The 50 Best Vol Games 1989-2005: 20-16

(Note: So I had typed up this whole big thing for all five of these games, went to copy and paste it, and accidentally deleted the entire thing and couldn't recover it on here. So, in my anger, you'll get an abbreviated version today. Sorry.)

20. 1998: #4 Tennessee 22 - #7 Georgia 3 (Athens, GA)
The undefeated Vols were six point underdogs at Georgia, without Jamal Lewis and facing young Quincy Carter, who was 34 of 37 the previous week in a win at LSU. The Vols forced 4 turnovers, held Carter to 14 of 37 passing, held Georgia to 59 yards rushing, got 160 yards from Travis Henry & Travis Stephens in their first real playing time, and used second half TDs to Cedrick Wilson and Peerless Price for a dominating victory, which moved the Vols from lucky to good in the national perspective in 1998.

19. 1998: #10 Tennessee 34 - #17 Syracuse 33 (Syracuse, NY)
In the season opener, what would become one of Tennessee's best all-time defenses was dominated by Donovan McNabb (22 of 28, 300 yards). The Vols led 24-13 early in the 4th, then watched Syracuse rally to take a 27-24 lead. When Tee Martin, in his first start, responded with a 55 yard scramble on 3rd and 10, then found Peerless Price, the Vols would retake the lead. Syracuse added two field goals - one after a Martin fumle - to make it 33-31. The Vols needed a pass interference call - which was the correct call, only sometimes officials hesitate in such a bang-bang situation - to keep the final drive alive, which culminated in Jeff Hall's 27 yard field goal. The beginning.

18. 2003: #18 Tennessee 10 - #6 Miami 6 (Coral Gables, FL)
Given no chance, the Vols forced three turnovers from Brock Berlin, including two in the 4th quarter. Tennessee scored the game's only touchdown on 4th and goal from the 2 late in the second quarter by going to Derrick Tinsley on the end around, then held on thanks to a Jason Mitchell strip, a Gibril Wilson interception, and Tinsley recovering a fumbled punt to hand Miami its first home loss of the millenium.

17. 1990: #10 Tennessee 23 - Virginia 22 (Sugar Bowl)
With the Sugar Bowl as the promised land in 1990, the SEC Champion Vols faced a Virginia team that was 7-0 in late October, then saw QB Shawn Moore get hurt and lose three of their final four. Moore returned for the Sugar Bowl to join RB Terry Kirby and WR Herman Moore for an explosive offense that led 16-0 at halftime and 16-3 going to the 4th quarter. Floyd Miley got an interception at the UT 9 to spark the 4th quarter rally. Andy Kelly etched his name in stone in UT history, going 14 of 18 in the 4th quarter and leading three touchdown drives, trading off with UVA field goals. The final drive came with 2:31 on the clock and went 75 yards, culminating in Tony Thompson going over the top for the win.

16. 2002: #10 Tennessee 41 - Arkansas 38 (6 OT) (Knoxville, TN)
Jabari Davis broke off a 58 yard run to give the Vols a 17-3 lead in the 3rd quarter, but Arkansas scored two late touchdowns - including a 92 yard pass on busted coverage - to force OT. After trading field goals in the first extra period, Vol kicker Phillip Newman had his second OT kick partially deflected, but it still limped over the crossbar. In the 3rd OT, the Vols again tried to give it away when Derrick Tinsley fumbled, but the Hogs missed a 38 yarder and we played on. In both the 4th and 5th OTs, both teams scored touchdowns but could not convert the two. Finally, well after midnight, after Arkansas settled for a field goal in its sixth overtime, Casey Clausen hit Jason Witten on play number one to end it. The longest game in Tennessee Football history.