Goal Posts Dismantled

The first known dismantling of the goal posts at Shields-Watkins Field followed the November 1935 Vanderbilt victory over UT (13-7) when the four-inch, iron-pipe goal posts, embedded in concrete, were snapped off by Commodore fans who surged onto the field following the game. On November 8, 1958, when the University of Chattanooga (later, UT at Chattanooga) upset UT, Chattanooga fans tore down the goal posts, which were little more than posts with a bar across. Other assaults on the goal posts have included November 10, 1979, when the goal post at the north end was taken down following the UT victory over Notre Dame; November 22, 1980, when UT broke a four-game losing streak by beating Kentucky 45-14 in the final home game; October 16, 1982, when UT upset Alabama; September 28, 1985, when UT beat Auburn; November 30, 1985, when Vol fans flattened the fence around the field and took down the goal posts after UT beat Vanderbilt to win the SEC title (first since 1969) and go to the Sugar Bowl; September 30, 1989, when UT upset fourth-ranked Auburn; and September 19, 1998, when UT defeated second-ranked Florida in the first overtime game in Tennessee’s history.

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  • Title Goal Posts Dismantled
  • Author
  • Keywords Goal Posts Dismantled
  • Website Name Volopedia
  • Publisher University of Tennessee Libraries
  • URL
  • Access Date April 30, 2025
  • Original Published Date
  • Date of Last Update October 8, 2018