By Darin Hayes A College Football Legend on the Field and the Sidelines
Born October 4, 1917, Bowden Wyatt forged a distinguished career as both a player and a championship-winning head coach before his death on January 21, 1969.
As a player, Wyatt was a Consensus All-American and an All-SEC end for General Robert R. Neyland’s Tennessee Volunteers. He captained the undefeated 1938 team that shut out Oklahoma 17-0 in the Orange Bowl, Tennessee’s first-ever official bowl appearance. Wyatt’s contributions to that powerhouse Volunteers squad included playing on the defensive line and kicking a field goal in the bowl victory.
Wyatt’s 16-season head coaching career amassed a 99–56–5 overall record and included four conference titles across three different schools:
- Wyoming (1947–1952): He inherited a struggling program and swiftly built it into a contender. His teams won two Skyline Conference championships (1949, 1950), going 10-0 in 1950 and winning the 1951 Gator Bowl. His success at Wyoming led to coaching the school’s first two All-Americans.
- Arkansas (1953–1954): In just his second season, Wyatt guided the Razorbacks to the 1954 Southwest Conference Championship.
- Tennessee (1955–1962): Returning to his alma mater, he led the Vols to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Championship in 1956, earning him the title of National Coach of the Year. His Volunteers finished that season ranked No. 2 in the final AP Poll. His most memorable moment was the 14-13 upset of No. 1 LSU in 1959, which ended the Tigers’ 18-game win streak after stopping eventual Heisman winner Billy Cannon’s two-point conversion attempt.
Wyatt is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, a rare distinction he holds as one of only a few individuals to be inducted as both a player (1972) and a coach (1997).
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