All for Tennessee
Fansided

Tennessee football’s top 25 single-game performances in history

By Caleb Calhoun

Peyton Manning #16, Quarterback for the University of Tennessee Volunteers during the NCAA Pac 10 college football game against the University of California, Los Angeles UCLA Bruins on 6th September 1997 at the Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, California, United States. The Tennessee Volunteers won the game 30 - 24. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Allsport/Getty Images)
Peyton Manning #16, Quarterback for the University of Tennessee Volunteers during the NCAA Pac 10 college football game against the University of California, Los Angeles UCLA Bruins on 6th September 1997 at the Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, California, United States. The Tennessee Volunteers won the game 30 - 24. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Allsport/Getty Images) /
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Photo by John Sommers II/Getty Images
Photo by John Sommers II/Getty Images /

12. Dale Carter

1990 vs. No. 9 Florida Gators

No. 5 Tennessee Volunteers win 45-3

2 interceptions; 1 kickoff return touchdown

While the 2001 game was the watershed moment for Tennessee football’s epic rivalry with the Florida Gators, the 1990 matchup was the one that started it all. This is the first meeting ever since they began facing each other annually. At the time, the Vols were 3-0-2 and ranked No. 5, while Florida was 5-0 and ranked No. 9 in Steve Spurrier’s first season at the helm.

The week before, UT had blown a 26-9 fourth quarter lead to the Auburn Tigers, missing a potential game-winning field goal to suffer a tie. It was a brutal tie, but they were still in the hunt to repeat as SEC Champions due to their offensive arsenal. To supplement that arsenal, Johnny Majors added three junior college transfers on a young defense.

Chuck Smith and Chris Mims were part of that group of transfers on the line. Dale Carter joined the group in the secondary. This would be Carter’s breakout game. The Vols went into halftime clinging to a 7-3 lead. Carter fielded Florida’s kickoff to open the second half despite the fact that it was destined to go out of bounds, which a returner is never supposed to do.

Well, he proved then he could break the rule, as he returned it to the house for a touchdown. That broke the game open, and the Vols opened up a dominant second half attack that Florida could not stop. Carter continued to do his part to help that, as he came away with two interceptions in addition to his kickoff return. That elite play allowed UT to win this game 45-3.

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