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Tennessee needed help from the refs and got lucky in 1998.
Posted on 7/28/26 at 8:15 am
Posted on 7/28/26 at 8:15 am
Tennessee played Mississippi State (yes, that Mississippi State) in the SEC championship in 1998. State was winning well into the second half, and should’ve won the game if not for biased calls from the referees that were instructed to make said calls from the then SEC commissioner Roy Kramer so that an SEC team could be in the natty.
After winning that game when they shouldn’t have, Tennessee got extremely lucky that FSU’s starting QB was out for the natty. They would’ve lost if he was healthy. Tennessee hasn’t had a legitimate championship football program since the 1950s.
After winning that game when they shouldn’t have, Tennessee got extremely lucky that FSU’s starting QB was out for the natty. They would’ve lost if he was healthy. Tennessee hasn’t had a legitimate championship football program since the 1950s.
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Posted on 7/28/26 at 8:24 am to Uga Alum
Yup, good teams take advantage of the luck that goes into a Natty season. Tennessee got lucky that Clint Stoerner fumbled that year, and we capitalized. I think everyone would agree that winning a Natty requires the breaks to fall in your favor for that year
In 2021, UGA got lucky that both Bama starting WRs got hurt
In 2022, UGA got lucky that OSU missed the game-winning field goal
Literally who cares
In 2021, UGA got lucky that both Bama starting WRs got hurt
In 2022, UGA got lucky that OSU missed the game-winning field goal
Literally who cares
This post was edited on 7/28/26 at 8:26 am
Posted on 7/28/26 at 8:24 am to Uga Alum
Roid Krammit pulled many strings for 10rc.
Posted on 7/28/26 at 8:25 am to Uga Alum
Was this the same year as the stoernover? They also got to play fsu with a backup qb. That wouldn’t be allowed now days, ask 23 fsu
Posted on 7/28/26 at 8:29 am to Uga Alum
I think we can all agree that 1998 Tennessee was one of the weakest national champions in modern college football history.
Posted on 7/28/26 at 8:47 am to VFL67
You are right...1998 was so long ago I didn't remember the little details
Posted on 7/28/26 at 8:58 am to RollTide1987
quote:
weakest national champions in modern college football history.
Tennessee won 4 top 10 match-ups that year. That's more than:
-1973 Alabama
-1978 Alabama
-1979 Alabama
-1980 UGA
-1992 Alabama
-1996 Florida
-2003 LSU
-2005 Texas
-2006 Florida
-2007 LSU
-2010 Auburn
-2011 Alabama
-2017 Alabama
-2022 UGA
Looks like Bama has benefited from some very easy seasons then. In 1979, Bama didn't even beat a top 5 team all year, and the same with UGA in 1980 lol
This post was edited on 7/28/26 at 9:02 am
Posted on 7/28/26 at 8:59 am to VFL67
You needed to cheat to beat Mississippi State.
This post was edited on 7/28/26 at 9:00 am
Posted on 7/28/26 at 8:59 am to Uga Alum
Luck is needed, but I don’t know how you look at this game and say it was luck.
Posted on 7/28/26 at 9:03 am to Uga Alum
quote:
You needed to cheat to beat Mississippi State.
Tennessee won that game by double digits
Posted on 7/28/26 at 9:09 am to VFL67
quote:
Tennessee won that game by double digits
MSU’s offense didn’t even score. 2 TDs off an Interception and Punt Return for MSU. Tennessee had an Interception return for a TD taken off by a block in the back. And Bammer homer Steve Shaw was the ref. What an odd OP.
Posted on 7/28/26 at 9:09 am to Uga Alum
quote:
You needed to cheat to beat Mississippi State.
Hey now we had a top 5 defense in the country and coached by Jackie Sherrill. For you young guns he was a polarizing coach but he was good and won everywhere he went.
Football was obviously a lot different back then. Way more parity and every fanbase wasn’t boom or bust. People were happy with 9 win seasons and a good bowl game
I was very young at the time but having watched most of that game back there were some frustrating calls that didn’t go our way. The punt return in the 2nd half when we took the lead was fun
Honestly our 99 team was better and we should’ve been in the SEC title game back to back years but lost two tight games at bama and at arky
This post was edited on 7/28/26 at 9:13 am
Posted on 7/28/26 at 9:11 am to mckibaj
quote:
What an odd OP
Exactly choosing that game to troll Tennessee about makes no sense. If anything, talk about the Stoerner fumble. Then again, this poster has never been accused of being smart, just having a fat wife
Posted on 7/28/26 at 9:11 am to Uga Alum
Tennessee was a really good team in 1998, but they also got some of the most divine-intervention like luck on the way to their title. Granted, almost every national title winner ever, wiht only very few exceptions, hasn't needed a smidgen of luck along the way.
But stoerner fumbling the ball for no reason at all with less than 2 minutes to go in the game wiht a lead is beyond "luck" and borders on something else otherworldly. And as mentioned they got another gift handed to them facing a weakened FSU in the title game following a MSU team that ended with 5 losses.
Hey, you can only play the team lined up in front of you, so I don't fault or blame UT or anythign. They can't help any of the above. But that title team is truly one of the weakest ones over the last 40 years.
But stoerner fumbling the ball for no reason at all with less than 2 minutes to go in the game wiht a lead is beyond "luck" and borders on something else otherworldly. And as mentioned they got another gift handed to them facing a weakened FSU in the title game following a MSU team that ended with 5 losses.
Hey, you can only play the team lined up in front of you, so I don't fault or blame UT or anythign. They can't help any of the above. But that title team is truly one of the weakest ones over the last 40 years.
Posted on 7/28/26 at 9:13 am to VFL67
quote:
In 2021, UGA got lucky that both Bama starting WRs got hurt
In 2022, UGA got lucky that OSU missed the game-winning field goal
Don't clump me in the pussy-brigade of fans that lean on the injury excuse. UGA had alot of injuries in both of those games you referenced as well, but even if we would have lost them, I wouldn't whine about it.
An old wise Bama fan that used to be on this board long ago said it best..."Championship teams have championship depth". Never use injuries to take a shot at a team that was clearly the better team when they won and your team lost.
Posted on 7/28/26 at 9:16 am to VFL67
quote:
In 2022, UGA got lucky that OSU missed the game-winning field goal
A team missing a 50 yard field goal happens every saturday in every league every season. It's as routine as a WR dropping a pass or seeing a ballcarrier fumble. It's just part of football that has nothing to do with "luck".
Was it also "luck" that OSU's QB ran for more yards than he did in 11 of the other games that year COMBINED? Or that one of our best players and 1st round draft picks was lost for the year late in the season? Those are just called "football".
Posted on 7/28/26 at 9:27 am to Uga Alum
Also pistol whipped Q Carter and the Dawgs 22-3 in Athens. thUGA had won @ LSU the week before and thought they had arrived. Al Wilson made them cry.
Posted on 7/28/26 at 9:28 am to VFL67
Don't waste your time justifying facts with inbreds.
Posted on 7/28/26 at 9:28 am to mckibaj
shhhh
Posted on 7/28/26 at 9:29 am to Uga Alum
I like to believe you're just consistenty / routinely trolling for laughs, fun; just to stir the pot. But that's just me. In general I prefer to give people the benefit of the doubt.
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