The game pitted the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Tennessee Volunteers.

They would promptly win the rest of their regular season games, finishing with 10 victories (though not a Southwest Conference title), the first time that happened since 1953, which also culminated in a Gator Bowl appearance.

The Volunteers started the season with five straight victories before facing off against #2 Alabama, which they lost 42–21.

A win over TCU was followed by losses to Georgia and Ole Miss that dropped them out of the rankings.

Victories over Kentucky and Vanderbilt to end the season got them back into the polls as they limped to a fourth place finish in the Southeastern Conference, though they were invited to a bowl game for the seventh straight year.