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Tennessee football vs. LSU: Wild endings, upsets, historically significant games – here are the top 15

By Caleb Calhoun

September 26, 2005; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Tennessee Volunteers Gerald Riggs Jr. drives in for the game-winning overtime touchdown against Louisiana State Tigers linebacker Cameron Vaughn (46) at Tiger Stadium Stadium. The Volunteers defeated the Tigers 30-27 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports © 2005 John David Mercer
September 26, 2005; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Tennessee Volunteers Gerald Riggs Jr. drives in for the game-winning overtime touchdown against Louisiana State Tigers linebacker Cameron Vaughn (46) at Tiger Stadium Stadium. The Volunteers defeated the Tigers 30-27 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports © 2005 John David Mercer /
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Tennessee’s Cedric Wilson (14) catches a pass to make the score 30-31 in the final minutes of the game Saturday, Sept. 30, 2000. Hanging onto Wilson is 33- Demetrius Hookfin.Ut Lsu Cedric Wilson Td 2000
Tennessee’s Cedric Wilson (14) catches a pass to make the score 30-31 in the final minutes of the game Saturday, Sept. 30, 2000. Hanging onto Wilson is 33- Demetrius Hookfin.Ut Lsu Cedric Wilson Td 2000 /

839. 38. 817. Final/OT. 31

Sept. 30, 2000

We should’ve seen what was to come of Tennessee football, Nick Saban and LSU this century with this matchup. It was the start of the changing of the guard. After the Vols were the dominant powerhouse program of the 1990s and LSU was a dormant, this upset changed everything.

UT was 2-1 and in the top 15 with a loss to Florida, a game everybody knows they should’ve won. LSU was 2-2 and coming off a shocking upset loss to the UAB Blazers, which already led to the questioning of Saban, who was in his first year and really only had one good season with the Michigan State Spartans. Few believed in him.

This game changed all of that. As the Vols rolled into Baton Rouge on an ESPN Saturday night game expecting to blow LSU out, the Tigers made a switch from Josh Booty to Rohan Davey. John Chavis, ever the struggler at adjustments, wasn’t prepared, and Davey torched the Vols all night.

Of course, Tennessee football was still without its eventual starter at quarterback in Casey Clausen, a true freshman who had a shoulder injury to start the year. As a result, they went with A.J. Suggs. In the process of all this, they found themselves down 24-6.

However, Suggs and the Vols battled back. Down 31-15 in the fourth quarter, they scored two touchdowns and two two-point conversions to send it to overtime. In overtime, though, LSU scored a touchdown on the first play. The Vols were stopped on a 4th and goal, and LSU pulled off the upset. That launched Saban’s career in the SEC.

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