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Tennessee football: Vols top 10 greatest games in 2010s decade

By Caleb Calhoun

ATHENS, GA - OCTOBER 1: Jauan Jennings #15 of the Tennessee Volunteers rides the shoulders of Gavin Bryant #36 after making the game winning catch against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium on October 1, 2016 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
ATHENS, GA - OCTOBER 1: Jauan Jennings #15 of the Tennessee Volunteers rides the shoulders of Gavin Bryant #36 after making the game winning catch against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium on October 1, 2016 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images
Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images /

2. Oct. 1, 2016

No. 11 Tennessee Volunteers at No. 25 Georgia Bulldogs

31. 814. 34. 839. Final

While their 2015 win over the Georgia Bulldogs got things going under Butch Jones, their 2016 win represented the program reaching the pinnacle of that climb…just before they would begin an epic downfall. But at least the pinnacle was thrilling for Tennessee football.

As we mentioned, the Vols won six straight to close out 2015 and were 4-0 heading into this game. On a 10-game winning streak, they had a chance to have their best season in years. Also, this team had learned how to win, as three of their first four wins came in games that they trailed by double-digits.

So heading to Athens under first-year head coach Kirby Smart, the Vols fell behind again 17-0. But given their comebacks in 2016 and their comeback over Georgia a year ago, nobody panicked. On 3rd and goal, Joshua Dobbs had an epic touchdown run to make it 17-7 at halftime.

But as UT fought back in the second half, they could never seem to close the deal in this one. A Dobbs pass to Jalen Hurd cut it to 17-14, but Georgia responded with a touchdown to go up 24-14. After Dobbs found Alvin Kamara to make it 24-21, the Vols could not get over the hump offensively and score to take the lead.

That’s where the defense stepped up. After a great special teams play to pin UGA deep, Derek Barnett got a strip-sack, his second sack of the game, and Corey Vereen recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchdown. UT then got a pick on the next drive, so they had the ball and the lead 28-24. And this is just when all the drama started.

After running as much clock as possible, the Vols punted. UGA, though, scored on a Hail Mary from Jacob Eason to Riley Ridley with 10 seconds left to go up 31-28. All that did was set up the greatest finish of the decade for the Vols.

An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and great kick return by Evan Berry set Tennessee football up on the Georgia 43-yard line with four seconds left. That’s when Dobbs heaved it and found Jauan Jennings in the end zone, who scored on a game-winning Hail Mary to give the Vols a 34-31 win.

At the time, UT was never higher under Jones. They were 5-0, 2-0 in the SEC, on an 11-game winning streak, in the top 10 and just had a thrilling road win. But with that peak came a hard fall, and it started with a three-game losing streak after that. Still, in the moment, this was an epic win.

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