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Tennessee football’s five best seasons when losing to Kentucky

By Caleb Calhoun

NASHVILLE, TN - NOVEMBER 24: Mascots Davey Crockett and Smokey of the Tennessee Volunteers pose for a photo prior to a 38-13 loss to Vanderbilt at Vanderbilt Stadium on November 24, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - NOVEMBER 24: Mascots Davey Crockett and Smokey of the Tennessee Volunteers pose for a photo prior to a 38-13 loss to Vanderbilt at Vanderbilt Stadium on November 24, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images) /
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Tennessee head coach Johnny Majors, left, and assistant coach Frank Emanuel display their concern for the defense on the field against Washington State. Tennessee wins 35-23 decision before 92,520 fans at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville Sept. 20, 1980.
Tennessee head coach Johnny Majors, left, and assistant coach Frank Emanuel display their concern for the defense on the field against Washington State. Tennessee wins 35-23 decision before 92,520 fans at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville Sept. 20, 1980. /

833. Final. 10. 839. 21

2. 1981: 8-4 (3-3); W Garden State Bowl

Three of Tennessee football’s losses to the Kentucky Wildcats on this list notably involve Johnny Majors as a player or a coach. While the 1984 loss came in a season right before a breakout year in the modern era, this loss came in a season that started part of the modern era.

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Up to this point, Majors was in trouble. Coming off a 5-6 campaign in 1980, he had suffered through two losing seasons his first four years on the job and only had one winning season. Blowout losses to the Georgia Bulldogs and USC Trojans to start the year only made it worse.

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At 0-2, however, the Vols finally began to rebound against an easy schedule. They beat the winless Colorado State Rams, a rebuilding Auburn Tigers team in Pat Dye’s first year and a 1-10 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets team in Bill Curry’s second year. At 3-2, they did lose to the No. 15 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide 38-19, but things were looking ok.

UT then beat the Memphis State Tigers, the Wichita State Shockers and the Ole Miss Rebels to get to 6-3. They traveled to Lexington to face a 2-8 Kentucky team led by Fran Curci. Somehow, the Vols choked away what should have been an easy win. UK dominated 21-10, sending the Vols to 6-4 on the year and ruining a chance for them to get nine wins and finish in the top 25.

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Still, the Vols recovered. They beat the Vanderbilt Commodores to finish 7-4, and then they beat the Wisconsin Badgers 28-21 in the Garden State Bowl for their first bowl win and their first eight-win season under Majors.

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