The 1996 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee as a member of the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by fourth-year head coach Phillip Fulmer, the Volunteers compiled an overall record of 10–2 with a mark of 7–1, placing second in the SEC's Eastern Division. Tennessee was invited to the Florida Citrus Bowl, where the Volunteers defeated Northwestern. The team played home games at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Tennessee had ever lost to in-state rival Memphis for the first time ever. The Volunteers offense scored 437 points while the defense allowed only 185 points.
Schedule
Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Source |
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August 31 | 7:00 p.m. | UNLV* | No. 2 | | PPV | W 62–3 | 106,212 | [1] |
September 7 | 3:30 p.m. | UCLA* | No. 2 | - Neyland Stadium
- Knoxville, TN
| CBS | W 35–20 | 106,297 | [2] |
September 21 | 3:30 p.m. | No. 4 Florida | No. 2 | | CBS | L 29–35 | 107,608 | [3] |
October 3 | 7:30 p.m. | vs. Ole Miss | No. 9 | | ESPN | W 41–3 | 62,640 | [4] |
October 12 | 7:00 p.m. | at Georgia | No. 7 | | ESPN | W 29–17 | 86,117 | [5] |
October 26 | 3:30 p.m. | No. 7 Alabama | No. 6 | | CBS | W 20–13 | 106,700 | [6] |
November 2 | 12:30 p.m. | at South Carolina | No. 6 | | JPS | W 31–14 | 82,808 | [7] |
November 9 | 3:30 p.m. | at Memphis* | No. 6 | - Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
- Memphis, TN
| CBS | L 17–21 | 65,685 | [8] |
November 16 | 12:30 p.m. | Arkansas | No. 12 | - Neyland Stadium
- Knoxville, TN
| JPS | W 55–14 | 103,158 | [9] |
November 23 | 3:30 p.m. | Kentucky | No. 9 | - Neyland Stadium
- Knoxville, TN (rivalry)
| CBS | W 56–10 | 102,534 | [10] |
November 30 | 7:00 p.m. | at Vanderbilt | No. 9 | | ESPN | W 14–7 | 40,289 | [11] |
January 1 | 1:00 p.m. | vs. No. 11 Northwestern* | No. 9 | | ABC | W 48–28 | 63,467 | [12] |
- *Non-conference game
- Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
- All times are in Eastern time
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[13]
Rankings
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
( ) = First-place votes | Week |
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Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Final |
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AP | 2 (7) | 2 (8) | 2 (8) | 2 (4) | 2 (5) | 9 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
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Coaches | 2 (6) | | 2 (4) | 2 (1) | 2 (2) | 8 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 |
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Source:[14]
Roster
1996 Tennessee Volunteers football team roster
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Players
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Coaches
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Offense
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Defense
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Special teams
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- Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- David Cutcliffe – Offensive coordinator/assistant head coach/quarterbacks
- Randy Sanders – Running backs/recruiting coordinator
- Pat Washington – Wide receivers
- Rodney Garner – Tight ends
- Mark Bradley – Offensive line
- John Chavis – Defensive coordinator/linebackers
- Dan Brooks – Defensive line
- Kevin Ramsey – Defensive backs
- Steve Caldwell – Special teams/defensive ends
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
Roster
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Team players drafted into the NFL
Tennessee had three players selected in the 1997 NFL Draft.[15][16]
References
- ^ "Tennessee tops UNLV by 59". Reno Gazette-Journal. Associated Press. September 1, 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "It's a start". The Los Angeles Times. September 8, 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Florida staggers Vols". The Commercial Appeal. September 22, 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Peyton has fun, Archie sure doesn't, as Vols roll". Philadelphia Daily News. October 4, 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Manning leads surge past Georgia". The Tampa Tribune. September 13, 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Two in a row? It's a miracle". The Tennessean. October 27, 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "USC earns respect, not win". The Charlotte Observer. November 3, 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Orange crushed; U of M's wild-play magic, late drive trip Tennessee". The Commercial Appeal. November 10, 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Vols smoke Hogs". The Jackson Sun. November 17, 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Tennessee rolls past Wildcats 56–10". The State Journal. November 24, 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "'Confused' UT slips past Vandy". The Daily News-Journal. December 1, 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Cats a lemon in Citrus". Chicago Tribune. January 2, 1997. Retrieved February 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "1996 Tennessee Volunteers Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
- ^ "1996 College Football Polls". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
- ^ "1997 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
- ^ Morris, Jimmy (October 17, 2006). "With the 18th Pick of the 1997 NFL Draft the TN Oilers Select..." Music City Miracles. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
External links
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National championship seasons in bold |