Here are the five defining moments for Tennessee’s 2014 season.

1. Joshua Dobbs taking the starting role: Dobbs made his first appearance during the third drive of the Vols’ Week 9 matchup against Alabama. The quarterback went 4-1 in his next five appearances as the team’s starting quarterback. Dobbs provided the Tennessee offense with a much needed spark after it struggling through early SEC losses. Tennessee averaged 37 points per game during its final five games, a 13-point improvement from its first eight. The sophomore recorded 1,206 passing yards, 9 TD, 6 INT, 63.3 completion percentage; 587 rushing yards, 8 TD, 104 attempts (six appearances).

2. TaxSlayer Bowl victory: Tennessee made its first bowl appearance since 2010 during the 2015 TaxSlayer Bowl against Iowa. The Vols dominated the Hawkeyes, 45-28, in what was the team’s first bowl win since the 2008 Outback Bowl. Jalen Hurd recorded 122 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries. Tennessee was one of the SEC’s most impressive bowl teams and enters the 2015 season with momentum after finishing with a winning record.

3. South Carolina comeback: Dobbs solidified his place as Tennessee’s starting quarterback after his historic performance against South Carolina. The sophomore became the first player in school history to record more than 300 passing yards and 100 rushing yards. The Vols trailed 42-28 with 4:52 remaining before scoring 17 unanswered points. The victory marked Tennessee’s first of three SEC victories of 2014 and the begging of its rally to secure a postseason berth.

4. Blowout win against Kentucky: Coming off a bye week that followed the win against South Carolina, the Vols saw their most dominant SEC performance of the season with a 50-16 victory against Kentucky in Week 12. Dobbs threw for 297 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for 48 yards and a score. Hurd rushed for 118 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries, while the Tennessee defense forced two interceptions.

5. Earning bowl game appearance: The Vols ended their bowl drought by defeating Vanderbilt in the final week of the regular season. The win wasn’t pretty, but was enough for Tennessee to achieve its season-long goal of securing a postseason berth. Butch Jones provided credibility to his “brick by brick” rebuilding promise with a two-win improvement in 2014.