The only episode that starts before the title song
The episode The Witches of Pennbrook (1997), which aired right before this one featured a cameo by Melissa Joan Hart as Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. This is likely how Salem Saberhagen (her cat) managed to be in Philadelphia with no other explanation. This episode was part of a unique crossover with other shows in the TGIF programming block. The Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996) episode Inna-Gadda-Sabrina (1997) aired immediately before "No Guts, No Cory" and featured Salem transporting the cast to the 1960s. "No Guts, No Cory" was then immediately followed by the You Wish (1997) episode Genie Without a Cause (1997), set in the 1950s, then by the Teen Angel (1997) episode One Dog Night (1997), set in the 1970s.
The title comes from the expression: No guts; no glory.
Mr. Feeney is set to officiate Topanga and Shawn's wedding in the 1940s. Years later on the spin-off Girl Meets World Mr. Feeney actually officiates Shawn's wedding to Katy Hart.
The words Versailles (Yvonne Sciò) say to Cory/Pierre (Ben Savage), "Au revoir mon chérie, mon coeur est toujours avec toi!" mean "Goodbye my darling, my heart is always with you."