McGee's break-out year came during the 1984 season, when he caught 54 passes for 809 yards and 6 touchdowns, breaking the school's single-season record of 51 receptions set by Larry Seivers in 1976, and coming just shy of Seivers' single-season record of 840 receiving yards. He caught 10 passes for 157 yards and a touchdown against Florida, and his 17-yard touchdown catch in the Vols' 28–27 win over Alabama helped ignite a late Tennessee comeback. He caught 10 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns against Vanderbilt. He was named 2nd-team All-SEC for his efforts.