2. 1989 (Johnny Majors’ role: Head coach)
11-1 (6-1); SEC Championship; W Cotton Bowl; No. 5 AP and Coaches
While 1985 proved Tennessee football was truly turning a corner with Johnny Majors, 1989 was the season to prove the rebuild was complete. One year before, the Vols missed their first bowl game in eight years. That was due to an 0-6 start. However, they rebounded late with a bunch of freshmen to finish 5-6.
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Majors moved more into the modern-era, promoting Phillip Fulmer to offensive coordinator and parting ways with defensive coordinator Ken Donahue. Returning Reggie Cobb and adding guys like Carl Pickens and Chuck Webb gave this team confidence on offense. They started things off with a scare, holding off the Colorado State Rams 17-14.
One week later, though, UT shocked the No. 6 ranked UCLA Bruins on the road 24-6. That got them to No. 17, and they then beat the eventual ACC Champion Duke Blue Devils, led by head coach Steve Spurrier. Finally, they faced the No. 4 ranked Auburn Tigers, and Cobb had a legendary day, going for over 220 yards and a touchdown in a 21-14 win.
All of a sudden, UT was 4-0, and after beating the Georgia Bulldogs to get to 5-0, they were ranked No. 6. However, ahead of the Alabama Crimson Tide, they had to dismiss Cobb. They then made a switch at quarterback, needing a more vertical passing attack, so they went from Sterling Henton to Andy Kelly.
That chaos caused them to lose 47-30 to the Alabama Crimson Tide on the road. But then they won out, beating the LSU Tigers, the Akron Zips, the Ole Miss Rebels and the Kentucky Wildcats and the Vanderbilt Commodores. On the day they beat Vanderbilt, Auburn beat Alabama to allow the three teams to split the SEC Championship.
Rocky Top then went to the Cotton Bowl, and they beat the Southwest Conference Champion Arkansas Razorbacks. As a result, they finished 11-1 and ranked No. 5. This set the stage for the elite run of the modern era for Tennessee football. It would mark a 16-year run of four SEC titles a national title, 16 straight bowl appearances and 13 straight top 25 finishes.