Tennessee football: Vols top 10 memorable plays in 2010s decade

Honorable Mentions

2012 – Cordarrelle Patterson 98-yard kickoff return touchdown

No. 19 Mississippi State Bulldogs defeat Tennessee Volunteers 41-31

We try to avoid plays that came in losses on here, but this one is an exception. Down 10-0 at the Mississippi State Bulldogs in 2012, Cordarrelle Patterson had one of the most impressive kickoff returns in Tennessee football history. He switched field and eluded pretty much everybody to go down the sideline, and the play may have been the play of the year for the Vols.

2015 – Josh Smith 39-yard touchdown reception

Tennessee Volunteers defeat No. 19 Georgia Bulldogs 38-31

This play got things going for the Vols after being down 24-3 to the Georgia Bulldogs in the first half. Already 2-3, the season was in trouble. But on fourth down, Joshua Dobbs hit Josh Smith for a 39-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 24-10. That sparked a comeback, as the Vols ended up winning the game 38-31. It all came down to this play.

2015 – Cameron Sutton 84-yard punt return touchdown

Tennessee Volunteers defeat Kentucky Wildcats 52-21

Cam Sutton had other impressive punt returns for touchdowns against the Vanderbilt Commodores in 2014 and 2015.  But this one against the Kentucky Wildcats was the most impressive one. With UT already up 45-21, Sutton eluded five different tacklers in front of him and then outran the kicker for the score.

2017 – Darrell Taylor two-point conversion stop

Tennessee Volunteers defeat Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 42-41 in OT

Rashaan Gaulden had the game-saving forced fumble in regulation. Quinten Dormady, John Kelly and Marquez Callaway were key playmakers on offense. But Darrell Taylor made the game-saving play. He stopped the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the second overtime as they were going for two and the win to secure a 42-41 victory for the Vols, the only highlight of their 2017 season.

2019 – Eric Gray 94-yard touchdown run

Tennessee Volunteers defeat Vanderbilt Commodores 28-10

There was nothing meaningful about this run. But it’s the longest offensive play of the decade for Tennessee football, so we can’t leave it off. Up 14-3 over the Vanderbilt Commodores, the Vols got pinned inside the six-yard line. Eric Gray, a freshman, had his breakout game, and he took the handoff 94 yards for a touchdown to put UT up 21-3 en route to a dominant win to close 2019.