Tennessee football’s 10 luckiest wins of all time

4. 2002: Vols win in six overtimes, longest game in school history

Yes, Tennessee football seems to have a lot of lucky wins over the Arkansas Razorbacks on here. This one, though, was insane. The Vols had once again blown a lead, which has happened a few times in games on this thread, but there was no luck on the other team’s part in coming back. After all, down 17-3 in regulation, Arkansas scored two legitimate touchdowns.

However, there was already luck for the game to get to overtime, as Arkansas kicker Brennan O’Donohoe had missed two field goals in regulation. One of them was a 50-yarder, to be fair, but the other one was a 35-yarder. Missing that chip shot gave him a huge break.

Then, in the second overtime, after the two teams traded field goals, things got really crazy. Arkansas hit a field goal to go up 23-20. Backup Vols kicker Phillip Newman went for a game-tying field goal to send it to a third overtime. The Hogs blocked the field goal. However, in a stroke of major luck, it still went in, something that is almost impossible to do.

Luck continued into the third overtime. Derrick Tinsley fumbled a handoff, and all Arkansas had to do was kick a game-winner. However, O’Donohoe missed another field goal within 40 yards, this one from 38 yards.

After the teams traded touchdowns in the fourth overtime, UT got another break in the fifth overtime. Jabari Davis fumbled the ball into the end zone, but Troy Fleming was there to recover it for a touchdown.

After Arkansas scored and went up with another field goal in the sixth overtime, the Vols finally won 41-38 with a touchdown pass from Casey Clausen to Jason Witten. However, two missed field goals by Arkansas within 40 yards, a blocked field goal that Tennessee football made and a fumble that they recovered in the end zone are why they won. That was a lot of luck.