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Tennessee football: Vols greatest win vs. every current and former SEC opponent

By Caleb Calhoun

6 Dec 1997: Jamal Lewis #31 of Tennessee leaps over a pile of players for a touchdown during the Volunteers 30-29 win over Auburn in the SEC Championship at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia.
6 Dec 1997: Jamal Lewis #31 of Tennessee leaps over a pile of players for a touchdown during the Volunteers 30-29 win over Auburn in the SEC Championship at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. /
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14 Nov 1998: Members of the Tennessee Volunteers participate in a team prayer during a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at the Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Volunteers defeated the Razorbacks 28-24. Mandatory Credit: Tom Hauck /Allsport
Photo by Tom Hauck /Allsport /

6. Arkansas Razorbacks (No. 10)

Year: 1998 (Home)

Final score: No. 1 Tennessee wins 28-24

Honestly, Tennessee football’s 1998 win over the Arkansas Razorbacks was not as clear-cut as you might think to be their best win over the Hogs. The Vols had two wins over them when they were in the Southwest Conference, in the 1971 Liberty Bowl and the 1990 Cotton Bowl, that were highly impressive victories.

Then, when it comes to thrill, you can’t ignore the six-overtime game of 2002. Still, none of those compare to what happened in 1998. UT finally got revenge for what Arkansas did to them as a conference newcomer in 1992, ruining their SEC East title by scoring a 25-24 upset.

You know the story by now. Arkansas jumps out to a 21-3 lead in the first half as Clint Stoerner torches the Vols’ secondary. Tee Martin slowly brings the Vols back with a touchdown pass to Peerless Price to make it 21-10 at halftime and then a touchdown run in the second half to make it 24-17.

But despite turning things around, the Vols can’t close the deal. A late drive stalls that forces them to kick a field goal. They then block a field goal and return it into Arkansas territory but can’t score. Finally, they force a safety off a muffed punt by Arkansas. But each time, the Hogs defense stiffened, and they stopped the Vols on fourth down.

So despite numerous opportunities, Arkansas had the ball at midfield up 24-22 with less than two minutes to go. That’s when the final spark UT needed came. Thanks to a push by Billy Ratliff, Stoerner tripped over his own offensive lineman in a standard handoff, fumbled the ball, and Ratliff recovered.

Assuming the Arkansas defense was extremely tired, Fulmer and David Cutcliffe turned away from Martin and turned towards Henry. They simply gave Henry the ball every play on this drive, and Henry, behind great blocking from Shawn Bryson and the offensive line, carried the Vols all the way to the end zone for the score and a 28-24 victory.

With all due respect to the other wins, this is clearly Tennessee football’s best win over Arkansas. Thrill? They came back from 21-3 down and won off a crazy fumble. Quality? The Hogs were 8-0 and No. 10 at the time, while the Vols were also 8-0 and had just reached No. 1 for the first time in decades. Impact on the season? UT finished 13-0 and won the national title.

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