- How many National Championships have the Tennessee Volunteers won?
- When was the last time the Tennessee Volunteers won the National Championships?
- Tennessee Volunteers National Championships Wins (Years)
- Tennessee Volunteers National Championships Appearances
- Tennessee Volunteers Conference Title Wins
- Tennessee Volunteers Division Title Wins
The Tennessee Volunteers, a football team from the University of Tennessee, has a long-standing history covering over 130 years. The team debuted in 1891. They've compiled an impressive record, since then: 870 victories, 415 defeats, and 53 draws. Notably, they have won four Sugar Bowls, three Cotton Bowls, two Orange Bowls, a Fiesta Bowl, and a Peach Bowl. They are ranked fifth in bowl appearances (55) and eighth in bowl victories (30).
The Tennessee Volunteers football team plays home games at Neyland Stadium. Located on the university's Knoxville campus, they have over 485 victories at Neyland Stadium.
READ MORE: What kind of Dog is Smokey at Tennessee?
How many National Championships have the Tennessee Volunteers won?
The Tennessee Volunteers have six national championship titles to their name, as per NCAA listings. These include victories recognized by major news outlets - AP Poll and the Coaches Poll. The titles were achieved by the Volunteers in 1938, 1940, 1950, 1951, 1967, and in 1998, all claimed by the University of Tennessee.
In both 1951 and 1998, the Associated Press (AP) crowned Tennessee as national champions. However, in 1951, the Volunteers' top-ranked team was defeated in the Sugar Bowl post-season match after securing the championship title from AP and UP I. This discrepancy stemmed from the polling practices of the time, which took place before the bowl matches until the years 1965 and 1974.
When was the last time the Tennessee Volunteers won the National Championships?
TheTennessee Volunteers college football team won the national championship for the last time in 1998. The college football season of 1998 was the first season of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS). The BCS was introduced as a system to determine the national champion in college football, replacing the previous system that relied on polls and rankings. In this inaugural BCS season, the Tennessee Volunteers emerged as the national champions. This victory came just one year after their star quarterback, Peyton Manning, left college to join the National Football League (NFL).
The Florida State Seminoles provided tough challenges. But, the Volunteers proved stronger. In the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Arizona, they beat the Seminoles with a scoreline of 23-16.
Tennessee Volunteers National Championships Wins (Years)
Over many years, the Tennessee Volunteers have won six national titles. They proudly secured these wins in 1938, 1940, 1950, 1951, 1967, and 1998. Despite the Associated Press (AP) not officially recognizing the titles in 1938 and 1950, the majority agreed they deserved their wins in these years. These victories were accepted by most selectors and polls.
| Year | Coach | Selectors | Record | Bowl | Opponent |
| 1938 | Robert Neyland | Berryman, Billingsley, Boand, Dunkel, College Football Researchers Association, Houlgate, Litkenhous, Poling, Sagarin, Sagarin (ELO-Chess) | 11–0 | Orange | Oklahoma |
| 1940 | Dunkel | 10–1 | Sugar | Boston College | |
| 1950 | Billingsley, DeVold, Dunkel, Football Research, National Championship Foundation, Sagarin (ELO-Chess) | 11–1 | Cotton | Texas | |
| 1951 | Associated Press, Litkenhous, United Press International (coaches), Williamson | 10–1 | Sugar | Maryland | |
| 1967 | Doug Dickey | Litkenhous | 9–2 | Orange | Oklahoma |
| 1998 | Phillip Fulmer | Associated Press, BCS, FW, National Football Foundation, USA Today | 13–0 | Fiesta (BCS National Championship Game) | Florida State |
Tennessee Volunteers National Championships Appearances
The Tennessee Volunteers college football team has a total of 12 appearances in the National Championships. And they claim six national championships, and the other six season titles remain unclaimed by the University of Tennessee.
| Year | Coach | National Championship |
| 1914 | Zora G. Clevenger | Unclaimed |
| 1931 | Robert Neyland | Unclaimed |
| 1938 | Robert Neyland | Claimed |
| 1939 | Unclaimed | |
| 1940 | Claimed | |
| 1950 | Claimed | |
| 1951 | Claimed | |
| 1956 | Bowden Wyatt | Unclaimed |
| 1967 | Doug Dickey | Claimed |
| 1985 | Johnny Majors | Unclaimed |
| 1989 | Johnny Majors | Unclaimed |
| 1998 | Phillip Fulmer | Claimed |
Tennessee Volunteers Conference Title Wins
Up until the 2021 season, the Tennessee Volunteers college football team had won 16 conference titles. This includes 13 wins in the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
| Year | Conference | Coach | Conference Record |
| 1914 | SIAA | Zora G. Clevenger | 5–0 |
| 1927 | SoCon | Robert Neyland | 5–0–1 |
| 1932 | 7–0–1 | ||
| 1938 | SEC | 7–0 | |
| 1939 | 6–0 | ||
| 1940 | 6–0 | ||
| 1946 | 5–0 | ||
| 1951 | 5–0 | ||
| 1956 | Bowden Wyatt | 6–0 | |
| 1967 | Doug Dickey | 6–0 | |
| 1969 | 5-1 | ||
| 1985 | Johnny Majors | 5–1 | |
| 1989 | 6–1 | ||
| 1990 | 5–1–1 | ||
| 1997 | Phillip Fulmer | 7–1 | |
| 1998 | 8–0 |
Tennessee Volunteers Division Title Wins
The Tennessee Volunteers college football team has achieved a total of six division championships, solidifying its position within the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
| Year | Division Championship | Opponent | Result |
| 1997 | SEC East | Auburn | W 30–29 |
| 1998 | Mississippi State | W 24–14 | |
| 2001 | LSU | L 20–31 | |
| 2003 | N/A lost tiebreaker to Georgia | ||
| 2004 | Auburn | L 28–38 | |
| 2007 | LSU | L 14–21 | |
READ MORE: Ohio State National Championship Wins
FAQs on Tennessee Volunteers
A. The Tennessee Volunteers have six national victories to their name in 1938, 1940, 1950, 1951, 1967, and 1998.
A. The Tennessee football team has 17 titles to their record.
A. The Tennessee Volunteers have six unclaimed national championships in the years 1914, 1931, 1939, 1956, 1985, and in 1989.
A. Currently, the head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers college football team is Josh Heupel.
A. The Tennessee Volunteers play at the Neyland Stadium.
