For the 54th time in its rich history, the University of Tennessee will participate in a bowling game.
The Volunteers went 7-5 (4-4 SEC) in 2021 under freshman head coach Josh Heupel.
UT will now make its first playoff appearance since Jan. 2, 2020, when it defeated Indiana, 23-22, at the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida. The win over Indiana capped an 8-5 season in 2019 and capped a six-game winning streak for the Vols.
The Vols will face Purdue (8-4, 6-3 Big Ten) on Dec. 30 at the TransPerfect Music City Bowl at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.
This will be Tennessee’s third appearance at 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, losing to North Carolina 30-27 in double overtime.
UT is 29-24 in previous bowl appearances.
Vols Wire looks at Tennessee’s story, which began when it shut out New York University, 13-0, in the New York Charity Bowl at Yankee Stadium on December 5, 1931.
Tennessee Bowl High Scores
December 5, 1931: New York Charity Game: Tennessee 13, New York University 0
January 2, 1939: Orange Bowl: Tennessee 17, Oklahoma 0
January 1, 1940: Rose Bowl: USC 14, Tennessee 0
January 1, 1941: Sugar Bowl: Boston College 19, Tennessee 13
January 1, 1943: Sugar Bowl: Tennessee 14, Tulsa 7
January 1, 1945: Rose Bowl: USC 25, Tennessee 0
January 1, 1947: Orange Bowl: Rice 8, Tennessee 0
Jan. 1, 1951: Cotton Bowl Classic: Tennessee 20, Texas 14
January 1, 1952: Sugar Bowl: Maryland 28, Tennessee 13
January 1, 1953: Cotton Bowl Classic: Texas 16, Tennessee 0
Jan. 1, 1957: Gator Bowl: Tennessee 3, Texas A&M 0
December 18, 1965: Bluebonnet Bowl: Tennessee 27, Tulsa 6
Dec. 31, 1966: Gator Bowl: Tennessee 18, Syracuse 12
January 1, 1968: Orange Bowl: Oklahoma 26, Tennessee 24
January 1, 1969: Cotton Bowl Classic: Texas 36, Tennessee 13
December 27, 1969: Gator Bowl: Florida 14, Tennessee 13
January 1, 1971: Sugar Bowl: Tennessee 34, Air Force 13
December 20, 1971: Liberty Bowl: Tennessee 14, Arkansas 13
Dec. 30, 1972; Bluebonnet Bowl: Tennessee 24, LSU 17
December 29, 1973: Gator Bowl: Texas Tech 28, Tennessee 19
December 16, 1974: Liberty Bowl: Tennessee 7, Maryland 3
December 31, 1979: Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl: Purdue 27, Tennessee 22
December 13, 1981: Garden State Bowl: Tennessee 28, Wisconsin 21
December 31, 1982: Peach Bowl: Iowa 28, Tennessee 22
December 17, 1983: Florida Citrus Bowl: Tennessee 30, Maryland 23
December 22, 1984: Sun Bowl: Maryland 28, Tennessee 27
January 1, 1986: Sugar Bowl: Tennessee 35, Miami 7
December 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
January 1, 1991: Sugar Bowl: Tennessee 23, Virginia 22
January 1, 1992: Fiesta Bowl: Penn State 42, Tennessee 17
January 1, 1993: Hall of Fame Bowl: Tennessee 38, Boston College 23
January 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 14
January 1, 1997: Florida Citrus Bowl: Tennessee 48, Northwestern 28
Jan. 2, 1998: Orange Bowl: Nebraska 42, Tennessee 17
January 4, 1999: Fiesta Bowl: Tennessee 23, Florida State 16
January 2, 2000: Fiesta Bowl: Nebraska 31, Tennessee 21
January 1, 2001: Cotton Bowl Classic: Kansas State 35, Tennessee 21
January 1, 2002: Florida Citrus Bowl: Tennessee 45, Michigan 17
December 31, 2002: Peach Bowl: Maryland 30, Tennessee 3
January 2, 2004: Peach Bowl: Clemson 27, Tennessee 14
January 1, 2005: Cotton Bowl Classic: Tennessee 38, Texas A&M 7
January 1, 2007: Outback Bowl: Penn State 20, Tennessee 10
January 1, 2008: Outback Bowl: Tennessee 21, Wisconsin 17
December 31, 2009: Chick-fil-A Bowl: Virginia Tech 37, Tennessee 14
December 30, 2010: Music City Bowl: North Carolina 30, Tennessee 27 (2OT)
January 2, 2015: TaxSlayer Bowl: Tennessee 45, Iowa 28
December 30, 2016: Music City Bowl: Tennessee 38, Nebraska 24
January 2, 2020: TaxSlayer Gator Bowl: Tennessee 23, Indiana 22
