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Tennessee football’s 10 wins vs. Georgia with both teams ranked

By Caleb Calhoun

ATHENS, GA - OCTOBER 1: Jauan Jennings #15 of the Tennessee Volunteers rides the shoulders of Gavin Bryant #36 after making the game winning catch against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium on October 1, 2016 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
ATHENS, GA - OCTOBER 1: Jauan Jennings #15 of the Tennessee Volunteers rides the shoulders of Gavin Bryant #36 after making the game winning catch against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium on October 1, 2016 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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11 Oct 1997: Jamal Lewis of the Tennessee Volunteers runs with the ball during a game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 38-13. Mandatory Credit: Craig Jones /Allsport
11 Oct 1997: Jamal Lewis of the Tennessee Volunteers runs with the ball during a game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 38-13. Mandatory Credit: Craig Jones /Allsport /

814. 38. 839. Final. 13

Oct. 11, 1997; Neyland Stadium; Knoxville, Tenn.

  • Tennessee: No. 9 AP; No. 10 Coaches
  • Georgia: No. 13 AP; No. 15 Coaches

It was the breakout game for Jamal Lewis. Earlier in the season, Tennessee football had suffered a fifth straight loss to the Florida Gators. Given the fact that it was Peyton Manning’s senior year and that kept UT from the SEC title game, a career goal of Manning’s, the previous two years, it was hard for the team to remain focused after that.

Manning, however, was the one who regrouped them, and in a blowout win over the Ole Miss Rebels, the Vols found what they were lacking at Florida: a rushing attack. Lewis had arrived and was ready to dominate against the Georgia Bulldogs.

In Jim Donnan’s second year, UGA was looking to improve from a 5-6 campaign. They got off to a great 4-0 start, and coming off a 47-0 win over the Mississippi State Bulldogs, there was excitement that they may finally be back.

Well, then this game happened. A regrouped UT team saw Lewis gain 232 yards on the ground against his home state school. Manning, for his part, added 343 yards and four touchdowns through the air, and the Vols dominated the Dawgs 38-13.

A Florida loss to the LSU Tigers later that day put UT back in the East race, rewarding the Vols for not quitting after that early loss. Simply put, this was one of those perfect days of college football for UT fans.

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