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Tennessee football: Ranking all 17 Vols conference championship teams

By Caleb Calhoun

6 Dec 1997: Peerless Price #37 of Tennessee runs into the endzone 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: Peerless Price #37 of Tennessee runs into the endzone 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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5. 1940

10-1 (5-0)

National Champions; No. 4 AP; Sugar Bowl berth

Many of the players from the 1939 Tennessee football team that we named from our previous slide were not on this team. In fact, Bob Foxx is the only one who was able to get his name on here. But this was more of a team that had a more difficult schedule.

These Vols still had a very easy road. It was just a bit more difficult than what the 1939 team had to face, and they were still in the midst of a 22-game regular season winning streak, a 17-game regular season shutout streak, a 15-game conference winning streak and a nine-game conference shutout streak. So they had the biggest target on their back.

But by the end of the season, that 22-game regular season streak became 32 games. The 17-game regular season shutout streak made it to 20 games. And the 15-game conference winning streak also became 20 games, but the Alabama Crimson Tide broke their conference shutout streak in the SEC opener.

Still, this team went 10-0 before losing the Sugar Bowl to the Boston College Eagles 19-13. And while they once again only beat one SEC team with a winning record, it was Alabama, and it was a quality win.

They also had more offense this year and showed more dominance in their victories. As a result, the teams are almost on even playing field, but 1940, a national title team, was slightly better than 1939.

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