1997 Tennessee Volunteers football team
American college football season
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The 1997 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee as a member of the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by fifth-year head coach Phillip Fulmer, the Volunteers compiled an overall record of 11–2 with a mark of 7–1, winning the SEC's Eastern Division title. Tennessee advanced to the SEC Championship Game, where the Volunteers defeated Auburn to capture the conference championship. Tennessee was then invited to the Orange Bowl, which served as the Bowl Alliance's national title game. There the Volunteers lost to Nebraska. The team played home games at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee.
| 1997 Tennessee Volunteers football | |
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SEC champion SEC Eastern Division champion | |
| Conference | Southeastern Conference |
| Eastern Division | |
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 8 |
| AP | No. 7 |
| Record | 11–2 (7–1 SEC) |
| Head coach |
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| Offensive coordinator | David Cutcliffe (5th season) |
| Offensive scheme | Pro-style |
| Defensive coordinator | John Chavis (3rd season) |
| Base defense | Multiple 4–3 |
| Captains | |
| Home stadium | Neyland Stadium |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 7 Tennessee x$ | 7 | – | 1 | 11 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 10 Georgia | 6 | – | 2 | 10 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 4 Florida | 6 | – | 2 | 10 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Carolina | 3 | – | 5 | 5 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kentucky | 2 | – | 6 | 5 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vanderbilt | 0 | – | 8 | 3 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Western Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 11 Auburn xy | 6 | – | 2 | 10 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 13 LSU x | 6 | – | 2 | 9 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 22 Ole Miss | 4 | – | 4 | 8 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mississippi State | 4 | – | 4 | 7 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arkansas | 2 | – | 6 | 4 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alabama | 2 | – | 6 | 4 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Championship: Tennessee 30, Auburn 29 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Quarterback Peyton Manning had already completed his degree in three years and had been projected to be the top overall pick in the 1997 NFL draft, but he returned to Tennessee for his senior year.[1] The Volunteers opened the season with victories against Texas Tech and UCLA, but for the third time in his career, Manning fell to Florida, 33–20.[2][3][4] The Vols won the rest of their regular season games, finishing 10–1, and advanced to the SEC Championship Game against Auburn. Down 20–7, Manning led the Vols to a 30–29 victory. Throwing for four touchdowns, he was named the game's MVP but injured himself in the process.[5][6] The No. 3 Vols were matched up with No. 2 Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. Had Tennessee won and top-ranked Michigan lost against Washington State in the Rose Bowl, the Vols would have been expected to win the national championship.[7] However, the Vols' defense could not stop Nebraska's rushing attack, giving up more than 400 yards on the ground in a 42–17 loss.[8] As a senior, Manning won numerous awards He was a consensus first-team All-American and won the Maxwell Award, the Davey O'Brien Award, the Johnny Unitas Award, and the Best College Football Player ESPY Award, among others. However, he did not win the Heisman Trophy, finishing runner-up to Charles Woodson, a cornerback for Michigan and one of only two defensive players ever to win the award (the other being Travis Hunter in 2024).[9][10][11]
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 30 | 7:45 p.m. | Texas Tech* | No. 5 | ESPN | W 52–17 | 106,285 | [12] | |
| September 6 | 3:30 p.m. | at UCLA* | No. 3 | ABC | W 30–24 | 62,619 | [13] | |
| September 20 | 3:30 p.m. | at No. 3 Florida | No. 4 | CBS | L 20–33 | 85,714 | [14] | |
| October 4 | 3:30 p.m. | Ole Miss | No. 9 |
| CBS | W 31–17 | 106,229 | [15] |
| October 11 | 3:30 p.m. | No. 13 Georgia | No. 9 |
| CBS | W 38–13 | 106,656 | [16] |
| October 18 | 7:00 p.m. | at Alabama | No. 9 | ESPN | W 38–21 | 83,091 | [17] | |
| November 1 | 12:30 p.m. | South Carolina | No. 8 |
| JPS | W 22–7 | 106,301 | [18] |
| November 8 | 4:00 p.m. | No. 24 Southern Miss* | No. 8 |
| PPV | W 44–20 | 107,073 | [19] |
| November 15 | 8:00 p.m. | at Arkansas | No. 5 | ESPN2 | W 30–22 | 53,235 | [20] | |
| November 22 | 12:30 p.m. | at Kentucky | No. 5 | ESPN2 | W 59–31 | 61,076 | [21] | |
| November 29 | 12:00 p.m. | Vanderbilt | No. 3 |
| CBS | W 17–10 | 106,683 | [22] |
| December 6 | 8:00 p.m. | vs. No. 11 Auburn | No. 3 | ABC | W 30–29 | 74,896 | [23] | |
| January 2 | 8:00 p.m. | vs. No. 2 Nebraska* | No. 3 |
| CBS | L 17–42 | 74,002 | [24] |
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Rankings
Game summaries
Texas Tech
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Raiders | 0 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 17 |
| • No. 5 Volunteers | 7 | 17 | 21 | 7 | 52 |
- Date: August 30
- Location: Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, Tennessee
- Game start: 7:35 pm EDT
- Elapsed time: 3:20
- Game attendance: 106,285
- Source: Box score
At UCLA
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • No. 3 Volunteers | 9 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 30 |
| Bruins | 0 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 24 |
- Date: September 6
- Location: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
- Game start: 3:35 pm EDT
- Elapsed time: 3:41
- Game attendance: 62,619
- Source: Box score
| 1 | 8:28 | UT | Safety, Leonard Little sack of Cade McNown in end zone | Tenn 2–0 |
| 3:05 | UT | Cory Gaines 57-yard interception return (Jeff Hall kick) | Tenn 9–0 | |
| 2 | 9:35 | UT | Jeremaine Copeland 24-yard pass from Peyton Manning (conversion) | Tenn 17–0 |
| 4:07 | UT | Marcus Nash 39-yard pass from Peyton Manning (kick) | Tenn 24–0 | |
| UCLA | Chris Sailer ?-yard field goal | Tenn 24–3 | ||
| 3 | UCLA | Chris Sailer ?-yard field goal | Tenn 24–6 | |
| UT | Jeff Hall ?-yard field goal | Tenn 27–6 | ||
| 4 | UCLA | Skip Hicks ?-yard pass from Cade McNown (conversion failed) | Tenn 27–12 | |
| UCLA | Skip Hicks ?-yard run (conversion failed) | Tenn 27–18 | ||
| UCLA | Skip Hicks ?-yard pass from Cade McNown (conversion failed) | Tenn 27–24 | ||
| UT | Jeff Hall ?-yard field goal | Tenn 30–24 | ||
At Florida
at Ben Hill Griffith Stadium, Gainesville, Florida
- Date: September 20
- Game time: 3:30 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: Sunny, 95 °F (35 °C)
- Game attendance: 85,714
- Box Score/Recap
| Game information | ||
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Ole Miss
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rebels | 0 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 17 |
| • No. 9 Volunteers | 0 | 7 | 14 | 10 | 31 |
- Date: October 4
- Location: Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, Tennessee
- Game start: 3:34 pm EDT
- Elapsed time: 3:15
- Game attendance: 106,229
- Source: Box score
Georgia
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 13 Bulldogs | 3 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 13 |
| • No. 9 Volunteers | 7 | 17 | 0 | 14 | 38 |
- Date: October 11
- Location: Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, Tennessee
- Game start: 3:41 pm EDT
- Elapsed time: 3:13
- Game attendance: 106,656
- Source: Box score
At Alabama
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • No. 9 Volunteers | 7 | 14 | 10 | 7 | 38 |
| Crimson Tide | 6 | 0 | 8 | 7 | 21 |
- Date: October 18
- Location: Legion Field, Birmingham, Alabama
- Game start: 6:06 pm EDT
- Elapsed time: 3:06
- Game attendance: 83,091
- Source: Box score
South Carolina
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gamecocks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| • No. 9 Volunteers | 9 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 22 |
- Date: November 1
- Location: Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, Tennessee
- Game start: 12:38 pm EDT
- Elapsed time: 3:04
- Game attendance: 106,301
- Source: Box score
Southern Miss
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 24 Golden Eagles | 7 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 20 |
| • No. 8 Volunteers | 6 | 14 | 21 | 3 | 44 |
- Date: November 8
- Location: Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, Tennessee
- Game start: 4:08 pm EST
- Elapsed time: 3:10
- Game attendance: 107,073
- Source: Box score
At Arkansas
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • No. 5 Volunteers | 7 | 7 | 3 | 13 | 30 |
| Razorbacks | 0 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 22 |
- Date: November 15 [27]
- Location: War Memorial Stadium, Little Rock, Arkansas
- Game start: 7:15 pm EDT
- Elapsed time: 3:20
- Game attendance: 53,235
- Source: Box score
At Kentucky
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • No. 5 Volunteers | 17 | 7 | 21 | 14 | 59 |
| Wildcats | 7 | 14 | 3 | 7 | 31 |
- Date: November 22
- Location: Commonwealth Stadium, Lexington, Kentucky
- Game start: 12:30 pm EDT
- Elapsed time: 3:40
- Game attendance: 61,076
- Source: Box score
Peyton Manning threw for a school-record 523 yards and tied the school-record with 5 passing touchdowns in this high-scoring win over Kentucky. The single-game TD record fell in 2007 and the single-game yardage record stood until 2012. In all, Manning and Kentucky QB Tim Couch combined for 999 passing yards (Couch threw for a then-school-record 476 yards).[28]
Vanderbilt
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commodores | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| • No. 3 Volunteers | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
- Date: November 29
- Location: Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, Tennessee
- Game start: 12:12 pm EST
- Elapsed time: 3:00
- Game attendance: 106,683
Vs. Auburn
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • No. 3 Volunteers | 7 | 3 | 13 | 7 | 30 |
| No. 11 Tigers | 13 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 29 |
- Date: December 6
- Location: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia
- Game start: 8:06 pm EST
- Elapsed time: 3:34
- Game attendance: 74,896
- Referee: Al Ford
- Source: Box score
| 1 | 12:41 | UT | Peerless Price 40-yard pass from Peyton Manning (Jeff Hall kick) | Tenn 7–0 |
| 10:25 | Aub | Jaret Holmes 30-yard field goal | Tenn 7–3 | |
| 5:36 | Aub | Brad Ware 24-yard fumble return (Jaret Holmes kick) | Aub 10–7 | |
| 1:27 | Aub | Jaret Holmes 48-yard field goal | Aub 13–7 | |
| 2 | 14:12 | Aub | Tyrone Goodson 51-yard pass from Dameyune Craig (Jaret Holmes kick) | Aub 20–7 |
| 7:46 | UT | Jeff Hall 27-yard field goal | Aub 20–10 | |
| 3 | 11:56 | UT | J. Copeland 5-yard pass from Peyton Manning (Jeff Hall kick) | Aub 20–17 |
| 6:14 | Aub | Fred Beasley 24-yard pass from Dameyune Craig (Jaret Holmes kick) | Aub 27–17 | |
| 1:06 | UT | Peerless Price 46-yard pass from Peyton Manning (Jeff Hall kick) | Aub 27–23 | |
| 1:06 | Aub | Quinton Reese 98-yard PAT return | Aub 29–23 | |
| 4 | 11:14 | UT | Marcus Nash 73-yard pass from Peyton Manning (Jeff Hall kick) | Tenn 30–29 |
The Vols struck first just over two minutes into the game, but found themselves trailing 20–7 only 48 seconds into the second quarter. Despite six turnovers, Tennessee clawed all the way back. Peyton Manning threw for 373 yards and 4 TD, including a game winning 73-yard touchdown to Marcus Nash.[30]
Vs. Nebraska (Orange Bowl)
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 3 Volunteers | 0 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 17 |
| • No. 2 Cornhuskers | 7 | 7 | 21 | 7 | 42 |
- Date: January 2, 1998 [31]
- Location: Pro Player Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
- Game attendance: 72,385
Roster
| 1997 Tennessee Volunteers football team roster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Offense
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Defense
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Special teams
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Awards and honors
- Peyton Manning, consensus first-team All-American
- Peyton Manning, Maxwell Award winner
- Peyton Manning, Davey O'Brien Award winner
- Peyton Manning, James E. Sullivan Award[32]
- Peyton Manning, Johnny Unitas Award winner
- Peyton Manning, Best College Football Player ESPY Award winner
- Peyton Manning, runner-up, Heisman Trophy[33]
Team players drafted into the NFL
Tennessee had eight players selected in the 1998 NFL Draft.[34][35][36]
| Player | Position | Round | Pick | NFL club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peyton Manning | Quarterback | 1 | 1 | Indianapolis Colts |
| Terry Fair | Cornerback | 1 | 20 | Detroit Lions |
| Marcus Nash | Wide receiver | 1 | 30 | Denver Broncos |
| Leonard Little | Defensive end | 3 | 65 | St. Louis Rams |
| Jonathan Brown | Defensive end | 3 | 90 | Green Bay Packers |
| Trey Teague | Center | 7 | 200 | Denver Broncos |
| Andy McCullough | Wide receiver | 7 | 204 | New Orleans Saints |
| Cory Gaines | Safety | 7 | 231 | Indianapolis Colts |