| In 1998, the Tennessee Volunteers'
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| | to be back-to-back SEC Champions.
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| football team opened their season with a
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| | What set the Vols apart in 1998 was not
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| win against Syracuse. UT fans
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| | their undefeated record, although it was
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| celebrated, but at that time, no one
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| | quite a feat. It was that they played
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| realized that this would be the year the
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| | the game like it should be played. They
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| Volunteers would become the "Team of
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| | were a unique team that was able to play
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| Destiny", and make history by completing
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| | as a whole on both sides of the ball with
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| the season with a perfect 13 wins and 0
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| | a fierce determination and an unstoppable
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| losses record, winning the NCAA Division
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| | attitude.
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| IA National Championship.
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| | The final game was played at the Fiesta
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| In fact, many fans were concerned. Their
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| | Bowl in Tempe, Arizona against the
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| golden quarterback, Peyton Manning, was
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| | Florida State University Seminoles on
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| off to (one of the best young careers in)
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| | January 4, 1999. Offensive MVP Peerless
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| the NFL. How could they possibly come
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| | Price made two touchdowns, a 76-yard pass
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| back from the loss of such a leader?
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| | and a 79-yard pass. The other Big Orange
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| Head Coach Phillip Fulmer, who's been in
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| | touchdown came from Dwayne Goodrich's
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| that position since 1993, thought he had
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| | 54-yard interception return.
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| an answer to the fans' concerns. Fulmer
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| | While most fans wrote off the team's
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| believes in recruiting good players,
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| | chances for an amazing season due to the
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| working them hard and winning football
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| | loss of major players like Payton
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| games, and he was confident his young
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| | Manning, Fulmer saw it as a chance to
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| team could have a great season.
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| | bring up the younger players on the team
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| With the loss of quarterback Peyton
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| | and test their skills. His belief in his
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| Manning, Tee Martin stepped up to the
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| | young team created history, and Fulmer
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| role of starting quarterback. Other
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| | was honored with the National and SEC
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| offensive players included Travis Henry,
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| | Coach of the Year award.
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| a.k.a. "Block of Cheese", Travis
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| | The National Championship earned Fulmer a
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| Stephens, Peerless Price, and Cedrick
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| | six year contract renewal, and many of
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| Wilson.
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| | the starting players went on to join
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| The equally-talented defense included Al
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| | their former team mate Payton Manning in
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| Wilson, Shaun Ellis, Eric Westmoreland,
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| | the NFL.
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| and Derrick Edmonds, among others.
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| | Watching the University of Tennessee
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| During the 1998 football season, the
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| | Volunteers play football has long been a
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| unanimous national champ Volunteers were
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| | favorite pastime of East Tennesseans, and
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| also the Southeastern Conference football
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| | will continue to be so long into the
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| champions, where the Vols held an 8-0
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| | future. But the fall of 1998 will live
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| record. They won the SEC championship
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| | long in many college football fans'
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| against the Mississippi State University
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| | memories as the magical year of the Team
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| Bulldogs, 24-14, which allowed the Vols
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| | of Destiny.
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