Mark Richt's Unusual Streak in Knoxville

Random tidbit / factoid for the day. As you know, Mark Richt has lead the Georgia Bulldogs to 3 victories in a row vs Tennessee in Knoxville.

The only other coaches to ever win three in a row in Knoxville:

5 in a row - Bear Bryant (Alabama) '72-'80
4 - John Vaught (Ole Miss) '60-66
3 - Frank Thomas (Alabama) '33-'37
3 - Bear Bryant (Alabama) 62-'64
3 - Gene Stallings (Alabama) '90-94
3 - Mark Richt (Georgia) '01-'05

Coaches who never did it despite multiple chances include:

-- Steve Spurrier (UF/SC) 4-3 record in Ktown
-- Shug Jordan (Auburn) He came close going 2-0-1 once
-- Vince Dooley (Georgia) Also went 2-0-1 once
-- Bobby Dodd (GT)
-- Frank Howard (Clemson)
-- Pat Dye (Auburn)

The Sewanee football team also hit the trifecta by winning in Knoxville during the 1903, 1904 and 1906 seasons, but I have no way of knowing if that was 1 coach or not. Back then coaches changed frequently.

If Steve Spurrier wins this year at Neyland, he would accomplish the feat with an asterisk. The Gators beat UT in 2000 (UF) and the Gamecocks won in 2005. A win this year, would make it three in a row for Spurrier, but not with a single team.

Regardless, Richt is in rare company when it comes to success in Neyland.

As for the flip side of this equation. The longest single coach consecutive win streaks against the Dawgs in Athens belong to:

4 - Bobby Dodd (GT)
4 - Phil Fulmer (UT)
4 - Pat Dye (AU)
3 - Terry Bowden (AU)
3 - Shug Jordan (AU)
3 - Harold D. "Red" Drew (Alabama)
3 - John Heisman (Clemson) 1900-1903

Note: Bear never did it. You can also see that Auburn has always done really well in Athens. Conversely, Richt (2-1), Donnan (2-1), Goff (1-1-1) and Dooley (7-5-1) faired pretty well at Auburn.

See Also:
-- All stats compiled using College Football Data Warehouse

PWD

(If I omitted something on either side, send me a link with the years and teams)

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