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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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4. Mississippi State Bulldogs (No. 23)

Year: 1998 (SEC Championship)

Final score: No. 1 Tennessee wins 24-14

Tennessee football once had a yearly rivalry with the Mississippi State Bulldogs way back in the day, and they have scored some big wins as a result. In 1957, the Vols would beat a Mississippi State (then-Maroons) team 14-9 that finished 6-2-1 and ranked No. 14. The next year, they beat MSU when they were ranked No. 11.

There are also some historic wins over them, including 1907 and 1923, when they were Mississippi A&M and finished 6-3 and 5-2-2 respectively. Finally, there’s the Andy Kelly comeback with the last-minute touchdown pass to beat them 26-24 in 1991 when they were in the top 25.

Simply put, there have been some epic games in this series history. But none of them top the 1998 SEC Championship game. When it comes to quality or last-second thrill, this win should actually be below lots of the wins on this list.

However, you always have to put emphasis on championship games. The Vols had just enjoyed their first 11-0 regular season in school history, and they were looking for their first 12-win season ever in the title game.

As one of three undefeated BCS teams heading into the day, they also had some pressure. The other two, the UCLA Bruins and Kansas State Wildcats, suffered stunning upsets. Mississippi State, who had won the West with a shocking win over the Arkansas Razorbacks a week after the Vols shocked them, looked to make it three big upsets.

Early on, they did make it scary. The Bulldogs scored first off a pick-six from Tee Martin to go up 7-0. In the second quarter, it was still a defensive struggle, but the Vols did enough for one touchdown and a field goal to go up 10-7.

Then the fourth quarter came, and MSU had still not scored an offensive touchdown. But they had a punt return TD to go with their pick-six, and all of a sudden, they were up 14-10 with less than 10 minutes to go. That’s when the Vols regrouped.

In his final game as UT’s offensive coordinator before taking the Ole Miss Rebels head coaching job, David Cutcliffe’s play-calling, the Vols’ running and Martin’s passing methodically got the offense to midfield. Then Martin threw a bomb to Peerless Price, the greatest game-changer in UT history, and Price caught the touchdown pass to give the Vols the lead back 17-14.

On the first play of the next drive, Corey Terry forced a fumble that Eric Westmoreland recovered. Then Martin hit Cedrick Wilson for another touchdown. So after trailing 14-10, the Vols scored two touchdowns and forced a turnover all in 26 seconds. That put them up 24-14, which would be the final score.

With an SEC championship in hand, a top 25 victory, a ticket punched to the national championship game and a 12-0 record, there was no way any win could be better than this one. That’s why it’s UT’s best win over Mississippi State, even if the quality and the thrill weren’t exactly there.

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