done just enough, and the defense played shutdown ball.

LSU scored a late touchdown to cut it to 14-13. With overtime no option, they went for the win to keep their perfect season alive. And this is what makes this game so memorable.

On a pitch to Cannon, it looked like he was going to score. But the Vols, prepared for it, ran it down out of nowhere and stopped him. The Heisman winner couldn’t get two years. It became known as the stop, and the Vols would eventually hold onto win as a result.

That play and such a shocker of an upset put this on the list. The fact that Tennessee football lost its final three games is an afterthought. On this day, the Vols were back, and that’s all that mattered in the moment.