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Tennessee football: 10 years Vols beat Alabama but not Kentucky

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 11: Detailed view of the checkered endzone at Neyland Stadium during a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Chattanooga Mocs on October 11, 2014 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 45-10. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 11: Detailed view of the checkered endzone at Neyland Stadium during a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Chattanooga Mocs on October 11, 2014 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 45-10. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /
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Assorted notes and sketched plays by Robert Neyland are part of an exhibit named “Lighting the Way” currently on display at Hodges Library on campus on Monday, August 26, 2019.Kns Utyear1 0930 Bp Jpg
Assorted notes and sketched plays by Robert Neyland are part of an exhibit named “Lighting the Way” currently on display at Hodges Library on campus on Monday, August 26, 2019.Kns Utyear1 0930 Bp Jpg /

1. 1928

Tennessee: 15 Alabama: 13

This was the beginning of the Vols and Crimson Tide meeting annually. Gen. Robert Neyland was in his third year on the job and head coach of the defending Southern Conference Champions. Alabama was powerhouse under Wallace Wade and two years removed from a national title.

Simply put, this game started the rivalry. In their first matchup in 14 years at the time, Alabama allowed a 98-yard kickoff return to start the game, had a safety on a fumbled punt and missed an extra point. That led to an ugly victory for Rocky Top.

Tennessee: 0 Kentucky: 0

Hey, we didn’t say that these had to be years in which the Vols lost to Kentucky. Tying will suffice, and this year, UT played the Kentucky Wildcats to a scoreless tie. It was the fifth shutout of the season for the Vols but the only game in which they did not score.

Rocky Top had won the previous two meetings, and UK was an inferior opponent, as they came into the game with a 3-3-1 record. However, The Vols were suffering a hangover coming off what was only their third win over the Vanderbilt Commodores and their first in 12 years.

Result of the season

Although Tennessee football beat the Florida Gators to close out the season, that Kentucky loss proved costly. The Vols would finish the year 9-0-1 and 6-0-1 in the Southern Conference. Since the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets went 7-0 in conference play, they won the title outright.

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