The Tennessee Volunteers entered the 1998 season quietly believing they could be a team of destiny.
Even with a preseason Top 10 ranking, most experts predicted it could be a down year. Doubt became the motivating factor for new starting quarterback Tee Martin and his teammates.
"I was nervous entering the season replacing a great player like Peyton Manning," said Martin, who only attempted 16 passes as a two-year back-up to Manning. "We knew we had a core nucleus (entering the 1998 season) for a championship team," added Martin, who is now Offensive Coordinator and Wide Receivers Coach at USC.
"We had a good defense and running game, great receivers around me and an experienced offensive line. I was the one with the least amount of experience. My approach was to do my job and focus on trying to win every game."
Martin's approach was tested in the opening game of the season. He led the Volunteers on a late fourth quarter drive setting up placekicker Jeff Hall for a game-winning field goal as time expired, defeating No. 17 Syracuse, 34-33, at the Carrier Dome.
Tennessee jumped to No. 6 in the polls and returned to Neyland Stadium against No. 2 ranked and arch rival Florida. The Gators were riding a five-game winning streak against the Volunteers with an average margin of victory of more than two touchdowns.
Martin's key scramble on third and long in overtime helped set up Hall for a 41-yard field goal that gave the Volunteers a 20-17 lead.
Florida missed a field goal on its possession and an epic celebration ensued in Knoxville.
"The turning point (in the season) for me was beating Florida," said Martin. "They came into our place where we haven't beaten them in five years. They had Jevon Kearse and a team stacked with great players. To beat Florida in overtime and get over that hump, we knew we had something special."
Following the Florida win, the Volunteers jumped into the Top 5 and continued their march towards an undefeated season.
Martin continued to gain confidence and during a two-game stretch in October set a then-NCAA record by completing 24 consecutive passes. They won their remaining nine games by an average of more than 24 points and in mid-November reached No. 1.
The same week the Volunteers became the top team in the country, the unbeaten Arkansas Razorbacks came to Neyland Stadium and almost pulled off an upset.
Trailing 24-22 with less than two minutes to go in the game, the Volunteers recovered a late Arkansas fumble. Running back Travis Henry ran five straight times and scored the winning touchdown with 31 seconds left in the game to keep the dream season alive.
In the SEC Championship Game, the Volunteers faced No. 23 Mississippi State. Trailing 14-10 in the fourth quarter, Martin led the Volunteers on two touchdown drives to help secure the victory and a second consecutive SEC Championship.
The Volunteers completed the regular season a perfect 12-0.
"After a tough SEC Championship Game where I got beat-up pretty good, I was at a friend's house sleeping when the announcement was made," said Martin. "When I woke up, I found out we were playing in the national championship game.
"That was the first year of the BCS National Championship and we weren't sure how the voting, strength of schedule and other factors worked," added Martin. "We knew we were undefeated, SEC Conference Champions and believed we had a good shot. When we learned we would be playing Florida State in the Fiesta Bowl, we were ready to go to work.
"Being a college football fan, I knew the Fiesta Bowl had great match-ups. They always had games you wanted to watch. It was special playing for the national championship."
The Tennessee Volunteers completed the 1998 regular season with a perfect 12-0 record, including wins over three top 10 teams. Even with this impressive resume, the top-ranked Volunteers continued to have doubters as they headed to the Fiesta Bowl.
"One thing I do remember was that we were undefeated, Florida State had one loss, but we were the underdog," remembered Martin. "That gave us a chip on our shoulder. We were not going to back down and the narrative was to finish what we started."
After developing their game plan in Knoxville, the Volunteers were ready to head west for final preparations. When they landed in Phoenix, Martin was impressed with the reception he and his teammates received in the Valley of the Sun. "I just remember the greeting from the Fiesta Bowl Yellow Jacket Committee," Martin said as he smiled. "They helped us with whatever we needed that week. Everything was high class and perfect. It was just a good week."
Martin tested the Volunteers' offensive game plan in the first quarter of the Fiesta Bowl when he hit Peerless Price on two big pass plays. The second pass to Price went for 76 yards and set-up the first score of the game. Fullback Shawn Bryson caught a four-yard touchdown pass to give the Volunteers a 7-0 lead early in the second quarter.
"Florida State was very committed to stopping the run," said former Tennessee head coach and current athletic director Phillip Fulmer. "We knew we had to make a play or two in the passing game. We threw it early to try to soften them up and take advantage of them. The big plays to Peerless Price were the difference."
The Volunteers increased the lead to 14-0 immediately afterward, when cornerback Dwayne Goodrich intercepted a Florida State pass and returned it 54 yards for the touchdown.
"For us, it was momentum," said Martin. "Those type of games are all about momentum. When two teams are equally matched in terms of speed, size and ability a big play can change the game."
The game settled down and Florida State battled back to within 14-9 at the end of the third quarter. That changed with nine minutes left in the fourth quarter when Martin went deep again. He hit Price with a 79-yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to 20-9, a play that's been played repeatedly in college football circles.
"I remember dropping back, slipping and almost falling," recalled Martin. "Peerless nodded to the inside and the corner bit it. The defender didn't re-route Peerless and he got away free. When I regained my balance, I let it go. Peerless made a great catch over his shoulder for the score."
Price, who caught four passes for 199 yards and a touchdown, knew Martin was going to him.
"When Tee called the play and we broke the huddle, he looked at me," said Price. "I needed to get off the line of scrimmage and make a play since I knew he was going to me. I beat him (the defender) and the ball was in the air. Tee threw a great ball where I could get it. When I got into the endzone, I did a little walk and exhaled. This was sweet. I can taste victory."
Clinging to a 23-16 with less than two minutes to go, the Volunteers fumbled inside their own red zone and Florida State recovered. On the next play, Florida State threw deep and cornerback Steve Johnson made the game clinching interception.
"I remember just being poised and trusting our defense after the fumble," said Martin. "We never panicked or wavered. Regardless what happened, our defense would come through for us and they did."
The Volunteers ran out the clock and clinched their first national championship since 1951. Martin finished the game 11-19 for 278 yards and two touchdowns. Price was named Offensive MVP while Goodrich was the Defensive MVP.
"This was a huge win for the state of Tennessee, the SEC and the doubters who felt we couldn't do it," said Martin. "We set out on a mission to be the best team each Saturday. We accomplished this through our hard work and playing together on all three phases of the game. Our entire organization played a part in us winning the national championship."
For every Tennessee Volunteer and Fiesta Bowl fan there will always be cherished memories.
