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Tennessee footballs previous 7-0 starts hint SEC title is guaranteed

By Caleb Calhoun

4 Jan 1999: the Tennesse Volunteers celebrate during the Fiesta Bowl Game against the Florida State Seminoles at the Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. Tennessee defeated Florida State 23-16. Mandatory Credit: Jed Jacobsohn /Allsport
4 Jan 1999: the Tennesse Volunteers celebrate during the Fiesta Bowl Game against the Florida State Seminoles at the Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. Tennessee defeated Florida State 23-16. Mandatory Credit: Jed Jacobsohn /Allsport /
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A key threshold in Tennessee football history has been starting 6-0. When the Vols beat the Alabama Crimson Tide two weeks ago, that was their first 6-0 start since 1998, and their 6-0 start in 1998 was the first since 1969. UT’s schedule has always been skewed towards the front, which always made this hard.

However, every 6-0 start has turned into a 7-0 start in Rocky Top’s history, and that’s where the Vols are now. The Vols have started 7-0 15 times in school history. Of those starts, 11 ended in conference championships, and four ended in national championships.

In fact, Tennessee football has never failed to win the conference championship with a 7-0 start since joining the SEC in 1933. Simply put, this is a great omen for the Vols, one that should mean a lot for them going forward. Let’s look back at the previous 15 7-0 starts in school history to see what it means for the Vols this year.

When Tennessee football wins its first seven games, it usually means big things. The Volunteers started 7-0 for the 16th time in school history in 2022.

Tennessee football
4 Jan 1999: Head Coach Phillip Fulmer of the Tennessee Volunteers excepting an award after the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Game against the Florida State Seminoles at the Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. The Volunteers defeated the Seminoles 23-16. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Laforet /Allsport /

15. 1998: 13-0 (8-0)

National Champion; SEC Champion; No. 1 AP and Coaches; W Fiesta Bowl

The last time the Vols started 7-0 needs no explanation. It was clear they’d get there after their 5-0 start anyway, as that start included wins at Syracuse, at the Georgia Bulldogs and at home against the Florida Gators. Following those teams would be a below average Alabama team and an awful South Carolina Gamecocks team.

UT won its fourth straight against Alabama to get to 6-0 for the first time since 1969, and then Tee Martin set an NCAA record at the time for consecutive completions with 23 at South Carolina. By that point, the assumption was that they’d finish the year undefeated.

Of course, the back end of Tennessee football’s schedule included a collision course with the undefeated Arkansas Razorbacks, a game they had to survive, similar to how this year’s 7-0 start appears to include an upcoming collision course with Georgia. Still, we know how this one ended. It was the Vols’ last SEC Championship and a national championship.

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