Tennessee football history with Arkansas should make it wary of upset | Adams

Tennessee seldom has crossed football paths often with Arkansas . But their meetings sometimes have been memorable.

So, as a lead-in to the 20 ^th game in the series on Saturday in Fayetteville, Arkansas, I’ve ranked their most significant meetings.

1 . 1998: No matchup in the series could top this, as much as Arkansas fans would like to forget it.

Both teams were unbeaten when they met at Neyland Stadium in November of 1998. UT’s historic 28-24 comeback victory kept the Vols on track for their first national championship in 47 years.

The game turned on a bizarre play that has become a prominent part of Tennessee lore. With the Razorbacks clinging to a lead and seemingly on the verge of running out the clock, quarterback Clint Stoerner turned his back to the line of scrimmage after taking the snap. He stumbled as UT’s defensive front surged forward, lost his balance, and strangely decided it was a good idea to use the football to brace his fall

The football proved to be a costly prop. Stoerner fumbled, and the Vols recovered, setting up their game-winning drive in the final minutes.

2. 1992: The Vols were a solid favorite after their first five games. That included victories over Florida, Georgia, and LSU under interim coach Phillip Fulmer, subbing for Johnny Majors, who had undergone heart surgery.

Majors rejoined the Vols for the Arkansas game at Neyland Stadium, and his return didn’t go well. The Razorbacks upset Tennessee 25-24, and the Vols lost their next two games as well.

The three-game losing streak killed UT's chance of winning the SEC East and led to Majors’ dismissal. Fulmer was then promoted to full-time head coach.

3. 1999: With plenty of talent returning from its national championship team, UT had a shot at winning back-to-back titles. Despite losing their second game to Florida by two points, the Vols were still a championship contender when they traveled to Fayetteville in November.

But Tennessee flubbed a scoring opportunity in the final minutes, and Arkansas pulled off a 28-24 upset.

4. 2002: No championships were at stake in this matchup, which produced one of the longest games in UT history. Tennessee needed six overtimes to subdue the Razorbacks 41-38.

The Vols won on a touchdown pass from Casey Clausen to tight end Jason Witten. Clausen, who was known for toughness and clutch play, beat Alabama the following season in a five-overtime game.

5. 1990: The Vols capped their season with a 31-27 victory over Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl. Tennessee finished the season 11-1 and ranked fifth nationally.

Arkansas’ offense looked unstoppable at times, piling up 31 first downs and 568 yards. But the Vols turned back three Razorbacks drives with two fumble recoveries and an interception. Even with the turnovers, Tennessee needed to stop Arkansas on a fourth-and-1 at the UT 9-yard line in the fourth quarter to secure the victory.

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But the games is best remembered for the play of Tennessee running back Chuck Webb, who rushed for 250 yards on 26 carries, including a 78-yard touchdown run.

Webb entered the next season as a strong Heisman Trophy candidate but incurred a season-ending knee injury in the second game.

John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or john.adams@knoxnews.com . Follow him at: twitter.com/johnadamskns.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee football history with Arkansas should make it wary of upset | Adams