For the first time since last year college football fans are living in unprecedented times. The three biggest college football programs in the state of Tennessee stand undefeated after two weeks and are looking to do something collectively that has not been done since before the start of World War II. In fact, one of the three schools was not even called by the name it is known as today when this feat was last accomplished.
In week 1 of the 2024 college football season the University of Tennessee and the University of Memphis each made quick work of their FCS opponents by a combined score of109-3 to move to 1-0 on the year respectively. In the West End of Nashville, perennial SEC bottom dweller Vanderbilt shocked the sports books in Las Vegas and football fans across the nation when they defeated Virginia Tech as a double digit home underdog.
This past Saturday on paper the competition was set to be tougher for both the Tigers and the Vols when they kicked off. Memphis faced the back-to-back Sun Belt Champions Troy Saturday morning and ran behind the legs of South Carolina running back transfer Mario AndersonJr., a 38-17 victory to move to 2-0 on the young season.
The Vols traveled to Charlotte, NC for a neutral site game against the 24th ranked NC State Wolfpack. In what was supposed to be a challenging matchup for Tennessee instead turned into a nationally televised coming out party for Heisman hopeful quarterback Nico Iamaleava and the very impressive Vols defense. Nico threw for over 200 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Vols rout of the Wolfpack.
It was Vanderbilt who ended up with the cupcake matchup in week 2 as they hosted the greatly overmatched Alcorn State. The Commodores raced to a 27-0 halftime lead behind a balanced offensive attack that included two rushing TDs and a passing TD from tight end Eli Stowers. Vanderbilt picked up the 55-0 shutout of the Braves for their first shutout since November of 2019 when they defeated east Tennessee State 38-0.
Now as each team sits at 2-0 they all look to pick up their third victories and if they can accomplish the feat it will be the first time that Memphis, Vanderbilt and Tennessee have all started a football season 3-0 since 1938 one year before the start of World War II.
The Vols and Memphis went undefeated that season and Vanderbilt started the season 4-0 before finishing 6-3 on the year with two of the losses coming to No.16 LSU and No.4 Tennessee. Tennessee started the season with three victories over Sewanee, Clemson and Auburn. All three of the Vols wins set inside of Shields-Watkins Field that was built in 1921 and is now known as Neyland Stadium.
Vanderbilt’s first three wins came against Washington University from St. Louis, Western Kentucky State Teachers College that is now known as Western Kentucky University, and Kentucky. The Dores won their three games by a combined 46-7. The following week Vandy would defeat Ole Miss 13-7 at home before losing to LSU and finishing the rest of the year 2-3.
The University of Memphis which was called Memphis State University for decades was called neither name in 1938. From 1912-1925 the school was named West Tennessee Normal School before being changed to West Tennessee State Teachers College in 1925. That named stuck until 1941 when it was renamed to Memphis State College where it remained unchanged until 1957 when the college was switched to university. The named was changed one more time in 1994 when the school became the University of Memphis which it is still known as of today.
In 1938, the school went 10-0 and reeled off three wins to start the season against Millsaps College from Jackson, MS; Louisiana College and Arkansas State. That season marked the first time Memphis recored 10 wins in a season. In 1943 Memphis and Tennessee did not field a team due to the war. In fact, Memphis did not play football during the years of 1943-1946. Vanderbilt started 3-0 in 1943 and 1946 while Tennessee begin the season 3-0 from 1944-1946. There is no guarantee that Memphis could have matched the starts of Vanderbilt or Tennessee in 1946.
Now some 86 years later the three schools have a chance to make history and move to 3-0 for the first time since the end of the Great Depression. The Vols will be at home this week to take on a 0-2 Kent State team that is currently a 47.5 point underdog. Baring a Notre Dame sized collapse Tennessee should easily move to 3-0. Vanderbilt goes on the road and will be a fairly big road favorite when they travel to Atlanta to take on Georgia State. The Dores sit as a 8.5 point favorite and regardless if they cover or not should return to Nashville 3-0.
At the start of the season the one game Tigers fans have had circled was the week 3 matchup with Florida State. FSU was a preseason top 10 team leaving Memphis fans and players foaming at the mouth for a chance to beat a high caliber opponent to give them the inside track to being the Group of 5’s representative in the 12 team playoff. After back-to-back loses to Georgia Tech and Boston College, current FSU and former Memphis head coach Mike Norvell is standing 0-2 on the year as his former team comes in as slight road underdogs.
The Tigers have looked good but not great in their two wins so far and despite the Seminoles being winless so far a trip to Tallahassee will be a difficult one and securing a third straight win to start the season will be no easy task. Memphis comes in to the game ranked 25th in the nation and a touchdown road underdog while looking to stay in the hunt for the Group of Five playoff spot.
If the Tigers pull off the upset and the two other schools handle business the state of Tennessee will have arguably their three biggest college football programs looking to go 4-0 together for the first time since well 1938. The three have never started 5-0 in a season and for that to happen Memphis would have to beat FSU then travel to Navy to get to 4-0 and then take care of Middle Tennessee State at home to get to five wins. Tennessee would need to handle Kent State then defeat 15th ranked Oklahoma and Arkansas on the road which is very feasible. Vanderbilt however would need to defeat Georgia State then take down No. 6 Missouri on the road and No. 4 Alabama at home. Well, how about we just be happy to see all three get to 3-0 and celebrate that.
Steven McCash is the Lead Music Writer and Utility Man for SoBros Network. Steven is the host of the ‘Drinking With…’ podcast, and the pioneer of New Music Friday, highlighting each week’s new releases in the world of music in addition to the occasional live show review. He also pitches in as a Nashville lifestyle writer and football analyst (hence the ‘Utility Man’ title). Follow on Twitter: @MC_Cash75
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