MABE alumnus George (Andy) Herndon (BS/ME ’69) sent in a collection of photos he found of UT from the late summer and fall of 1968, including football games against UCLA and Ole Miss.
People soak up the sun at the Student Aquatic Center in 1968. The smokestack from the old steam plant and portions of Fraternity Row can be seen in the background. The Student Recreational and Fitness Center (TRECS) and RecSports Field now adjoin the site.
A pair of divers prepare to go off the springboards at the Student Aquatic Center in 1968. The Fleet Management Building—still in use today—can be seen in the background, its appearance remaining largely unchanged 52 years later.
A wooden archway featuring UT-stylized versions of Mickey and Minnie Mouse welcomes visitors to The Hill during the week of homecoming, 1968.
Balloons are released during the Pride of the Southland Marching Band’s pregame show ahead of the 1968 UT-UCLA game. Tennessee installed artificial turf before the season, with the surface becoming known as “Doug’s Rug” in homage to then-coach Doug Dickey. Oddly, the artificial turf was removed before the 1994 season, when the athletic director at UT was…Doug Dickey.
UT’s Pride of the Southland Marching Band opens the “T” as the team runs through prior to the 1968 UCLA game. The tradition began in 1965 when Dickey and then-band director WJ Julian came up with the idea as a way for the team to get from its locker room—at the time located under the east stands—to its spot on the opposite sideline without running through the opposing team.
Tennessee prepares to receive the kickoff from UCLA during the 1968 homecoming game. The No. 5 Vols defeated the Bruins 42–8. Neyland Stadium was expanded that year by the addition of an upper deck on the east side of the stadium, bringing its capacity to 64,429.
The crowd in the south end zone comes to its feet as UCLA quarterback Bill Bolden looks over the Tennessee defense, with the Bruins driving inside the 10-yard-line.
UT cheerleaders rally the crowd during the Vols’ 1968 game against Ole Miss, a 31–0 Tennessee victory. Of particular note, that was the first season as a starter for a young Rebels quarterback named Archie Manning.
The iconic “Vols” sign in the south end zone of Neyland Stadium is seen during UT’s 1968 game with Ole Miss. The sign remained on top of the stadium even after the addition of upper deck seats, only being removed when the stadium’s first JumboTron was installed in 1999.