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Ranking Tennessee football’s top 10 wins under Johnny Majors

By Caleb Calhoun

Johnny Majors, Head Coach for the University of Tennessee Volunteers stands with his team during the NCAA Southeastern Conference college football game against the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish on 9 November 1991 at the Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana, United States. The Tennessee Volunteers won the game 35 - 34. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Allsport/Getty Images)
Johnny Majors, Head Coach for the University of Tennessee Volunteers stands with his team during the NCAA Southeastern Conference college football game against the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish on 9 November 1991 at the Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana, United States. The Tennessee Volunteers won the game 35 - 34. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Allsport/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Allsport/Getty Images
Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Allsport/Getty Images /

35. 839. 34. 819. Final

3. 1991: A 31-7 deficit turns into a shocking 35-34 comeback win

Remember when we talked about Andy Kelly’s ability to come back? This was the standout example. Kelly threw late interception to cost Tennessee football against the top-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish the year before, and he wanted revenge on Lou Holtz’s team. The Vols were 5-2 and ranked No. 13, and Notre Dame was 8-1, on a seven-game winning streak and ranked No. 5.

On the road in South Bend, Ind., Johnny Majors’ team embarrassed itself early. Despite a defensive stop to open the game, Dale Carter fumbled the punt return. Notre Dame capitalized with a touchdown. On the next drive, Kelly threw a pick-six. The Irish built a 21-0 lead. A Cory Fleming touchdown cut it to 21-7, but another UT turnover set up another Notre Dame touchdown.

Late in the first half, the Irish were up 31-7 and set for another field goal to go up 34-7. That’s when UT came alive, as Floyd Miley blocked a field goal and ran it back for a touchdown to cut it to 31-14. With that momentum, the Vols came back in the second half. Kelly hit Von Reaves for a touchdown, Aaron Hayden ran for one, and Carter atoned for his earlier fumble with a pick.

Then offensive coordinator Phillip Fulmer made the call of the century with a screen pass to Hayden that beat ND’s blitz for a touchdown. Up 35-34, the Vols let Notre Dame drive all the way down for a game-winning field goal, but Jeremy Lincoln blocked the kick as time expired. Majors’ team had completed one of the greatest comebacks for a top five road win in NCAA history.

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