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Tennessee football: Looking back on Vols’ five bowl games played in-state

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee takes the field at the beginning of the Music City Bowl at Nissan Stadium Dec. 30, 2016. Tennessee defeated Nebraska 38-24 before a crowd of 68,496.Music City Bowl
Tennessee takes the field at the beginning of the Music City Bowl at Nissan Stadium Dec. 30, 2016. Tennessee defeated Nebraska 38-24 before a crowd of 68,496.Music City Bowl /
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NASHVILLE, TN – DECEMBER 30: Coleman Thomas #55 of the University of Tennessee Volunteers plays against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl at Nissan Stadium on December 30, 2016 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN – DECEMBER 30: Coleman Thomas #55 of the University of Tennessee Volunteers plays against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl at Nissan Stadium on December 30, 2016 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images) /

24. 810. 38. 839. Nashville, Tenn.. Nissan Stadium. Friday, Dec. 30. 2016

2016 Music City Bowl

While Butch Jones got Tennessee football back to a bowl game, this game two years later was the last bit of success he would have with them. After seemingly rebuilding the Vols over four years, 2016 was supposed to be UT’s year, and they started the year in the top 10 and made it to 5-0.

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Then it all fell apart. The Vols lost three straight, Jalen Hurd left the program mid-season, the defense fell apart, and with a chance to reach a New Years Six bowl, they choked their final game of the year against the Vanderbilt Commodores. Jones couldn’t handle the pressure and made his “Champions of Life” comment at one point.

Despite being 8-4 and failing to win the East, which was the expectation, the Vols still accepted a bid to face the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Music City Bowl. It was a good chance for a team with lots of NFL talent and a historically productive quarterback in Joshua Dobbs to go out with a bang.

They did just that, dominating a Nebraska team that came in at 9-3 under head coach Mike Riley. History was made in this game. Not only did UT finally get a win over the Cornhuskers after two losses to them in the late 1990s, but Derek Barnett broke Reggie White’s career sacks record in this game.

A scoreless first quarter ended quickly in the second, with Tennessee football jumping out to a 14-0 lead. They were up 21-7 at halftime, 24-7 in the third and 31-14 in the fourth. Nebraska did cut it to 31-24, but Dobbs clinched it with a 59-yard touchdown pass to Josh Malone.

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Dobbs had three touchdown runs and a touchdown pass in his final game as a Vol. Tennessee football would finish the season 9-4, ranked No. 22 in the AP Poll and No. 24 in the Coaches Poll. It remains the last time they finished in the top 25 to this day.

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