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Tennessee football: Ranking all 15 Vols non-Saturday openers

By Caleb Calhoun

Sep 4, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Tennessee Volunteers running back John Kelly (4) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets during overtime at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Tennessee won 42-41 in two overtimes. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 4, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Tennessee Volunteers running back John Kelly (4) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets during overtime at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Tennessee won 42-41 in two overtimes. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 13, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Power T on the field before a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Georgia Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 13, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Power T on the field before a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Georgia Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports /

14. 1900

Tennessee Volunteers: 22 King: 0

Wednesday, Oct. 10; Baldwin Park; Knoxville, Tenn.

The turn of the 20th century saw Tennessee football still in its infancy. During this time, the Vols had an annual tradition of opening up the season against King University, which is located in Bristol, Tenn., and used to have a football team. At the time, the Vols were in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association.

Anyway, part of their tradition was dominating King, and they did so on this day, winning 22-0. At the time, it was their third straight season-opening win against that program, and dating back to the previous season, it was their sixth straight win. Nobody knew that the Vols were kicking off a century of unprecedented success at that time.

Immediately after that game, though, UT stumbled a bit. They did tie the Vanderbilt Commodores, the first time they didn’t lose to that team, and then they lost to the North Carolina Tar Heels and, in the first matchup between the two teams, the Auburn Tigers.

To rebound, they closed out the year with wins over Grant, now the Chattanooga Mocs, and Georgetown College in Kentucky. Since the lost years of 1893 to 1895 don’t count towards the Vols’ records, their tie with Vandy was also the first tie they ever had in program history.

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