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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 Andy Lyons/Getty Images
Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images /

5. Peyton Manning

1997 at Kentucky Wildcats

No. 5 Tennessee Volunteers win 59-31

25-of-35 for 523 yards; 5 touchdowns

Of course we were going to put Peyton Manning on here. Easily his most memorable performance was a late November showdown against the Kentucky Wildcats. Tennessee football entered this game ranked No. 5 and in control of their own destiny to win the SEC East.

However, there were two games that day that could put the Vols in the national title picture: the Florida State Seminoles at Florida Gators and Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan Wolverines. If Michigan and Florida won, UT would move up to No. 3. However, the Vols’ offense had struggled in recent weeks.

Enter Kentucky, led by first-year head coach Hal Mumme and offensive coordinator Mike Leach, who were installing their air raid with Tim Couch. Well, Couch and the Wildcats threw all over the Vols in the first half, and this became a game.

Manning did his part, though, to make sure UT pulled away late. With the Heisman race, the SEC East and the national title on the line, he delivered the best performance of his college career, throwing for 523 yards and five touchdowns.

There were plenty of dominant performances by Manning during his time on Rocky Top, but this one stood out above all others. Although Tyler Bray broke his passing yards record against the Troy Trojans, something was more impressive about the way Manning did it and controlled the offense. It was enough to put this one way higher on the list.

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