A Gridiron Classic: The Enduring History of the Georgia vs. Tennessee Football Rivalry

The rivalry between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Tennessee Volunteers is among the Southeastern Conference’s most historic and intense pairings. Both Tennessee and Georgia are founding members of the SEC, which was established in Knoxville in December 1932. The two rank among the conference’s most winning programs, with Georgia claiming the No. 4 spot behind Alabama, Texas and Oklahoma. Tennessee closely follows Georgia at the No.

Origins and Early Encounters

The first encounter between these two teams came in 1899 - more than two decades before the SEC was founded. The inaugural game ended in a 5-0 Tennessee win in Knoxville under head coach J. A. Although the teams play every year nowadays, they only met a total of 21 times from 1899 to 1989.

The SEC Expansion and the Rise of a Rivalry

It wasn’t until the 1992 SEC expansion that this matchup could truly be called a rivalry. From 1899 to 1991, UT and UGA met only 21 times before the Southeastern Conference (SEC) expanded to twelve members and split into two divisions of six members each, West and East. UGA held a 10-9-2 series lead in the rivalry before annual play began in 1992. The expansion created divisions and slotted the Vols and Bulldogs in the east division, where they would play every year. From 1992-2023, the Dawgs and Vols were both in the SEC's Eastern Division and met annually on the football field.

Defining Moments and Long Win Streaks

One of the defining aspects of the rivalry is the long win streaks that both teams have enjoyed. Throughout the 1990s, Tennessee went 9-0 vs Georgia, holding a nine-game win streak. Tennessee has the longest win streak in the series, winning nine straight contests from 1989 through 1999. Georgia ended the streak in 2000 under head coach Jim Donnan when they defeated the Volunteers 21-10.

The Munson Era and Legendary Calls

Larry Munson is one of the all-time greats in college football commentating, and his legendary career covering the Georgia Bulldogs-from 1966 to 2008-made him as central to UGA’s football history as Vince Dooley. Munson’s highlight reel spans decades and includes dozens of teams, but two of his most legendary calls signaled the start of new eras of Georgia football. Munson’s calls made those games legendary, but even without a freshman “running over people” or a “hobnail boot,” games in the Georgia-Tennessee series were destined to have iconic moments.

A Series of Close Contests and Coaching Changes

From 2011 to 2016, every game in the series was decided by eight points or less, including one overtime thriller in 2013.

In 2001, the Mark Richt era began at Georgia. He led the Bulldogs to wins against the Volunteers in his first three seasons, beginning with a memorable upset in Knoxville in 2001.

In 2007, Tennessee defeated Georgia 35-14 to win the tie-breaker for the conference title game. In the 2009 game, the Vols defeated Georgia 45-19 under first and only season under Lane Kiffin. In 2010, Derek Dooley became the Tennessee head coach. Throughout his tenure he went 0-3 vs Bulldogs, and Georgia extended a five-game winning streak against Tennessee. Georgia continued their streak until 2015 when Tennessee defeated the Bulldogs 38-31 in Knoxville, under head coach Butch Jones.

The "Hobnail Boot" and Changing of the Guard

So, if we understand a “Hobnail Boot” play to be one that signifies a dramatic, come-from-behind game-winner that ushers in a changing of the guard, then when Gary Danielson called Tennessee’s 2016 Hail Mary “another Hobnail Boot,” he did Mr.

Recent Memorable Moments

In recent years, this rivalry has produced unforgettable moments. The most memorable one in recent memory was Tennessee’s win in 2016, thanks to an unforgettable Hail Mary as time expired. In 2016, Kirby Smart succeeded Mark Richt as Georgia head coach. That year, Tennessee won by a Hail Mary pass with 4 seconds left on the clock. With just four seconds left in the game, quarterback Joshua Dobbs heaved up a 43-yard pass that Jauan Jennings managed to pull down in the end zone.

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Another pivotal game came in 2022, during one of Tennessee’s best seasons in recent memory. The Vols were ranked No. 1 and was 8-0 when they headed down to Athens. Although the Vols had dominated the early part of their season, the No. 3 Bulldogs took care of business at home. Tennessee took an early 3-0 lead, but Georgia controlled the rest of the game, which resulted in a 27-13 victory.

The Smart Era and Dominance

When Kirby Smart arrived in Athens, Knoxville had been in disarray for some time. Lane Kiffin’s ignominious midnight exit, Derek Dooley’s poor results and Butch Jones’ big game struggles all kept the Vols from coming close to their former glory. But in 2016, Tennessee was fresh off a bowl win over the No. They were 4-0 coming into a week 5 game in Athens, including a win over No. 19 Florida the week before. Smart had prepared his team well, taking a 17-7 lead into halftime. But in the second half, the Volunteers outscored the Dawgs 21-7. This one stung for Georgia fans, and it stung even more when Tennessee rattled off three consecutive losses after this: No. 8 Texas A&M, No. That sting lasted exactly one year. Because in 2017 - and every year since - the Bulldogs beat the Volunteers. Georgia is currently on its longest win streak against the Vols, winning the last seven games dating back to 2017.

Georgia's 2019 victory gave UGA the series lead for the first time since Tennessee had taken the lead in 1993.

The Current Landscape and Future Outlook

Today, Josh Heupel is the Volunteers’ head coach, Tennessee’s sixth in 15 years, and national spotlights are shining on our contests once again.

Heading into the 2024 matchup, Georgia holds the upper hand in the series with a 28-23-2 record. Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel has yet to secure a win over the Bulldogs, with the Vols averaging only 13 points a game against Georgia.

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A Look Back at the 1980 Season

By 1980, the Bulldogs and Volunteers had only met 17 times, with Tennessee holding a one-game lead in the rivalry: 8-7-2. Georgia went to Knoxville to open the 1980 season, and the hopes they had to tie the series faded quickly. The Dawgs found themselves down 9-0 quickly, and their offense couldn’t sustain a drive. Vince Dooley knew his team of upperclassmen was strong at a number of positions, but tailback wasn’t one of them, and the early results here had proven that. The impact of that decision wouldn’t become clear until the second half, when Tennessee extended their lead to 15. No one knew it then, but that was the end of their scoring, and the beginning of Georgia’s season.

The 2000 Season: A Turning Point?

In 2000, Jim Donnan was in his fifth season as UGA head coach and in the proverbial hot seat. At most schools, a record of 32-15 doesn’t put you in trouble. But at Georgia, when that 32-15 contains a 5-11 record against Florida, Tennessee, Auburn and Georgia Tech, your record against everybody else means a lot less. Tennessee was 2-2, with losses to No. 6 Florida and an unranked LSU team. This was out of character for the Vols, who were just two years removed from a national championship, and their ranking tumbled to 21. Still, they had no fear of the No. 19 Bulldogs. They found the why by halftime, when Georgia took a 7-3 lead into the locker room thanks to a stifling defense. After the half, Tennessee scored to take the lead, 10-7. The feeling of impending victory over the Vols, foreign to Bulldog fans for over a decade, was too much for many in attendance. It was dramatic, it ended Tennessee’s dominance over UGA and it marked the only time the goal posts were torn down in Sanford Stadium’s history. But many may not remember this game, because by season’s end, there was much more this game did NOT do than what it did do. It did not spark a magical season for the Dawgs. It did not save Jim Donnan’s job. Mark Richt’s tenure at Georgia wouldn’t be quite as dominant as the Tennessee streak that preceded him, but he certainly leveled out the rivalry before his 2015 departure.

The Stakes in 2024

This year, both teams have a great amount at stake. Tennessee is currently No. 7 in the CFP poll with a solid 8-1 record. Georgia sits at No. 12 in the poll with a 7-2 record following a loss to Ole Miss last week. Georgia football hosts Tennessee on Saturday in a game with massive College Football Playoff implications. With Athens hosting ESPN's "College GameDay" in Week 12, the No. 10 Bulldogs (7-2, 5-2 SEC) return home for a must-win game against the No. 4 Vols (8-1, 5-1), as they look to bounce back from their 28-10 upset loss against Ole Miss in Week 11. Georgia, barring utter chaos across college football, is more likely than not eliminated from CFP contention with a loss, as it would fall to 7-3 on the season with a miniscule, if any, chance at making the SEC championship game. But the Bulldogs have plenty of history against Tennessee - including a recent history of success - and the 2024 version of the two programs' matchup will almost certainly be one to be remembered.

Series Records and Statistical Standouts

The largest margin of victory overall was Tennessee by 46 points in 1936 at Sanford Stadium in Athens in their 46-0 victory. The largest margin of victory for Georgia is by 44 points in 1981 at Sanford Stadium in their 44-0 victory.

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