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) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
7 of 26
Next
Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images /

20. Chuck Webb (Cotton Bowl)

1990 vs. No. 10 Arkansas Razorbacks (1989 season)

No. 8 Tennessee Volunteers win 31-27

26 carries for 250 yards; 2 touchdowns

When it comes to epic bowl game performances, Chuck Webb’s stood out even over Peyton Manning’s. Webb carried Tennessee football to a remarkable turnaround season, helping them win the SEC in 1989 with a 10-1 record as a true freshman. He became the feature weapon after the dismissal of Reggie Cobb and the switch to Andy Kelly at quarterback midway through the season.

Heading into the Cotton Bowl, the Vols faced the Southwest Conference champion Arkansas Razorbacks. Early on, Kelly and the defense made the plays. UT trailed 6-3 in the second, and the Hogs were driving for more, but Carl Pickens, then playing defensive back, intercepted a pass in the end zone, and Kelly hit Anthony Morgan for an 84-yard touchdown.

At that point, though, Phillip Fulmer decided to rely on Chuck Webb the rest of the day, and Arkansas could not buy a stop. Webb ran over, around and through the Razorbacks, torching them the rest of the way. His 250 yards and two touchdowns remain one of the greatest performances in the history of the bowl game to this day.

Webb’s consistent rushing built the Vols a 24-6 lead and then a 31-13 lead. Arkansas scored a couple of times late to make it 31-27 and ended up winning the overall battle in terms of yards, but the Vols held on, and Webb was the story.

Home/Vols Football