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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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Date Unknown; Unknown Location, USA; University of Tennessee quarterback Bobby Dodd. 1928-30. Head coach at Georgia Tech, 1945-67. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1959 and as a coach in 1993. Mandatory Credit: Knoxville News Sentinel Archive via USA TODAY NETWORK
Date Unknown; Unknown Location, USA; University of Tennessee quarterback Bobby Dodd. 1928-30. Head coach at Georgia Tech, 1945-67. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1959 and as a coach in 1993. Mandatory Credit: Knoxville News Sentinel Archive via USA TODAY NETWORK /

2. 1929

Tennessee: 6 Alabama: 0

It’s hard to think about it now, but Tennessee football did beat the Alabama Crimson Tide in back to back years when this rivalry began. At this point, the program was rolling under Robert Neyland, who had appeared to steal some of the thunder from Wallace Wade.

The Vols and Tide both entered this game with 3-0 records and hopes for a perfect season. Alabama had every reason to believe UT’s win the previous year was lucky. However, Neyland’s team pitched a 6-0 shutout in what became a crucial win.

Kentucky: 6 Tennessee: 6 (Tie)

Yes, this was the second straight year that the Vols would beat Alabama but tie Kentucky. The Wildcats came into this game with Alabama, ironically, as their only loss. Alabama had lost to the Vanderbilt Commodores, who the Vols had beaten in their previous outing.

Well, at 8-0, UT tied a 6-1 Kentucky team. It wasn’t scoreless this time, but it was still an ugly outing. Once again, Rocky Top likely had a hangover effect from beating Vandy, as it was the first time in school history they had beaten the Commodores two years in a row.

Result of the season

After tying Kentucky, UT dominated the South Carolina Gamecocks 54-0. Gene McEver became a national star in that game with five touchdowns. However, for the second straight year, the Vols finished 9-0-1 and 6-0-1 in the Southern Conference, their only tie being to Kentucky.

That cost the Vols the conference title, as the Tulane Green Wave won it outright with a 6-0 record. It also marked the third straight year a tie was the only blemish in the Vols’ record, as they tied Vanderbilt in 1927.

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