Of the two former Tennessee football players taking part in Sunday’s Super Bowl between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs, one of them owns arguably the most exciting play in Vols history.

And to think, receiver Jauan Jennings didn’t even commit to Tennessee at the position. Jennings played for the Vols across five seasons, from 2015 through 2019, under coaches Butch Jones, interim Brady Hoke and Jeremy Pruitt. The Murfreesboro native ultimately finished his career with 146 catches for 2,153 yards and 18 receiving touchdowns.

Of those, arguably none was bigger than the one he pulled down against hated rival Georgia: One that snatched victory away, at the last second, from the Bulldogs’ jowls. The 49ers likely hope they won’t need a similar play from Jennings against the Chiefs, but — on the off chance they do — the third-year NFL receiver has shown a propensity for pulling in game-winning touchdowns.

With that, here’s a look back at the time Jennings’ 2016 Hail M ary reception helped Tennessee beat Georgia, in Athens, for the first time in a decade:

Tennessee vs. Georgia 2016 game, revisited

The 2016 meeting between Tennessee and Georgia was one of the biggest of the rivalry in several years, due in part because it was the first time the Vols had entered the game with an undefeated record since the 2001 meeting (a 26-24 Bulldogs victory).

While the Vols rode a one-game win streak vs. the Bulldogs into the game (having beaten Georgia in Knoxville 38-31 the year prior), Tennessee had noticeably languished vs. Georgia in Athens. Indeed, they hadn’t won a road game in the rivalry since 2006.

That was the backdrop of the 11th-ranked Vols’ (5-0, 1-0 in SEC play) visit to take on No. 25 Georgia (3-1, 1-1) in 2016. For a while, it seemed as if Tennessee’s road woes vs. Georgia would continue as the Bulldogs jumped out to a 17-0 lead before quarterback Josh Dobbs finally got the Vols on the board with a four-yard touchdown run just before halftime.

The teams scored a touchdown each in the third quarter before the fourth quarter unveiled one of the wildest finishes in rivalry history. A 16-yard touchdown connection between Dobbs and running back Alvin Kamara made the score 24-21 in favor of Georgia, before a Corey Vereen fumble recovery in the end zone gave the Vols their first lead of the game with 2:56 left to play.

The lead, as it were, was short-lived: Even after Tennessee nabbed a Jacob Eason interception, the Vols were forced to punt the ball back to the Bulldogs, downing them at their own 19-yard line with 1:09 left to play. Four plays, 81 yards and (most importantly), 57 seconds later, Georgia regained the lead with a 47-yard touchdown pass to Riley Ridley, giving the home team what looked to be a 31-28 victory.

At least, were it not for Jennings.

Jauan Jennings Hail Mary vs. Georgia

Georgia left 10 seconds on the clock for a potential comeback for Tennessee. Kicker Rodrigo Blankenship’s 48-yard kickoff (which he kicked from his own 20 following a Georgia unsportsmanlike conduct penalty) was returned by Evan Berry for 20 yards to the Georgia 40, though a penalty moved the ball to the Georgia 43-yard line with four seconds left.

That is the time and distance Tennessee had to mount a last-second Hail Mary. Georgia played prevent defense, allowing Dobbs plenty of time for his receivers to get downfield. There, despite being out-manned six Bulldogs defenders to three Tennessee receivers, Jennings came up (literally) in the biggest way possible:

With that last-second, last-ditch play, Tennessee secured a 34-31 victory, beating Georgia in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2006-07. It remains the Vols’ last victory in its rivalry with the Bulldogs.

Said Dobbs of the play after the game: “It was a crazy play, stuff you dream about.”

Jennings explained the play in even simple terms: “I just know to go get it,” he said.

Food for thought as the 49ers attempt to secure their first Super Bowl since the 1994 NFL season.