Tennessee football’s 10 most unlucky losses of all time
814. 31. 839. Final/OT. 34
5. 2013: Alton “Pig” Howard pylon fumble proves costly in overtime
While the 2017 loss to the Florida Gators set the wheels in motion for Butch Jones’ demise, this game set the wheels in motion for people to initially buy in. Tennessee football was 3-2 in Jones’ first year but was looking ugly. At this point, all Jones had to sell was his top five recruiting class coming in for 2014. He couldn’t sell on-field coaching yet.
This game changed that. The Georgia Bulldogs, at the time, had only lost to the Clemson Tigers but looked like national title contenders once again. They rolled into Knoxville and took a 17-3 lead. However, in the second half, Justin Worley cut it to 17-10, and then Jones called an aggressive all out block on a punt. It worked, and UT scored a touchdown off that.
Tied at 17, the two teams traded touchdown drives to make it 24-24. But with under two minutes to go, the Vols seemingly took control with a touchdown run from Rajion Neal to put them up 31-24. Aaron Murray showed his clutch gene to get Georgia to the 10 and in position to tie it.
However, that’s when the Vols made their first set of mistakes. They committed a face mask penalty, and then Justin Coleman committed a pass interference penalty. That set the Dawgs up at the two, allowing them to tie the game up at 31 as time expired.
In overtime, a review play that punished aggressiveness with a terrible rule proved costly. UT had gotten to the Georgia seven-yard line. On 2nd and goal, Alton “Pig” Howard took a reverse and ran to the goal-line. He dove for the pylon and appeared to be in. However, reviews showed the ball was bobbling just as he reached for it.
Because of that, a technicality meant Howard had actually fumbled the ball away to Georgia. It’s a horrible rule that seriously needs to be overturned. UT should’ve just gotten the ball at the one-foot line with 3rd and goal brought up.
Anyway, Georgia got the ball back and kicked a game-winning field goal to win 34-31. Tennessee football got its own lucky win a couple of weeks later over the South Carolina Gamecocks, but an injury to Worley resulted in them losing four straight to finish 5-7 once again. If not for that injury and a ridiculous rule, they easily could have gone 7-5 in Jones’ first year.