Reign #83 of 335 · Tennessee’s 1st reign
Tennessee, 1938–1940
450Days held
18Defenses
#18Longest of 335
#13Most defended of 335
How it started
October 8, 1938
Took the belt from Auburn 7–0 at home on October 8, 1938.
Tennessee was No. 4 in the AP poll going into that game, Auburn was unranked. While holding the belt: ranked in 11 of 11 poll weeks, best No. 1, 4 weeks at No. 1. The belt vs. the polls →
Head coach: Bob Neyland · 1 reign started, 450 days with the belt.
Defenses
The belt on the line, 18 times
October 15, 1938 · at Alabama 13–0DefendedOctober 22, 1938 · vs. The Citadel 44–0DefendedOctober 29, 1938 · vs. LSU 14–6DefendedNovember 5, 1938 · vs. Chattanooga 45–0DefendedNovember 12, 1938 · at Vanderbilt 14–0DefendedNovember 24, 1938 · vs. Kentucky 46–0DefendedDecember 3, 1938 · vs. Ole Miss 47–0DefendedJanuary 2, 1939 · vs. Oklahoma 17–0DefendedSeptember 29, 1939 · at NC State 13–0DefendedOctober 7, 1939 · vs. Sewanee 40–0DefendedOctober 14, 1939 · at Chattanooga 28–0DefendedOctober 21, 1939 · vs. Alabama 21–0DefendedOctober 28, 1939 · vs. Mercer 17–0DefendedNovember 4, 1939 · at LSU 20–0DefendedNovember 11, 1939 · vs. The Citadel 34–0DefendedNovember 18, 1939 · vs. Vanderbilt 13–0DefendedNovember 30, 1939 · at Kentucky 19–0DefendedDecember 9, 1939 · vs. Auburn 7–0Defended
How it ended