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Ranking Tennessee football’s six seasons that began on Sept. 26

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE - OCTOBER 05: A Tennessee Volunteers megaphone sits on the sideline during the game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium on October 05, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE - OCTOBER 05: A Tennessee Volunteers megaphone sits on the sideline during the game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium on October 05, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images
Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images /

5. 1959: 5-4-1 (3-4-1)

Head coach: Bowden Wyatt

Harvey Robinson’s replacement, Bowden Wyatt, had a heck of a splash to start his tenure as Tennessee football’s head coach, winning the SEC Championship in 1956 and gong 8-3 with a Gator Bowl win over Bear Bryant and the Texas A&M Aggies in 1957. However, in 1958, he fell to 4-6 and was needing a comeback year in 1959.

That comeback year started with one of the Vols best wins in school history on Sept. 26. They were facing the No. 3 ranked Auburn Tigers, who had gone 9-0-1 in 1958 were on a 24-game unbeaten streak, 23 of which they won and one of which they tied, while also winning the 1957 national title. Despite all that, UT shockingly upset Auburn 3-0.

The next week, the Vols beat the Mississippi State Bulldogs to get to No. 8. However, inconsistency plagued this team, and it lost the next week to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets before tying the Alabama Crimson Tide. Wins over Chattanooga and the North Carolina Tar Heels got them to 5-1-1, though, and No. 13 in the nation.

Then, after ending Auburn’s streak with a dramatic upset, the Vols topped themselves. The No. 1 ranked LSU Tigers came to town. LSU was defending national champions and on a 19-game winning streak. UT upset them 14-13 after stopping eventual Heisman winner Billy Cannon on a two-point conversion late.

Rocky Top could not maintain its momentum, though, and lost its final three games to the Ole Miss Rebels, Kentucky Wildcats and Vanderbilt Commodores. Still, it had two legendary wins, and that’s why we put this season above the 1953 season. This is also the last time it started a season on that Sept. 26 date.

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