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Tennessee football’s five best years with senior QB

By Caleb Calhoun

16 Sep 1995: Quarterback Peyton Manning sets to throw a pass during the Volunteers 62-37 loss to the University of Florida at Florida Field in Gainesville, Florida. Mandatory Credit: Scott Halleran/Allsport
16 Sep 1995: Quarterback Peyton Manning sets to throw a pass during the Volunteers 62-37 loss to the University of Florida at Florida Field in Gainesville, Florida. Mandatory Credit: Scott Halleran/Allsport /
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Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images /

3. 1985

Tony Robinson/Daryl Dickey

9-1-2

SEC Championship; No 4 AP and Coaches; W Sugar Bowl

Obviously one of the most beloved teams of all time, Tennessee football is famous for its 1985 season in part because of the specific drama at quarterback. Johnny Majors was entering his ninth season on the job, but he still had not yet won an SEC title or even had a top 25 finish.

This year, Tony Robinson was a Heisman candidate as a senior quarterback who led the Vols to a 7-4-1 record in 1984. However, the Vols started off the year unranked. Still, Robinson did not disappoint. Behind his senior leadership, UT started things off with a 26-26 tie against the No. 10 ranked UCLA Bruins, although they did blow a 26-10 lead in that game.

One week later, Robinson and the Vols blew out the No. 1 ranked Auburn Tigers at home 38-20. Then they held off the Wake Forest Demon Deacons before losing at the No. 7 ranked Florida Gators. Still, amidst a brutal schedule, they rebounded the next week with a 16-14 win at the No. 15 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide.

In that game, Robinson suffered a season-ending injury. Daryl Dickey, another senior, stepped in. Luckily for UT, the brutal part of their schedule had passed. After a tie against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets the next week, Dickey took his 3-1-2 team on a five-game winning streak to finish the regular season 8-1-2 and as SEC Champions.

Then came the Sugar Bowl. Dickey and the Vols faced a No. 2 ranked Miami Hurricanes team that would win the national championship if it beat the Vols. However, Rocky Top won in dominating fashion, 35-7, and Dickey was named MVP.

It was a legendary season that helped the Vols emerge back into the national picture. Dickey finished the year completing 65 percent of his passes for 10 touchdowns and just one interception. He went 130 passes without a pick. Robinson completed 63.6 percent of his passes for 1,246 yards, eight touchdowns and seven interceptions.

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