Remember the state of Tennessee football the last time they faced the Texas A&M Aggies? Nobody could have predicted the 12 years that would follow.
The Vols entered the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 1, 2005, with a 9-3 record. However, two of their losses were to the undefeated Auburn Tigers, and a third was to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, a weird one at home in which Erik Ainge went down with a season-ending injury.
Still, Tennessee entered the Cotton Bowl in high spirits after winning the SEC East with far and away the youngest team in the conference.