Senior Staff Writer/Editor/Host
The year is 1989, and I am not even a thought in my parents' heads. The Berlin Wall falls, the idea of the internet is born, and Nintendo releases the first Game Boy.
By the end of this year, 1989 and 2026 will have one thing in common: Tennessee and Florida will have gone an entire season without facing one another on the gridiron.
No need to wipe off your glasses or clean your device screen, you read that right. Tennessee and Florida will not face off this season, marking the first time since 1989 that the two programs have gone a season without meeting.
So, I thought it would be fun if we jumped in our DeLorean (which is fitting since Back to the Future Part II was also released in 1989) and took a trip back to relive the Vols' 1989 season.
The Volunteers were led by head coach Johnny Majors, who was entering his 13th season at the helm. Stepping in as offensive coordinator for his first season was none other than Phillip Fulmer, replacing Walt Harris, who had departed after six seasons to accept his first head coaching job at his alma mater, the University of the Pacific.
Tennessee was coming off a difficult 1988 season, finishing 5-6 after dropping the first five games of the year. Quarterback Jeff Francis was selected in the sixth round of the NFL Draft by the then-Los Angeles Raiders, opening the door for sophomore Andy Kelly to take over the reins of the offense.
Together, offensive coordinator Phillip Fulmer and quarterback Andy Kelly helped re-energize the Volunteers' offense. Tennessee went from scoring just 212 points in 1988 to 346 points in 1989, helping the offense climb from the 76th-ranked unit among 105 NCAA Division I-A teams to the 42nd-ranked offense in the country.
The Volunteers finished fourth in the SEC in scoring, fifth in rushing, and sixth in passing, marking a significant turnaround from the season before.
Tennessee opened the season inside historic Neyland Stadium
against Colorado State and first-year head coach Earle Bruce. Unfortunately, there is not much information available about the matchup, and no game footage could be found. The details of the contest come courtesy of the Johnny Majors Show, which was uploaded to YouTube. The Vols escaped with a 17-14 victory over the Rams. As Coach Majors explained after the game, "The difference in us maybe having a wider margin of victory was the turnovers, and their kicking game outdid our kicking game."
In week two, Tennessee traveled to the Rose Bowl to face sixth-ranked UCLA. The game aired on pay-per-view as the Vols delivered one of the biggest early-season statements in college football, rolling to a 24-6 victory over the Bruins. Unlike the Colorado State game, statistics from this matchup were available. Redshirt freshman Chuck Webb led the way on the ground, rushing for 134 yards on 22 carries while scoring two second-half touchdowns. Following the victory, Coach Johnny Majors told the Los Angeles Times, "I didn't think this would happen the way it did. I thought our offense had to control the game for us to win, and they did that better than I could imagine."
Week three saw the newly ranked No. 17 Volunteers return home to Knoxville to take on the Duke Blue Devils. Once again, Tennessee's defense held its opponent to single digits as the Vols cruised to a 28-6 victory. The game was highlighted by a memorable 79-yard touchdown run from Chuck Webb, who continued to establish himself as one of the most explosive players on the roster. Following the victory, Coach Johnny Majors spoke with Mike Keith and expressed his satisfaction with his team's performance: "We played an awful lot of good football tonight… They gave us a thrill for a minute. We did a great job defending; we kept them out of the end zone. Very pleased with our team."
Week four saw the Big Orange face its toughest test since the season opener, taking on fourth-ranked Auburn. Running back Reggie Cobb delivered a dominant performance, rushing for 225 yards, including a 79-yard touchdown run, as the Vols secured a 21-14 victory. Following the game, Coach Johnny Majors praised his team's rushing attack, saying, "I don't know if we've ever had a more outstanding running game against tough people than we had today."
Week five marked Tennessee's first game of the season as the hunted rather than the hunter. Now ranked No. 6 in the country, the Volunteers welcomed an unranked Georgia Bulldogs team to Knoxville with a new level of expectations surrounding the program. In another game where statistics are difficult to find, Tennessee battled through another close contest, escaping with a 17-14 victory. Following the win, Johnny Majors described the victory as one of the biggest of his career, telling The Tennessean, "It's one of the greatest and most satisfying victories I've ever been associated with."
Week six saw the Vols drop their first game of the season against storied rival Alabama in Tuscaloosa, 47-30. Coach Johnny Majors said Alabama 'jumped on us quickly, and their defense played with confidence and experience. I wouldn't be surprised if they played their best game of the season today. Their team deserved to win.'
Tennessee got back in the win column in week seven, traveling to Tiger Stadium for a high-scoring battle with LSU. After falling behind by 14 points in the first half, the Volunteers rallied to escape Death Valley with a thrilling 45-39 victory. Andy Kelly led the offensive attack, throwing for 296 yards and two touchdowns as Tennessee secured one of the wildest wins of the season.
Week eight saw Tennessee hammer Akron 52-9.
Week nine saw the Vols return to pay-per-view for a battle with Ole Miss inside Neyland Stadium. Chuck Webb delivered one of the greatest rushing performances in Tennessee history, setting a then-program single-game rushing record with 294 yards on 35 carries as the Vols defeated the Rebels 33-21.
Week 10 had the Vols traveling north to border rival Kentucky, and to no one’s surprise, Tennessee handled Kentucky 31-10.
Week 11 brought another close battle, this time against in-state rival Vanderbilt. After trailing the Commodores, Tennessee tied the game in the third quarter on a four-yard touchdown pass from Andy Kelly to Carl Pickens.
The Volunteers would take the lead for good thanks to a one-yard touchdown run from Tony Thompson, securing another hard-fought victory in a 1989 season filled with close calls.
In the final game of the season, the Vols squared off with the tenth-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks in the Cotton Bowl. Following 250 rushing yards from Chuck Webb, the Vols secured the 31-27 victory.
After missing out on a bowl game in 1988, Johnny Majors made it clear that the experience stayed with him. Watching other teams prepare for postseason games while Tennessee stayed home fueled the veteran coach heading into the 1989 season.
"I turned the sets on and sat in my seat there, jealous and angry. I had more time to bird hunt and visit with my mother and my wife over the holidays. I had a really relaxed Christmas. I had plenty of time to get organized... I don't want to be that organized again until I get through coaching. I enjoy going to bowl games."
Tennessee finished the year with a record of 11-1 and had six players drafted to the NFL: Reggie Cobb, Marion Hobby, Eric Still, Tracy Hayworth, Kent Elmore, and Thomas Woods.
The 1989 season was a huge success following a down 1988 season, leaving the Vol faithful with plenty of memorable moments.
So, before we return our DeLorean to the present, take a moment to appreciate the last time Tennessee went an entire season without facing Florida.
The year was 1989.
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