There are 3 main reasons IMHO:

1) Tennessee is statistically one of the most successful programs of all time. From 1925 to present, we are five thousandths of a percentage point behind Ohio State as the all time winningest program (.73247 to .73196). But in the late 1970s and 1980s, we were not among the top 15 programs in America. During that time, FSU began a meteoric rise to the top. They did it as an independent while we were playing in the SEC and we as Vol fans were jealous of FSU's "johnny come lately" rise to prominence.

2) Bowden ducked the SEC when he was invited. He knew it would bring FSU back to the middle of college football. We all know it, and all SEC fans resent that he took the easier road at that time.

3) The total arrogance by FSU fans we encountered both on the net and in Tempe when UT and FSU played for the NC and after that game. FSU fans were dismissive of UT and that was irritating. Not only that but 7 years later I still run into FSU fans occasionally that bring up Weinke being hurt and how FSU would've won the game had he been healthy. Weinke wasn't even FSU's best offensive player (that was Warrick). UT played almost the entire season without its best offensive player, Jamal Lewis. Had Weinke played, we would've likely set a Fiesta Bowl single game record for sacks.