Tennessee football: 10 seasons Vols could claim national championships

KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 5: The Tennessee Volunteers mascot Smokey runs through the end zone after a score against the Georgia Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium on October 5, 2013 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 5: The Tennessee Volunteers mascot Smokey runs through the end zone after a score against the Georgia Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium on October 5, 2013 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images /

3. 1956 Tennessee Volunteers

10-1 (6-0 SEC)

One of the great robberies in college football history is what happened to Tennessee football twice in 1956. First, Johnny Majors was robbed of the Heisman Trophy. He finished second to Paul Hornung, whose team went 2-8 on the year. Of course, 40 years later, the media would site team record for giving Charles Woodson the Heisman over Peyton Manning. So it was never fair.

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But even beyond that, Tennessee did not win a share of the national championship despite going 10-0 and winning the SEC Championship. Sure, the Vols lost their bowl game. But as we have already said, those were irrelevant at the time.

To be fair, the Oklahoma Sooners had a right to it. They had just completed their third straight undefeated season and were in the midst of a 47-game winning streak, the greatest run in the history of the sport.

However, because they went undefeated and scored huge wins over the Ole Miss Rebels and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, they have every right to claim a share of the title. And there is no reason for them not to.

These Vols held their opponents to one touchdown or less in eight of their 10 match-ups. They were dominant, shutting out three opponents. And Majors was an unstoppable player with the ball in his hands.

Given the resume, it’s more than fair for them to claim a share of the title. Do you think the Alabama Crimson Tide or Notre Dame Fighting Irish would avoid doing such a thing? Of course not! So put them in the record books as a champion.