For the 54th time in its storied history, the University of Tennessee will play in a bowl game.
The Volunteers went 7-5 (4-4 SEC) in 2021 under first-year head coach Josh Heupel.
UT will now make its first postseason appearance since Jan. 2, 2020 when it defeated Indiana, 23-22, in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida. The win over Indiana culminated an 8-5 season in 2019 and capped a six-game winning streak for the Vols.
The Vols will play Purdue (8-4, 6-3 Big Ten) on Dec. 30 in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.
It will be Tennessee’s third appearance in the Music City Bowl and its first since a 38-24 win over Nebraska on Dec. 30, 2016.
The Vols lost in their first postseason game in Nashville, falling to North Carolina, 30-27 in double overtime.
UT has a 29-24 record in its previous bowl appearances.
Vols Wire looks at Tennessee’s bowl history, which began when it shut out New York University, 13-0, in the New York Charity Bowl at Yankee Stadium on Dec. 5, 1931.
Tennessee’s all-time bowl scores
Dec. 5, 1931: New York Charity Game: Tennessee 13, New York University 0
Jan. 2, 1939: Orange Bowl: Tennessee 17, Oklahoma 0
Jan. 1, 1940: Rose Bowl: USC 14, Tennessee 0
Jan. 1, 1941: Sugar Bowl: Boston College 19, Tennessee 13
Jan, 1, 1943: Sugar Bowl: Tennessee 14, Tulsa 7
Jan. 1, 1945: Rose Bowl: USC 25, Tennessee 0
Jan. 1, 1947: Orange Bowl: Rice 8, Tennessee 0
Jan. 1, 1951: Cotton Bowl Classic: Tennessee 20, Texas 14
Jan. 1, 1952: Sugar Bowl: Maryland 28, Tennessee 13
Jan. 1, 1953: Cotton Bowl Classic: Texas 16, Tennessee 0
Jan. 1, 1957: Gator Bowl: Tennessee 3, Texas A&M 0
Dec. 18, 1965: Bluebonnet Bowl: Tennessee 27, Tulsa 6
Dec. 31, 1966: Gator Bowl: Tennessee 18, Syracuse 12
Jan. 1, 1968: Orange Bowl: Oklahoma 26, Tennessee 24
Jan. 1, 1969: Cotton Bowl Classic: Texas 36, Tennessee 13
Dec. 27, 1969: Gator Bowl: Florida 14, Tennessee 13
Jan. 1, 1971: Sugar Bowl: Tennessee 34, Air Force 13
Dec. 20, 1971: Liberty Bowl: Tennessee 14, Arkansas 13
Dec. 30, 1972; Bluebonnet Bowl: Tennessee 24, LSU 17
Dec. 29, 1973: Gator Bowl: Texas Tech 28, Tennessee 19
Dec. 16, 1974: Liberty Bowl: Tennessee 7, Maryland 3
Dec. 31, 1979: Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl: Purdue 27, Tennessee 22
Dec. 13, 1981: Garden State Bowl: Tennessee 28, Wisconsin 21
Dec. 31, 1982: Peach Bowl: Iowa 28, Tennessee 22
Dec. 17, 1983: Florida Citrus Bowl: Tennessee 30, Maryland 23
Dec. 22, 1984: Sun Bowl: Maryland 28, Tennessee 27
Jan. 1, 1986: Sugar Bowl: Tennessee 35, Miami 7
Dec. 29, 1986: Liberty Bowl: Tennessee 21, Minnesota 14
Jan. 2, 1988: Peach Bowl: Tennessee 27, Indiana 22
Jan. 1, 1990: Cotton Bowl Classic: Tennessee 31, Arkansas 27
Jan. 1, 1991: Sugar Bowl: Tennessee 23, Virginia 22
Jan. 1, 1992: Fiesta Bowl: Penn State 42, Tennessee 17
Jan. 1, 1993: Hall of Fame Bowl: Tennessee 38, Boston College 23
Jan. 1, 1994: Florida Citrus Bowl: Penn State 31, Tennessee 13
Jan. 30, 1994: Gator Bowl: Tennessee 45, Virginia Tech 23
Jan. 1, 1996: Tennessee 20, Ohio State 14
Jan. 1, 1997: Florida Citrus Bowl: Tennessee 48, Northwestern 28
Jan. 2, 1998: Orange Bowl: Nebraska 42, Tennessee 17
Jan. 4, 1999: Fiesta Bowl: Tennessee 23, Florida State 16
Jan. 2, 2000: Fiesta Bowl: Nebraska 31, Tennessee 21
Jan. 1, 2001: Cotton Bowl Classic: Kansas State 35, Tennessee 21
Jan. 1, 2002: Florida Citrus Bowl: Tennessee 45, Michigan 17
Dec. 31, 2002: Peach Bowl: Maryland 30, Tennessee 3
Jan. 2, 2004: Peach Bowl: Clemson 27, Tennessee 14
Jan. 1, 2005: Cotton Bowl Classic: Tennessee 38, Texas A&M 7
Jan. 1. 2007: Outback Bowl: Penn State 20, Tennessee 10
Jan. 1, 2008: Outback Bowl: Tennessee 21, Wisconsin 17
Dec. 31, 2009: Chick-fil-A Bowl: Virginia Tech 37, Tennessee 14
Dec. 30, 2010: Music City Bowl: North Carolina 30, Tennessee 27 (2OT)
Jan. 2, 2016: TaxSlayer Bowl: Tennessee 45, Iowa 28
Dec. 30, 2016: Music City Bowl: Tennessee 38, Nebraska 24
Jan. 2, 2020: TaxSlayer Gator Bowl: Tennessee 23, Indiana 22
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