Tennessee
- Alias
- Tennessee Volunteers
- Leagues Played
- NCAAF 299 NCAAF Bowl Games 14
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Results
| NCAAF Bowl Games | 12/30 22:30 | 356 |
[26] Tennessee v
Illinois
[26] 
|
L | 28-30 | |
| NCAAF | 11/29 20:30 | 1 |
Vanderbilt
v
Tennessee
|
L | 45-24 | |
| NCAAF | 11/23 00:30 | 1 |
Tennessee v
Florida
|
W | 31-11 | |
| NCAAF | 11/15 21:15 | 1 |
[10] New Mexico State
v
Tennessee [8]
|
W | 9-42 | |
| NCAAF | 11/01 23:30 | 1 |
[9] Oklahoma
v
Tennessee [6]
|
L | 33-27 | |
| NCAAF | 10/25 23:45 | 1 |
[10] Tennessee v
Kentucky
[16] 
|
W | 56-34 | |
| NCAAF | 10/18 23:30 | 1 |
[6] Tennessee v
Alabama
[3] 
|
L | 20-37 | |
| NCAAF | 10/11 20:15 | 1 |
[13] Arkansas
v
Tennessee [7]
|
W | 31-34 | |
| NCAAF | 09/27 20:15 | 1 |
[12] Tennessee v
Mississippi State
[10] 
|
W | 41-34 | |
| NCAAF | 09/20 16:45 | 1 |
[14] UAB
v
Tennessee [14]
|
W | 24-56 | |
| NCAAF | 09/13 19:30 | 1 |
[4] Georgia
v
Tennessee [7]
|
L | 44-41 | |
| NCAAF | 09/06 19:30 | 1 |
[14] East Tennessee State
v
Tennessee [49]
|
W | 17-72 |
Wikipedia - Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football program (variously called "Vols," "UT", and "Big Orange") represents the University of Tennessee (UT). The Volunteers compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), as members of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
The Vols have played football for 132 seasons, starting in 1891; their combined record of 870–415–53 (.670) ranks them fourteenth on the all-time win list for NCAA football programs. Their all-time ranking in bowl appearances is fifth (55) and eighth in all-time bowl victories (30), most notably four Sugar Bowls, three Cotton Bowls, two Orange Bowls, a Fiesta Bowl, and a Peach Bowl. They have won 16 conference championships and claim six national titles, including two (1951, 1998) from the major wire-service selectors: AP Poll and/or Coaches' Poll.
The Vols play at Neyland Stadium on the university campus in Knoxville, where they have won 485 games, the highest home-field total in college football history for any school at its current home venue. Additionally, its 101,915-seat capacity makes Neyland the nation's sixth largest and third largest in the Southeastern Conference.
History
Tennessee football began in 1891 and developed unevenly through its early decades, enduring periods without official teams, wartime interruptions, and frequent coaching turnover. The program gained prominence in the early 20th century under coaches such as Zora Clevenger, whose 1914 team won an undefeated Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association championship, and especially Robert Neyland, who took over in 1926. Neyland established Tennessee as a national power, compiling dominant records, long unbeaten and shutout streaks, and multiple conference titles. The 1951 team featured Hank Lauricella, that season's Heisman Trophy runner up, and Doug Atkins, a future member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Vols romped to a 10–0 regular season record and captured the AP Poll national championship. During this era, Shields–Watkins Field evolved into Neyland Stadium, which became a defining symbol of the program and one of college football’s largest and most recognizable venues.
Following Neyland's retirement and death, Tennessee experienced fluctuating success through the 1950s and early 1960s, highlighted by an SEC championship under Bowden Wyatt in 1956. The program modernized under Doug Dickey (1964–69), who introduced the T-formation offense, the "Power T" logo, the checkerboard end zones, and the "running through the T" tradition, while winning two SEC titles. After mixed results under Bill Battle, Johnny Majors restored national relevance in the 1980s with SEC championships in 1985, 1989, and 1990, including the Sugar Bowl victory over Miami that earned the 1985 team the nickname "Sugar Vols." Tennessee reached another peak under Phillip Fulmer, winning multiple SEC championships and capturing the 1998 national championship. Led by quarterback Tee Martin, All American linebacker Al Wilson, and wide receiver Peerless Price, the Vols finished the season 13–0 including a victory in the inaugural BCS National Championship Game against Florida State, 23–16.
After Fulmer's departure in 2008, Tennessee entered a prolonged period of instability marked by frequent coaching changes and inconsistent performance. Following the turbulent 2017 season and a widely scrutinized coaching search, Alabama defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt was hired in December 2017, with former head coach Phillip Fulmer returning as athletic director. Pruitt's tenure (2018–2020) produced mixed results and ended amid NCAA investigations. In January 2021, Tennessee hired Josh Heupel, formerly the head coach at UCF, signaling a strategic shift toward a fast-paced, offense-driven identity. Heupel’s arrival marked a renewed effort to restore Tennessee’s competitiveness and national standing within the Southeastern Conference.