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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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12 Sep 1998: Quarterback Donovan McNabb #5 of the Syracuse Orangemen in action during a game against the Michigan Wolverines at the Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Orangemen defeated the Wolverines 38-28. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Laforet /
12 Sep 1998: Quarterback Donovan McNabb #5 of the Syracuse Orangemen in action during a game against the Michigan Wolverines at the Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Orangemen defeated the Wolverines 38-28. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Laforet / /

September 5, 1998

Carrier Dome; Syracuse, New York

We can all agree that 1998 was one of the most magically seasons in the history of the football program and it all began on Saturday in Syracuse, New York.

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    • Tee Martin set out to do the impossible, replace arguably the best quarterback in Tennessee football history, Peyton Manning. It wasn’t that Martin played out of his mind against Syracuse and that’s the reason why the Vols pulled out the victory. However, it was the first start of his career, and it came on the road against a top-20 team.

    The two programs couldn’t have been more different when it came to starting quarterbacks. The Orangemen was starting Donovan McNabb who turned out to be great in the NFL. And, he wasn’t half bad at Syracuse.

    Then, there was Tee Martin who again was making the first start of his career on the road against a team that eventually went on to win the Big East conference.

    Martin only completed nine passes for 143 yards, but he did throw for two touchdowns and was put in a high-pressure situation to end the game. With the game on the line, Martin led the Vols down the field to set up the game-winning field goal.

    Jeff Hall set up for a 27-yard field goal and as time expired the ball was seen sailing through the uprights for a Tennessee win. We can always say “what if,” but if it wasn’t for Martin’s late-game drive, the Vols could have started off the season 0-1.

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