96 Days Until Tennessee Football: A Look at the History of the Number

A look at the number 96 in Tennessee football history

Matt Ray | Jun 1, 2020

Amy Smotherman Burgess- News Sentinel

The number 96 does not have a lot of historical significance in Tennessee history. Kevin Mays wore the number for a couple of seasons, but he sported a different number during his most productive time at Tennessee.

The 1996 Tennessee Volunteers finished the season with a 10-2 record and a Citrus Bowl win over Northwestern after starting the season ranked 2nd. The Vols dropped a game to Florida at home and lost to Memphis at the Liberty Bowl but ultimately finished as a top 10 team nationally. The highlight win of the year came for Tennessee with a 20-13 win over Alabama at Neyland Stadium in front of a crowd of 106,700 people.

One highlight that sticks out in the modern era is a 96-yard interception return by Eric Berry in the swamp against eventual Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow. This was a highlight of the season for the true freshman, as he was on his way to an All-American Career.

Published Jun 1, 2020

MATT RAY

Matt Ray is the publisher of Sports Illustrated-FanNation's Volunteer Country, serving as a beat reporter covering football, recruiting, and occasionally other sports. Matt also is a lead analyst at Sports Illustrated All-American, Sports Illustrated lead authority in high school recruiting coverage. When not at work covering the Tennessee Volunteers or the recruiting trail, Matt enjoys spending time with his wife Destiny traveling the country.