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Tennessee football’s 10 toughest records to break

By Caleb Calhoun

10 Oct 1998: Quarterback Tee Martin #17 of the Tennessee Volunteers throws during a game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia. Tennessee defeated Georgia 22-3. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Laforet /Allsport
10 Oct 1998: Quarterback Tee Martin #17 of the Tennessee Volunteers throws during a game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia. Tennessee defeated Georgia 22-3. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Laforet /Allsport /
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Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images
Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images /

9. Erik Ainge: 7 touchdown passes in a game

2007 at Kentucky Wildcats

It’s not the change in the game that will make matching this difficult. The likelihood of Tennessee football playing games that provide as many opportunities to throw touchdown passes as this one is what will keep somebody from coming close to this record. The Vols beat the Kentucky Wildcats 52-50 in this game en route to winning the SEC East.

Why was the game so high-scoring? Well, it went four overtimes. The two teams exchanged touchdowns in three of them and alternated a turnover and a blocked field goal in one of them. In the three overtimes they scored touchdowns, Erik Ainge threw for one every time. He already had four touchdowns, an incredible feat, entering overtime.

Nobody else in UT history has thrown for more than five touchdowns in a game, although Peyton Manning, Casey Clausen and Tyler Bray have all done that. Rocky Top is a rare commodity in that, under Phillip Fulmer, it had a history of lengthy overtimes, including one going six overtimes and another one going five while this one went four.

However, so many overtimes is still extremely uncommon, and to break this record, a quarterback will need an uncommon amount of overtimes while also throwing for an uncommon amount of touchdowns to be in position for the record. That will require a shootout and a really good passing attack. All of these things coming together are unlikely, which is why this makes the list.

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