Editor’s note: Welcome to Tennessee Week. Our special series — “Undefeated. Unexpected. Unforgettable.” — celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Vols’ 1998 national championship season.

Tennessee’s 13-0 season in 1998 is full of memories that will last a lifetime. The program’s first national championship run in 47 years had plenty of twists and turns, but good fortune always seemed to be on the Vols’ side.

Here are the 13 most memorable moments that helped the Vols to a perfect record and the first Bowl Championship Series national title:

13. Believe in Tee

In Year 1 After Peyton, the Vols were considered a power-running team that relied on play-action passes and an occasional run by quarterback Tee Martin because, well, that’s exactly what they were. However, Martin proved he could do more in UT’s seventh game against South Carolina. Martin set an NCAA record with 24 consecutive passes completed. Martin finished the Alabama game with a completion the week before he completed 23 consecutive passes against the Gamecocks. Martin proved himself as an efficient passer that day. The Vols certainly needed that later.

12. Shaun Ellis’ marathon return

Defensive end Shaun Ellis was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week in UT’s fourth game of the 1998 season. Ellis intercepted a shovel pass and rambled 90 yards for a touchdown. That would be key for the Vols in a 17-9 victory at Auburn. Perhaps foreshadowing another big play, fellow defensive lineman Billy Ratliff led the way for Ellis but Ratliffe couldn’t find anyone to block. Ratliff and his teammates were a convoy of Vols into the end zone. It was an early sign that the Vols were a hustling, hard-working team.

11. The Stand

The Vols refused to relent when Auburn reached the 1-yard line and were threatening to close the gap. UT stopped the Tigers four consecutive times inside the 1-yard-line. The goal line stand was capped by a tackle by linebacker Raynoch Thompson on fourth down. Auburn only managed three field goals against the Vols. Auburn’s final play, a pass into triple coverage, was knocked down in the end zone.

10. Jamal goes long

Jamal Lewis ran for 67 yards and a touchdown on his first carry of the Auburn game. It was a run that showcased Lewis’ speed and put the Vols in a position to lean on the run and force the Tigers to score against UT’s stout defense. It might have been conservative, but it worked. The Vols beat Auburn 17-9.

9. Running over Georgia

The Vols had every reason to doubt themselves after Lewis was lost for the season with a knee injury in the Auburn game. Lewis was the cornerstone of UT’s running attack — or so we thought. Travis Stephens rushed for 107 yards and Travis Henry ran for 53 yards as the Vols hammered No. 7 Georgia 22-3 in Athens.

8. The Call

The Vols had all they could handle in the season opener against No. 17 Syracuse. UT trailed Cuse 33-31 late in the game. It appeared Donovan McNabb and Syracuse had won the game when Martin’s pass to Cedrick Wilson fell incomplete on 4th-and-7. Then, a flag flew in. Syracuse cornerback Will Allen was called for pass interference, which gave the Vols a first down. Jeff Hall attempted the winning kick just seconds later. More on that in a moment.

“The official did a great job,” former UT head coach and current athletic director Phillip Fulmer said. “It ended up a big play but there were a lot of plays that we made and didn’t make in that game. It’s always easy to point to one. The official did a great job. Then we took it from there.”

7. Bryson busts one

Shawn Bryson would have been a starting tailback on most any team in the nation. However, he agreed to play fullback since the Vols already had Lewis, Henry and Stephens at tailback. Still, Bryson had the ability to run the ball. He showed that on a 57-yard touchdown run in the first quarter against Florida on a simple fullback dive. The play symbolized the selflessness and overall talent that the Vols would be remembered for. How many times does a fullback break a 57-yard run against one of the nation’s best defenses? How many players would take a smaller role to help their team?

“I think Shawn Bryson probably epitomizes that team as much as anybody,” Fulmer said. “He was a tailback and moved to fullback willingly.”

6. Tee to Peerless Part I

This would become a recurring theme. Martin and receiver Peerless Price hooked up for a 29-yard touchdown midway through the third quarter against the Gators. It was a high floating pass that looked as if it might soar through the back of the end zone. The touchdown put the Vols up 17-10. This wouldn’t be the last time Martin and Price would hook up downfield.

5. Jeff Hall goes back-to-back

If not for kicker Jeff Hall’s right foot, the Vols could have lost their first two games. That would have eliminated any chance at a national title and probably an SEC title. Hall, however, came through with a 27-yard field goal to help beat Syracuse 34-33 and a 41-yard field goal against Florida to help beat the Gators 20-17. Hall’s clutch kicking was key for a team that would be in more than its fair share of close games.

Photo courtesy of University of Tennessee Athletics.

4. Fourteen in the Fourth

Tennessee’s SEC and National Championship hopes were on the ropes in Atlanta. The Vols trailed Mississippi State 14-10 before Martin threw two touchdown passes in 32 seconds in the fourth quarter. The first was a 41-yard strike to Price. The second was a 26-yard pass to Wilson after a State fumble. Thanks to losses by the nation’s other two undefeated teams, UCLA and Kansas State, the Vols were assured a chance to win a national title.

3. The Interception

Dwayne Goodrich helped set the tone with a 54-yard interception return for a touchdown against Florida State in the Fiesta Bowl, which was the site of the National Championship Game. The score put the Vols up 14-0 and let their defense rule the day. Florida State was hampered by having to play back-up quarterback Marcus Outzen, who struggled throughout the day.

“I stuck my hands out and it just kind of stuck to my hands,” Goodrich said. “It was a lot of good preparation. We kind of knew that play was coming from film study.”

2. Tee to Peerless Part II and III

Price overshadowed Florida State star receiver Peter Warrick in the Fiesta Bowl. Price caught a pass for 76 yards that set up the Vols’ first touchdown. Martin found Price again for a 79-yard touchdown pass that put the Vols up 20-9. Price ended up with 199 receiving yards. The Vols won the national title with a 23-16 win over the Seminoles and finished the season undefeated.

“It was amazing the chemistry they had. No question,” Fulmer said. “That was a big part of our year. … It all started and stopped with the ability to throw the play-action pass to Peerless.”

Photo courtesy of University of Tennessee Athletics.

1. The Fumble and The Drive

Tennessee’s national title hopes were in serious doubt when they trailed undefeated Arkansas 24-10 in the third quarter of their Game 9 showdown. Arkansas, ranked No. 10, seemed as if it was putting the game away in the fourth quarter. The Razorbacks led 24-22 and were driving with 1:47 left. One first down would end the game.

Then the unbelievable happened. Arkansas quarterback Clint Stoerner tripped over a lineman as he was rolling out. In an odd-looking play, Stoerner seemed to place the ball on the ground as he tried to balance himself. Tennessee’s Billy Ratliff recovered.

“The only thing that saved us was a miracle,” UT guard Cosey Coleman told the New York Times after the game. “That’s the only way to explain it because we pretty much had lost the game. It was definitely a miracle that happened. It was nothing we did. It was just something that happened.”

Goodrich, in a recent interview with SDS, said the defense knew what it had to do.

“We knew as a defense, when we gave our offense the ball back, it was over with,” Goodrich said. “When we got that fumble, it broke their spirit.”

After taking over at the Hogs’ 43-yard line, the Vols wouldn’t be denied. Henry ran the ball five consecutive times. The final run resulted in a touchdown and an eventual 28-24 win over the Razorbacks.

According to many players and coaches on the 1998 team, that was the sequence of events that made them believe they were destined to be national champions.

NEXT: How 1998 Vols moved on, revamped offense after Peyton Manning.

Cover photo courtesy of University of Tennessee Athletics.