re: Earliest degree from SEC school

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Tennessee was the first SEC school to actually hold classes in 1794, but was called Blount College back then (Tennessee wasn't even a state yet). They were then called East Tennessee College until 1840 and then East Tennessee University until becoming the University of Tennessee in 1879.

UGA was technically the first public University by establishing their charter in 1785 but were a University only on paper. it wasn't until 1801 that they had students

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This. UT is also the oldest secular university this side of the continental divide. That may not sound like much but for the longest time virtually every college and university was associated with a denomination. UT was unapologetically secular.

Thomas Jefferson is the one who recommended the Hill when our initial spot in Knoxville proved too small.