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Tennessee football: Remembering Tee Martin’s 10 greatest games played with Vols

By Billy Williford

23 Oct 1999: Tee Martin #17 of the Tennessee Volunteers carries the ball during a game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at the Bryant Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The Voulunteers defeated the Crimson Tide 21-7. Mandatory Credit: Elsa Hasch /Allsport
23 Oct 1999: Tee Martin #17 of the Tennessee Volunteers carries the ball during a game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at the Bryant Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The Voulunteers defeated the Crimson Tide 21-7. Mandatory Credit: Elsa Hasch /Allsport /
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4 Jan 1999: Travis Henry #20 of the Tennessee Volunteers in action during the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Game against the Florida State Seminoles at the Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. The Volunteers defeated the Seminoles 23-16. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Laforet /Allsport /

January 4, 1999 (National Championship)

Sun Devil Stadium; Tempe, Arizona

Just based on the implications of the game, it could be argued this was Tee Martin’s best game of his career. After all the entire season was hanging in the balance of the National Championship Game.

Lose, and people will always wonder what could have been. But, win, and people will always love and cherish the 1998 Tennessee football team.

Despite being the No.1 team in the land, the Vols were the underdogs, and some members of the national media gave them as much of a chance to win the game as Jeremy Pruitt has to win 12 games next season.

But, as the 1998 season showed the nation time and time again, it was just Tennessee’s year. Martin only missed on seven passes and threw for 278 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

There is one play from the game that everyone remembers, and it is a great play to display the season as a whole. It was 14-9 Tennessee with about nine minutes to go in the game. Martin has been pressured and hit a lot all game, but he continued to step up in the pocket and delivered.

Martin dropped back on 3rd and 9 and threw a bomb to Peerless Price for a 79-yard touchdown to seal the Championship.

Out of all the plays Martin made on Rocky Top, the long pass to Price will forever be remembered as one of the best plays in football history.

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