5. 2009 – Tennessee beats Kentucky 30-24 in OT
This was a standings upset. And it was barely one. Tennessee football actually entered this game a three-point favorite, but the fact of the matter was that at 6-5 and 3-4 in the SEC, there was plenty of reason to bet against them.
Meanwhile, the Kentucky Wildcats were in peak form as a program under Rich Brooks, en route to their fourth straight bowl game. They were also 3-4 in the conference, but they were 7-4 overall, so with the better record and playing at home, they had plenty of factors to make them a favorite here.
However, Las Vegas got it right. The Vols and Wildcats played a thriller. It was Lane Kiffin’s only team on Rocky Top, and they had found a resurgence under senior quarterback Jonathon Crompton after a rough start to the season. The future seemed bright for the program until Kiffin left a game later.
But that’s a different story. In this game, the goal was to secure a winning season. And Montario Hardesty was the star for that, as he had 38 carries for 159 yards and two touchdowns in regulation. However, a late fumble by Luke Stocker set up a game-tying field goal.
In overtime, the Vols forced a missed field goal. Then Hardesty finished the job with a 20-yard touchdown run to give this team a 30-24 win and 7-5 finish. At the time, it extended their streak in the series to 25 straight games. And it was one of the most thrilling ones.