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Tennessee football: Vols 10 best wins against religious schools

By Caleb Calhoun

Aaron Hayden #24, Running Back for the University of Tennessee Volunteers runs the ball during the NCAA Southeastern Conference college football game against the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish on 9 November 1991 at the Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana, United States. The Tennessee Volunteers won the game 35 - 34. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Allsport/Getty Images)
Aaron Hayden #24, Running Back for the University of Tennessee Volunteers runs the ball during the NCAA Southeastern Conference college football game against the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish on 9 November 1991 at the Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana, United States. The Tennessee Volunteers won the game 35 - 34. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Allsport/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images /

5. 1999

No. 24 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at No. 4 Tennessee Volunteers

Final score: Tennessee wins 38-14

Almost 20 years to the exact date of their dominating win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Tennessee football was in a very different place as it got set to meet them in 1999. The Vols were 7-1 and No. 4 in the nation. They were defending national champions, and one team ahead of them, the Penn State Nittany Lions, had lost earlier in the day.

As a result, this team was right back in the national title hunt, and it was the perfect evening setting for Notre Dame to travel into town. The Irish were 5-3, but they were on a four-game winning streak and ranked No. 24 in the nation. So College GameDay came to town.

In front of a national audience featuring these two historic programs, Tee Martin put on a show. Martin completed 18-of-32 passes for 196 yards and three touchdowns. He then ran for another touchdown to lead the Vols to a dominating victory. It was one of the finest performances of his career, and with the opportunity back to reach a title game, he did not disappoint.

The Vols won that game in dominating fashion, 38-14, which was their second straight win in the series over Notre Dame, allowing them to take the series lead for the first time ever. This was again just one of those legendary moments for college football.

UT would not make the title game that year, as they suffered an upset loss the next week to the Arkansas Razorbacks. Notre Dame would falter to 5-6. But this was still a thrilling victory and part of a solid season overall, and in the moment, it was very exciting, which is why it makes the list.

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