When ESPN went looking for the biggest villain for every Power Four program ahead of the 2026 season, Tennessee’s answer landed on a familiar face: Steve Spurrier.
That choice fits the shape of the rivalry. Spurrier, a Johnson City, Tennessee native, passed on the local Vols as a high school recruit and signed with Florida instead, where he later won the 1966 Heisman Trophy. But his deepest feud with Tennessee came on the sideline, first at Florida and later at South Carolina, where he built a 14-10 record against the Vols in his coaching career.
ESPN’s Dave Wilson pointed to the way Spurrier kept getting under Tennessee’s skin during the years Florida and Tennessee were fighting for SEC control. He wrote, “Spurrier, who grew up in Johnson City, Tennessee, delighted in tormenting the Vols,” and noted that Spurrier went 8-4 against Tennessee while coaching Florida, including five straight wins from 1993 to 1997. That stretch included some brutal losses for the Vols, even with Peyton Manning at quarterback.
“Manning was 32-5 as the Vols’ starter, but three of those losses came to Spurrier and the Gators, including a 62-37 rout in 1995, the Vols’ only defeat of the season,” Wilson wrote.
The needle was part of the package too. After Tennessee played in the Citrus Bowl - the consolation prize for the SEC’s second-place team - following the 1993, 1995 and 1996 seasons, Spurrier famously told a Gator Club booster group in the summer of ’97, “You can’t spell ‘Citrus’ without ‘U-T.'”
Tennessee had its moments back, though. The Vols beat Florida in 1998 on their way to the national championship, then stunned No. 2 Florida in Gainesville in 2001 in what became Spurrier’s final game at The Swamp.
And while Spurrier was ESPN’s pick, he wasn’t the only name that could have worn the villain label. Nick Saban finished 18-2 against Tennessee in his coaching career, including the 2001 SEC Championship Game win that knocked the Vols out of the national championship picture.
Lane Kiffin also left a lasting mark after walking away from Tennessee after just one year as head coach, a move that set off rage and riots in Knoxville. Since then, he’s gone on to serve as Alabama’s offensive coordinator and the head coach at Ole Miss, all while continuing to take shots at Tennessee.
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Josh Heupels Fall Camp Message Is Exactly What Tennessee Needed
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A new micd-up video from Tennessee football captured Heupel in his element during camp, giving fans a look at the tone he is setting as the 2026 season approaches. For a team looking to sharpen itself after an uneven SEC run and a disappointing finish last year, the message is less about flash and more about the day-to-day habits that can lift Tennessee back into a better position. [Read more 🡒]