The boy asking if this was the biggest game Tennessee has ever played got me to thinking about the biggest of the big games at Neyland. Not necessarily the result of the game, but just the hype, stakes, and background to it. Here's what I came up with. Add to it. 72 Penn State - first game under the lights 85 Auburn - the hype surrounding Bo and how we stuffed him 90 Notre Dame - this was the first monster game I really remember the build up to 96 Florida - Duh 98 Arkansas - two undefeated top 10 teams in November in our firsr game ranked as #1 in ages. 01 LSU - Because of 9/11 we actually went 21 days in between games. By the time that game kicked off the place was ready to go nuts 06 Cal - 9 months of anger and frustration waiting to be released on them 15 Oklahoma - were we legit or not? national stage. all of it. 22 Bama - enough said. Few others I considered but didn't make cut - 82 Bama - I just simply don't know 89 Auburn - I think it was more of a in-game shock than a build up 90 Florida - I just total destruction in the 2nd half 98 Florida - I don't remember any pregame monumental hype before it, it just kept building in game
92 Florida. I remember the hype for that game and as my wife and I were walking to the game, it felt like I was heading to a religious gathering. And that place was nuts in the downpour. I'll never forget it.
85 Auburn was a huge game 98 Arkansas was like the last legitimate challenge Tennessee had All the Florida games were hyped up pretty good 06 Cal was a lot of people, from coaches to fans, venting a lot of anger
You are correct about 98 Florida. There is a lot of revisionist history about that season. That had team had no expectation relative to the years before because manning was gone. Only after (or during, as you astutely observed) the Florida game did exoectations take root. Much like how no one expected us to be 5-0 going into Bama week but now suddenly the season will be disappointing to some if we finish 9-3.
I was 14, so I thought every Tennessee game was the biggest game of the century but there was a belief that Tennessee would fall off without Peyton.
I do think 15 Oklahoma is way up there. It was so crushing. It was clear jones had a hard ceiling after that game and tennessee would never be a juggernaut with him
One of those things I somehow remember is Hyams saying he thought we'd go 10-1 but couldn't beat Florida in the preseason. Even orange-glasses, downing a gallon of orange Kool Aid every day 18 year old me thought he was crazy.
We went to the mountains and listened to the Syracuse game on the radio. First time I could remember since moving to Tennessee when I was 3 that we didn't plan a fall Saturday around watching the game.
I think that one is very built up in my memory because it was first home game freshman year. I’d been to a couple of games before that but nothing like that. There was the whole ticket camp out deal and the blimp flying around all week. It’s more personal than general, I guess
Camping out for tix was fun. Seeing the crazy guy chase Cheesehead around all night was next level entertainment.
1990 Notre Dame was the first big game I got to go to. Prior to that it was directional state games when my dad’s buddies would offer him tickets. We got tickets from my grandmother’s boss, whose dad was one of the 4 Horseman so we had the best seats in the ND section, but it was still the ND section and I will never forget the Lou Holtz cheer. I feel like it was overcast and/or raining that day. Honestly don’t remember much of the game, but I do remember walking out of the stadium, around the top of the old north end. I saw a guy take his custom UT hardhat and shatter it on the railing he hit it so hard in anger over the last few plays of the game. That’s when I learned this shit was serious.
1985 Auburn was [uck fay]ing huge. #1 Auburn coming in when we played them every year, and Bo Jackson hype train. And the game met expectations and we "bruised" his thigh.
Imagine attending a Catholic school and with friends whose parents were ND alums. It was even wilder.
Gawd it's awesome to have games and seasons matter again. What makes this season so special and fun is its so unexpected. Regardless what happens Saturday this season has far exceeded my expectations. I can actually just enjoy this Saturday for what it is.
Kelly Zeigler, one the starting linebackers from that 85 team, was one of my high school football coaches. He said he and Dale Jones made sure Bo didn't want to go back in
I just think that with all we've dealt with the past 15 years, while the conference has been sky high, that this is the most important game played in Neyland in at least the modern era. In the 90s we were elite. In the latter part of the 80s we were recovering from a down period but we're weren't nearly as futile and the conference wasn't the vipers nest it is now. Before the season the CFB world looked at 3 teams and said they were way out front. We're catching up and a win this Saturday would vault us to that pack. But even with a loss we still have it all in front of us. Especially if we made them work for it. But I'd rather the victory because it will be undeniable proof that we're back for good. Recruiting will take off, these players confidence will keep expounding.
An Alabama insider guy on Nashville sports radio just said: "Tennessee wins this game, they're top 3 or 4 and seriously in the playoff talk...Hendon Hooker is the reason why, I would give him the Heisman over Young or Stroud"
