Tennessee Football: Top 10 Homecoming Games in Vols History

On Saturday night, the Volunteers will host the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders in Tennessee's annual homecoming game. 

While the Vols have had their fair share of issues this season, this Blue Raiders team appears to be exactly what the doctor ordered to get Tennessee its first win since October 1. 

Homecoming weekend festivities in Knoxville are usually punctuated by the Vols dismantling of whichever team was unlucky enough to get placed in that slot on the schedule. 

There have been a few homecoming games, however, that were anything but "gimmes." The Vols have lost only 17 of the 84 homecoming games they've played in Knoxville, but there have been many close calls and even a few upsets. 

Here are some of the most memorable homecoming games in Tennessee history. 

10. Sept. 23, 2000 | vs. Louisiana-Monroe

Let's just start off with a huge blowout, shall we? 

The Vols set a Tennessee record for most points scored in a game when they put up 70 on Louisiana-Monroe in 2000. 

Quarterback Casey Clausen made his Tennessee debut in this game, throwing for three touchdowns in the rout. Vols running backs Travis Stephens and Travis Henry combined for three touchdowns as well. Tennessee led 49-0 at halftime.

The Vols won, 70-3. 

9. Nov. 13, 2010 | vs. Ole Miss

After losing his first five conference games by a combined 167-79, first-year head coach Derek Dooley needed an SEC win in the worst way. Not that any of those first five losses were unexpected, but a bowl game appearance was riding on the Vols finishing the season on a four-game winning streak. 

The Ole Miss contest was the second game in that stretch. 

With former Oregon standout Jeremiah Masoli at quarterback, the 4-5 Rebels were in almost the same shape as the Vols coming in. 

When Tennessee's first offensive play went for 80 yards and a touchdown, the rout was on. Freshman quarterback Tyler Bray threw for 323 yards and freshman wide receiver Justin Hunter became a household name in the Volunteer State with his 114-yard, two-touchdown performance. 

The Vols won, 52-14. 

8. Nov. 8, 1997 | vs. No. 24 Southern Miss

Peyton Manning's final homecoming game at Tennessee featured quite the memorable performance. The senior threw for 399 yards on 35-of-53 passes. The future No. 1 NFL draft pick had four touchdowns and zero interceptions in the game. 

Southern Miss was no pushover either. The No. 24 Golden Eagles came into the contest at Neyland Stadium ranked seventh in the country in pass defense.

Tennessee won the game, 44-20, and, thanks to a couple of upsets in front of them, the Vols moved from No. 8 to No. 5 in the country the following week. 

7. Nov. 9, 2002 | vs. No. 1 Miami

It wasn't a Vols win. It wasn't even a close game. But the Vols hosting the reigning national champion and current No. 1 team in the nation on homecoming had to make this list. 

The 2002 Vols were supposed to be incredible. Preseason No. 1 according to many publications, the '02 Vols squad faced numerous off-the-field issues as well as numerous injuries on the field. 

Injuries were not the reason Tennessee lost to Miami on this day, however. Miami's defense was just outstanding. With eight future NFL first-round draft picks among its top 12 players on defense, the Hurricanes were a difficult team to move the ball against in 2002. 

The Vols found that out the hard way, scoring only a field goal in the opening quarter against the 'Canes. It was Miami's 31st consecutive win. 

Miami won, 26-3. 

6. Nov. 8, 2008 | vs. Wyoming

Less than one week after then-athletic director Mike Hamilton announced that Phillip Fulmer was being forced to step down at the end of the 2008 season, rendering the legend a lame duck head coach for the remainder of '08, Tennessee played one of the most uninspired homecoming games in history. 

The Vols were 3-6 coming in to the game against the Wyoming Cowboys and still had a shot at bowl eligibility with only Vandy and Kentucky remaining after Wyoming. But it seemed like there wasn't one player on that team that cared anything about a bowl game.

The Vols were listless on offense, much like they had been all season. Unable to best Wyoming's 13 points in the loss, Tennessee suffered its seventh defeat in a season for just the second time in school history. 

It was Fulmer's 52nd and final loss as Tennessee head coach. 

Wyoming won, 13-7. 

5. Sept. 25, 1999 | vs. Memphis

The defending national champs were suffering from post-another-loss-at-The-Swamp-blues, and the Vols were nearly caught sleepwalking against their cross-state rivals from Memphis. 

The Vols trailed 16-10 with less than two minutes remaining when Tee Martin hit Bobby Graham with a 53-yard bomb to the Memphis 6-yard line, setting up the Vols' go-ahead score. 

Cedrick Wilson caught the game winner with one minute left in the game. 

Tennessee came in to this game as a 31-point favorite. The Vols left the game a 17-16 victor.

4. Oct. 7, 1989 | vs. Georgia

Tennessee was riding a nine-game winning streak, ranked No. 6 in the country, heading into the 1989 homecoming game versus Georgia. 

Tennessee led the game 10-0 before the 'Dawgs scored six straight on consecutive field goals. The Vols would score another touchdown in the fourth quarter to go up 17-6. 

Tennessee still had to hold on against the pesky Bulldogs. Georgia scored a late touchdown and made the two-point conversion to bring it within three. Tennessee's defense would hold the 'Dawgs on a couple more offensive drives and the Vols ran out the clock to preserve the 17-14 victory.

It was the first of nine consecutive Tennessee wins over Georgia. 

3. Oct. 1, 1994 | vs. No. 17 Washington State

Peyton Manning's first start at Tennessee came against No. 17 Washington State on homecoming. After starting the season 1-3 and losing two quarterbacks—Jerry Colquitt and Todd Helton—to injury, Phillip Fulmer made the move to start the true freshman. 

Manning wasn't overly impressive with less than 100 yards passing and zero touchdowns thrown, but the Vols pulled out the ugly victory anyway. 

The Vols won the game, 10-9. 

Peyton went on to win a Tennessee-record 39 games as Tennessee's starting quarterback.

2. Oct. 13, 1990 | vs. No. 9 Florida

In 1990, there was a new coach at Florida. That brash, young coach was no stranger to Volunteer country. Johnson City, Tenn. native Steve Spurrier had finished his task of making the Duke Blue Devils relevant, leading them to consecutive winning seasons in '88 and '89, before taking on another building job at his alma mater. 

Although the Gators were on probation, Florida came into this game riding a five-game winning streak, ranked No. 9 in the nation. 

Someone forgot to tell the No. 5 Vols that this one was supposed to be close.

Tennessee rolled to a 45-3 victory over the Gators in Neyland Stadium. 

1. Nov. 7, 1959 | vs. No. 1 LSU

One of the greatest, most iconic plays in SEC history was LSU's Billy Cannon breaking multiple tackles on an 89-yard punt return for the game-winning touchdown against No. 3 Ole Miss on Halloween night in 1959. 

What you don't normally hear about is the Tigers' very next game. LSU came into Knoxville ranked No. 1 in the country. The Vols, ranked No. 13, were 4-1-1 coming into homecoming against the Tigers. 

After LSU turnovers on consecutive series' in the third quarter, Tennessee led 14-7. When LSU scored to make it 14-13 in the fourth quarter, the Tigers decided to go for a two-point conversion and the win. 

That's when the play simply known as "The Stop" took place. Eventual 1959 Heisman winner Billy Cannon was stuffed at the goal line. 

Tennessee defeated No. 1 LSU, 14-13.