3. 1991: Two blocked field goals secure Vols 24-point comeback
Not all comebacks are luck-based. This one was. It’s known as the Miracle at South Bend because the Vols orchestrated a comeback after being down 21-0 and 31-7 to the No. 5 ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish on the road. It’s one of the most legendary games in UT history.
Johnny Majors will tell you Tennessee football managed to come back because they stopped spotting Irish points. After all, Notre Dame scored three touchdowns off of turnovers in the first half. However, nobody could deny that Lou Holtz’s team was the catalyst for at least two of those turnovers with his aggressive defense. Those aren’t luck.
What is luck, though, is a blocked field goal that is returned for a touchdown. UT did just that late in the half, as Notre Dame was set to go up 34-7. Instead, Darryl Hardy blocked a field goal, and Floyd Miley returned it the other way to make the score 31-14. To be fair, the Vols designed a block by selling out to the left, but such a play is still lucky.
In the second half, great coaching, clutch plays by Andy Kelly, and Aaron Hayden and an opportunistic defense put the Vols ahead 35-34. Then Notre Dame drove all the way down to the 10 to set up a game-winning field goal. However, in another stroke of good fortune for Tennessee football, kicker Craig Hentrich was injured.
As a result, freshman Rob Leonard got the call to make the kick. Jeremy Lincoln came around the edge to block that one. So the Vols won 35-34 thanks to two blocked field goals, one that was returned for a touchdown. Yes, that was lucky.