1950 Tennessee Volunteers football team
Encyclopedia
The 1950 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee
in the 1950 college football season
. Led by head coach Robert Neyland
, the Volunteers lost only one game, a 7–0 upset at Mississippi State
in the second game of the season. The Vols handed #3 Kentucky
, coached by Bear Bryant
, its only loss and defeated #2 Texas in the en route to an 11–1 record.
Big Seven
champion Oklahoma
finished the regular season 10–0 and was named national champions by the AP Poll
, but lost to Kentucky, who Tennessee earlier defeated, in the Sugar Bowl
. Tennessee was the only top five team that year to win their bowl game
. Thus, Tennessee was voted national champions
by a preponderance of selectors, with 18 to Oklahoma's 11.
, the following season's Heisman Trophy
runner-up, and Doug Atkins
, a future member of both the College Football Hall of Fame
and the Pro Football Hall of Fame
. In addition, guard
Ted Daffer and tackle Bill "Pug" Pearman were named as All-Americans
in 1950.
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
in the 1950 college football season
1950 college football season
The 1950 college football season finished with the unbeaten and untied Oklahoma Sooners being the overwhelming choice for national champion. On New Year’s Day, the 9-0-0 Sooners were upset by the 10-1-0 Kentucky Wildcats in the Sugar Bowl. The #2 team, the United States Military Academy had been...
. Led by head coach Robert Neyland
Robert Neyland
Robert Reese Neyland, MBE was an American football player and coach and and officer in the United States Army, reaching the rank of brigadier general. He served three stints as the head football coach as the University of Tennessee...
, the Volunteers lost only one game, a 7–0 upset at Mississippi State
Mississippi State Bulldogs football
The Mississippi State Bulldogs football program represents Mississippi State University in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing as a member of the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference. Mississippi State has produced 38 All-Americans, 171 All-SEC selections, and 124...
in the second game of the season. The Vols handed #3 Kentucky
1950 Kentucky Wildcats football team
The 1950 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky in the 1950 college football season. The offense scored 393 points while the defense allowed 69 points...
, coached by Bear Bryant
Bear Bryant
Paul William "Bear" Bryant was an American college football player and coach. He was best known as the longtime head coach of the University of Alabama football team. During his 25-year tenure as Alabama's head coach, he amassed six national championships and thirteen conference championships...
, its only loss and defeated #2 Texas in the en route to an 11–1 record.
Big Seven
Big Eight Conference
The Big Eight Conference, a former NCAA-affiliated Division I-A college athletic association that sponsored football, was formed in January 1907 as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association by its charter member schools: the University of Kansas, University of Missouri, University...
champion Oklahoma
1950 Oklahoma Sooners football team
The 1950 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the college football season of 1950-1951.-Schedule:...
finished the regular season 10–0 and was named national champions by the AP Poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
, but lost to Kentucky, who Tennessee earlier defeated, in the Sugar Bowl
1951 Sugar Bowl
The 1951 Sugar Bowl was the 17th Sugar Bowl matchup, pitting the Big Seven champion Oklahoma Sooners against the Southeastern Conference champion Kentucky Wildcats . Oklahoma's regular season record was 10-0; Kentucky's was 10-1...
. Tennessee was the only top five team that year to win their bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
. Thus, Tennessee was voted national champions
NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship
A college football national championship in the highest level of collegiate play in the United States, currently the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , is a designation awarded annually by various third-party organizations to their selection of the best...
by a preponderance of selectors, with 18 to Oklahoma's 11.
Prominent players
The 1950 Tennessee team featured Hank LauricellaHank Lauricella
Francis E. Lauricella, known as Hank Lauricella was a Hall of Fame American football player for the Tennessee Volunteers football team. He served as a Democrat in the Louisiana State Senate from Jefferson Parish in the New Orleans suburbs from 1972 to 1996...
, the following season's Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
runner-up, and Doug Atkins
Doug Atkins
Douglas Leon Atkins is a former American football defensive end who played for the Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints in the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Tennessee under legendary head coach Robert Neyland...
, a future member of both the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
and the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
. In addition, guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
Ted Daffer and tackle Bill "Pug" Pearman were named as All-Americans
College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...
in 1950.