Tennessee at UCLA - Preview & Prediction

It seems every day that passes brings more good news for the Vols—and more bad news for the Bruins.

As more crutches show up in Westwood and more players are declared eligible in Knoxville, many in Vol Nation have worked themselves into a frenzy that envisions Dave Clawson's new offense ripping into a vulnerable UCLA defense. Meanwhile, the Vol D puts the clamps on UCLA's third team quarterback in a game Tennessee wins by scoring at least 40.

But let's pump the brakes for a second.

Kevin Craft wasn't the primary option at quarterback for the Bruins, true. They also haven't fully sorted out the offensive line, which could spell trouble for their most viable offensive option in RB Kahlil Bell.

However, Tennessee's biggest problem on the West Coast last year—tackling in space—has been a concern in a few preseason scrimmages as well. UCLA doesn't have Cal's offensive weapons from last year, but if Rico McCoy and the rest of a somewhat inexperienced front seven don't make the tackles they should make, UCLA is going to find some yardage.

The Vol secondary is being counted on as the strength of the defense, and that should hold true from the first snap. But don't look for Norm Chow's offense to try to throw over the top of Eric Berry and Demetrice Morley either. If UCLA plays disciplined, mistake-free football, there's no reason why they shouldn't be able to find some production.

Tennessee struggled all year in 2007 to get pressure on the quarterback. Anyone good enough to play at a BCS conference school is going to find success if given enough time. The Vols will looked for marked improvement in the pass rush with more speed and a better secondary in coverage, but even Kevin Craft can hurt you if he's got all day to make decisions.

And what effect will Rick Neuheisel's home debut in powder blue have on the game?

On the other side...really, no one knows exactly what we're going to see from the Vol offense. UCLA's defense is equally inexperienced at key places, and the Vols are breaking in (again) Jonathan Crompton at quarterback.

While some have made rash comparisons to Tim Tebow based on Crompton's playing style, toughness, and effort in a 2006 game against LSU...let's give him a chance to just go out there and see what he can do before we anoint him.

The Vols do have Arian Foster and a host of solid wide receivers. TE Brandon Warren is eligible from Florida State, where he was a freshman All-American in 2006, but again, let's wait and see exactly how he's going to operate in this offense. Yards will be there, even if we're not exactly sure how they're going to be gained.

I'm very curious to see the offensive line in action. Five players with starting experience are back on a unit that allowed four sacks in 14 games last year. But how much of that was David Cutcliffe's "Throw it away!" offense, and what'll happen now that Dave Clawson is calling the shots? Can UCLA's defensive front get penetration?

This brings us back to Crompton, who jacks up the risk/reward issue for the Vol offense by a factor of at least 10. Erik Ainge and David Cutcliffe were disciplined, and so was the Vol offense. Dave Clawson repeatedly emphasizes getting the ball to the playmakers, while Crompton's got some playmaker in his blood too.

As a Vol fan, my hope is that Crompton is educated in the Tee Martin School of Quarterbacking: Make the plays you have to make, don't get your team beat, and win games.

The Vols probably don't need Crompton to turn into a Heisman candidate. They do need him to play within himself and lead the team to victory on the strength of 11 guys, not the strength of his arm and legs. While you may not learn a lot about the Vols as a whole, I think you'll learn (or remember) an awful lot about Crompton Monday night.

There's no doubt this is a game Tennessee should win. Generally speaking, however, I think UCLA isn't being given quite enough credit despite the injuries, while an offense that none of us have seen is already facing way too many expectations for the Vols.

If you're looking for the definitive answer on how good this Tennessee team can be, wait for Florida, no matter how good it may look Monday night. Any win, no matter how bad it may look, will be a good one coming out of the season opener on the road. If Vol fans didn't learn to value each victory after last season, they'd better learn it now.

I think you'll see some questions and some answers coming out of this one from the Tennessee offense. I also think the Vol defense is good enough to take care of most of what UCLA, in their limited capacity, will throw at them.

So color it orange...just maybe not quite as bright as Vol fans would like it to be. We'll see.

Will's Pick: Tennessee 27, UCLA 13

Vanderbilt takes another baby step

It used to be that you could count on death, taxes, and Vanderbilt losing.

And granted, the 'Dores haven't played in a bowl game since the Reagan Administration, have never threatened in the SEC East and probably won't again this year. A handful of upsets along the way are all Vandy's had to show for its football program at a university without an athletic department.

Bobby Johnson took over in 2002, and the above facts haven't changed. No bowls. No winning seasons. A few upsets to pass the time.

But even if the Commodores haven't won the war...they're winning some battles along the way.

Good players like Jay Cutler and Earl Bennett have come through Nashville under Johnson, and Vandy has flirted with a breakthrough. Last season, though they still finished outside the bowl landscape, they won five games. Which wasn't anything new in the last few years.

But they won those five games by an average of almost 17 points. And that was new.

Granted, they played Richmond, Eastern Michigan and Miami (OH). But they also beat Ole Miss and South Carolina by double digits. Even if they weren't winning six, they weren't finding a way to lose all the time. Even if you couldn't take them seriously, you couldn't take them for granted either.

However...graduation losses, especially the departure of WR Earl Bennett, made many this offseason say that Johnson had missed his window and it would be back to the doldrums in 2008.

And maybe it still will be. But on the first night of the college football season, Vanderbilt made a point.

It's still a small point, and those outside the SEC and Miami (OH) may not understand it. But when the 'Dores went on the road tonight and ran for 275 yards and won by three touchdowns, they proved that maybe it's not just the every now and again surge of talent with a player like Bennett, and it's definitely not a fluke:

Vanderbilt has made progress. Real progress.

A team that was supposed to be the old Vanderbilt instead won a road game by three touchdowns. And Miami (OH) isn't Miami (FL), who isn't regular FL, whom the 'Dores will see along with the rest of the SEC East soon enough. But the RedHawks aren't terrible either, and Vandy was impressive. Or at least they were impressive enough.

QB Chris Nickson won't win the Heisman, but his day with 138 yards rushing and playing mistake-free in the passing game was more than enough. The Commodores picked off three passes. They did what they had to do to win and win comfortably, which used to be the polar opposite of a program that would do anything it took to lose.

So maybe Vandy goes 1-11. Maybe they miss another bowl game. And maybe another talent like Cutler or Bennett doesn't roll around again. But tonight proves, at the very least, that even without those marquee players, Bobby Johnson has progressed this program away from the automatic circled victory on the opposition's schedule to a team you have to look twice at. The steps may be small, but they are steps nonetheless. Johnson has done a good job. Vanderbilt cannot be taken for granted.

And that can happen at Vanderbilt, it can happen anywhere.

It's go time.

I'm confused. Is this for UCLA fans or the opposition? Because I'd love to have one of these with Steve Spurrier's face on it.

Big Orange Roundtable - Week 8

Week 8 and Losers With Socks has the honors, and let's get right to it:

1. In a perfect world, what time would your UCLA Kick-off start?

Though I appreciate the extra media attention and hype, in a perfect world this game would be played on September 6, the Vols would have an off week before Florida, and I'd have much better odds at actually getting to the UAB game on August 30.

Nonetheless, if it has to be Monday night, I do enjoy the primetime setup, but maybe we could move it back to 7:00 PM (EST). That way when everyone else has to go back to work/school on Tuesday, they're not so tired. The NBA Finals tried to kill me and/or get me fired, whichever came first, with their ridiculous start times, and by the time ESPN is done making money and ad revenue, I'm sure we'll be pushing midnight with an 8:00 PM kick this week.

2. Sometimes doing the right thing is tough. Sometimes we have to choose between bad and worse. I have known snipers that get bothered even though what they did was absolutely right. It seems being a coach would have some similar circumstances. Did you think that Coach Fulmer and staff ever lose any sleep over their choices?

I'm not sure this qualifies as a choice, but I hope Fulmer loses some sleep every time he loses, because God knows I do.

As far as things like disciplinary issues, sure, I think he does/they do. Even if it's just frustration, like the Brent Vinson/Donald Langley suspensions over attendance. Or if it's something more substantial, like Rick Clausen vs. Erik Ainge or the entire careers of LaMarcus Coker and Britton Colquitt. I think Fulmer is invested enough, as a coach and a person, to have some of his nights affected by what happens with the Vols and the ramifications of his decisions as the head ball coach. I wouldn't want a coach who didn't.

3. Nick Saban is going to start 10 freshman against Clemson. Why is he doing this and did he just buy another year of grace from the Red Elephant Club?

I think Saban has another year of grace regardless of how many freshman he plays - if Ron Zook and Coach O got three years in Gainesville and Oxford, Saban's going to get two free passes before they really start counting next year.

It's still surprising to go back and remember how many underclassmen were significant contributors on that 2003 LSU National Championship team. He's not afraid to put those guys out there. Now, if Julio Jones gets decked going across the middle, maybe it's the best thing that ever happened to him in the very first game. Or maybe he's not ready and gets put down for the count. Seriously, no harm being wished, but freshmen are going to make freshmen mistakes. Eric Berry mistimed a pass against Florida he should've had that turned into a Gator touchdown. If Eric Berry can make mistakes, we all can.

Is it totally farfetched to think that some/all of these freshmen are simply the true best player at the position for the Tide? Bama was 7-6 last year and gets some of that back - but can these freshmen really just step right in and be better right away?

See, I don't buy that. I don't think Saban concedes games, but I do know for sure that it's far, far, far better to lose to Clemson than it is to lose an SEC game. And then you've got Tulane and Western Kentucky before you go play an Arkansas team you'll be favored against. I think the idea here is to get 'em ready for the meat and potatoes SEC portion that starts at Georgia on Sept. 27. If these kids are as good as advertised, they'll grow up faster by playing faster. So I don't think he's throwing in the 2008 towel...even if it looks like he's throwing in the Clemson towel.

4. Critique Lou Holtz as a ESPN “analyst”. Irish and Cock Homer or scripted live rassler?

What I want to know is how some of these other guys on set make it through the segment with a straight face when he picks Notre Dame to win ten games and marvels at South Carolina's talent.

I don't think Holtz is scripted. I don't think he's professional either - and those "Lou's Pep Talks" or whatever they showed last year mean it's bathroom break time for me.

Still, Lou is entertaining. From his ridiculous, unashamed homerism to his hilarious "angry old man" reactions when Mark May disagrees with something he says. I've been worried for the last two years that they're going to cut to Rece Davis or to a commercial after one of those exchanges, and we're going to come back with Mark May bleeding on the floor and Holtz sitting there calmly, rocking in his chair. He's the type of guy I worry about shooting up post offices, because really...he's crazy. There's nothing I couldn't imagine him doing...or saying. Which is why he's entertaining. Maybe he's just ESPN2 entertaining though, maybe they should back off a little bit...

Check out the other responses this week from:
- Losers With Socks (host)
- Third Saturday in Blogtober

Random Thoughts - Sunday August 24

Where we finally found an occasion to cheer for Kobe Bryant.

Big Orange Roundtable - Week 7 Roundup
Fulmer's Belly again has the honors and wraps up the week with a comprehensive look at the table's opinions. We move now to game week and Losers With Socks hosting; SESB takes the reigns the first week of the regular season.

Knoxville News-Sentinel on the 1998 Vols
Good stuff from today's paper online, including:
- Mike Strange on the '98 Vols and the '08 Vols
- Some '98 thoughts from John By God Ward
- Where are the '98 Vols now?

The SESB 2008 Fantasy Football Team
So last season in the league I run, I was fresh off the heels of consecutive years of making the playoffs before bowing out and looking to finally get over the hump. And then it all went wrong - let's just say my first pick of the draft was Shaun Alexander and leave it at that - en route to a 4-10 debacle. But, finishing last has its privileges, which means I had the first pick in the draft yesterday morning. So here now, injury-free for the moment, are your 2008 SESB fantasy football studs:

QB Carson Palmer
RB LaDainian Tomlinson
RB Jamal Lewis
WR Braylon Edwards
WR Ocho Cinco
TE Jeremy Shockey
K Josh Scobee
DEF Titans

(Bench notables: Earnest Graham, Dwayne Bowe, and yes...Brett Favre)

Are we excited? Yes.

And finally...
As we leave China and all that worry and tension that turned into a 110 medal haul for the United States, we head for London in 2012. And let's just remember that while they're supposedly our greatest ally, they're still the chaps that burned the White House down. U-S-A! U-S-A!

The State of the Vols

After the biggest roller coaster season in recent Knoxville memory, followed by an SEC Championship and a week at No. 1 for the men and another National Championship for the Lady Vols, followed by the patience of this and every Celtic fan being rewarded with banner seventeen, followed by a compelling Summer Olympics...we've come full circle. And just as the torch is extinguished in Beijing for the closing ceremonies Sunday night, Monday will unfold with the greatest words known to man in the last week of August: game week.

College football is here.

One year ago, the Vols felt they'd put the bad vibes of 2005 to bed with a nice rebound season in 2006, and were poised to make something more happen in 2007.

And they did...they just took the long way in getting there.

Tennessee lost the season opener for the first time since 1994, then lost to their two greatest rivals by a combined score of 100-37.

But along the way, they saved their season and the job of their head coach by beating the team that would finish the year ranked second in the polls by three touchdowns.

They found and made the breaks they had to have in heart stopping wins against lesser opponents South Carolina and Vanderbilt. In a year when their defense had been questioned more than at any time under John Chavis, they found a way to shut down the Heisman frontrunner and Arkansas.

And with the SEC Eastern Division title still inexplicably on the line, they survived four overtimes to maintain the nation's longest active winning streak in one rivalry.

All this before playing the eventual National Champions to a standstill before two errant fourth quarter passes ended the day.

The lows were as low as they've ever been under Phillip Fulmer. But the highs were fully present too...and when it was all said and done, Tennessee stood alone as the SEC Eastern Division champion. An Outback Bowl win over Wisconsin gave them ten wins on the season.

Now, one year later...

A team the Vols have beaten by a combined 72-23 in the last six quarters is ranked number one in the nation.

Another team in the same division brings the Heisman Trophy winner to Knoxville on a squad that also lost four games last season, but is equally labeled as a National Championship contender with the aforementioned Georgia Bulldogs.

The SEC West has the defending National Champions, Nick Saban's 7-6 record, and a team with plenty of talent on defense and experience everywhere on offense, breaking in a new quarterback and a new offensive coordinator. And that team is ranked in the top ten and considered the favorite to win their division.

Meanwhile, the Vols bring back nine returning starters on offense, including every member of an offensive line that allowed four sacks in fourteen games last season and a tailback who needs just under 700 yards to become the greatest in school history. They added a former freshman All-America tight end.

They have six players with starting experience in the secondary, bolstered by the return of safety Demetrice Morley to supplant the only loss in Jonathan Hefney. They return both starting defensive tackles and preseason All-SEC linebacker Rico McCoy. And they too are breaking in a new offensive coordinator and a new quarterback.

Georgia, Florida, LSU and Auburn are ranked in the Top 10 and considered championship threats.

Tennessee sits back at 18, an afterthought in the division with the Gators and Dawgs.

This isn't about disrespect.

This is about why this Tennessee team can once again play above expectations and compete for those same championships again, right now.

With Phillip Fulmer - still the winningest active head coach in college football among those with ten or more years of experience - seemingly secure with a new contract after winning his fifth division title last season, he welcomes Dave Clawson to the fold, the first playcaller to come from outside the Big Orange Family in more than two decades. Clawson brings something new to the table and a commitment to get the ball to the playmakers.

Those playmakers include senior Arian Foster, who ran for 1,193 yards last season and will own the school rushing record with just 684 more. He leads a talented stable of backs that include junior Montario Hardesty, sophomore Lennon Creer, and freshman Taurean Poole; Creer and Hardesty combined for almost 600 yards last season.

Those playmakers also include a number of wide receivers, who were highly questioned at this time last year and turned in terrific numbers in response. Senior Lucas Taylor led the way, with 73 catches for exactly 1,000 yards last season. Austin Rogers and Josh Briscoe are also proven threats, but the continued emergence of sophomore Gerald Jones appears to be the extra dimension the Vols are looking for in their offense.

Tack on the addition of tight end Brandon Warren, former freshman All-America at Florida State, and the aforementioned offensive line, and Tennessee has more than a few options.

But the offense will begin and end with the play of quarterback Jonathan Crompton.

Crompton has waited two years for his turn. He saw action in 2006 against LSU and Arkansas when Erik Ainge was injured, and turned in admirable performances. Now, the reigns of the offense belong to him and him alone. Crompton looks to use his athleticism and ability to lead the Vols downfield, while the coaches and the fans are eager to see if he can also show discipline and wisdom in his decision making to make the plays he has to make without putting the team in bad situations.

Including the new signal caller and the new signals, this is an offense to be excited about with a variety of ways to move the football.

On defense, the answers start with the secondary.

This is the deepest defensive unit the Vols have had in a long time, with starting experience present for DeAngelo Willingham, Marsalous Johnson, Antonio Gaines, Brent Vinson, and of course, Eric Berry (son). It's Berry who's on track after one season to have one of the more decorated Tennessee careers, and who is already the most talented individual player we've had in our secondary in this decade.

That starting experience also includes the returning Demetrice Morley, who did what most of us wouldn't be responding to academic difficulties with patience and newfound success, returning to the Vols after sitting out last season out of school.

The starting experience doesn't include Dennis Rogan...but guess who's been running with the ones in preseason camp? Needless to say, this unit is incredibly talented and can show a number of different looks.

The answers also include Rico McCoy, who will get the full LB spotlight with the departure of Jerod Mayo.

There are questions elsewhere.

Demtone Bolden and Dan Williams both return at tackle, but the Vols are incredibly thin at that position. Robert Ayers and Wes Brown give the Vols more speed off the edge at end, but can they really be difference makers in the pass rush game, something that was jarringly absent last season? And will the younger guys like Ben Martin step up and make a true impact?

Ellix Wilson gets the call in the middle at linebacker, and played well against Wisconsin. Can he be steady for twelve games this season?

And at the other side, Adam Myers-White and Nevin McKenzie remain locked in a battle that you'd really like one of them to win, but thus far neither has truly distinguished themselves.

The questions continue at punter, while Britton Colquitt serves an early suspension. Can Chad Cunningham handle the responsibility? Will kicker Daniel Lincoln show the consistency he had early in the season before he finished poorly? And will lightning rod Dennis Rogan finally return a kick for a score this year?

On offense, defense and special teams, the Vols do have questions...but they've also got answers. Tennessee is very capable.

It's the SEC and it's the Vols, which means the schedule is demanding.

Tennessee continues their tradition of playing one marquee non-conference game every season, and this year's it's once more the opener and once more on the road on the West Coast. UCLA doesn't look to present the same challenges that Cal did last year, but a challenge it remains.

The Vols get Florida and Alabama at home, but trade Arkansas for Auburn on the divisional rotation format, and have to go to Jordan-Hare Stadium one week after the showdown with Florida. East foes Georgia and South Carolina will be on the road.

In the SEC, half the conference believes it's going to win the National Championship, which obviously means most of the conference is wrong about its team. Will we have mass chaos the likes of which we saw last year, where everybody loses at least twice? Or will one team separate themselves more fully?

All of those other teams are very good.

But don't sleep on the Vols.

Tennessee is more equipped for success right now than they were last year. And last year they still won the division.

The unknowns are greater with a new quarterback and a new coordinator, but the returning experience everywhere else makes them a better football team. And 2007 makes them a better football team - this is a group that knows what it's like to get absolutely destroyed, but also knows what it's like to come back from the dead and find a way to win the next time out. It took toughness for the Vols to make it through last season and still come out on top.

And ten years after a team with no stars and no Peyton Manning won the National Championship, a team with no stars and another new quarterback with plenty of toughness will look to ascend once more.

Once again, the SEC is good enough that anybody can beat everybody, every week.

And once again, Tennessee will be good enough to win, every week.

Will they?

We're about to find out.

And as we learned last year...it's not the destination, it's the story and the journey that make up the season.

Last year was wildly erratic and the pendulum swung hard week to week. Last year ended with a division title and then heartbreak in Atlanta, before the Vols wrote a nice epilogue in Tampa.

Now...what story will the Vols tell in 2008?

A Good Week for Alcoa High School

Class of '99 - We ain't no joke!

As high school football unfolds in full across America tonight, Alcoa looks to cap off a fantastic week for the program with a season opening victory against Spring Hill tonight. The four-time defending state champions have lost some talent to the collegiate ranks in the last few years, but that's part of the reason it's been a good week:

- Brandon Warren is eligible at Tennessee and, especially with depth an issue at the position, should be the first team tight end for the Vols. The last Alcoa player to run with the first team in Knoxville was WR Billy Williams in 1994.

- Randall Cobb was called a triple-threat option by Kentucky's Rich Brooks this week, who will definitely see the field somewhere for Kentucky immediately. Not bad for a true freshman. What's more, ESPN.com's Chris Low interviewed Brooks earlier in the week, who said that Cobb would be the second team QB and could see the field early if Mike Hartline isn't successful.

- Kyrus Lanxter is mentioned in the same News-Sentinel article as the second option behind Dicky Lyons Jr. in Kentucky's passing game.

Not bad for a 2A school. And if Alcoa wins tonight and Maryville gets out of Halls with a win, the always entertaining showdown between the two schools and combined eight-time defending champions goes down next Friday at Maryville. If you're going to be in town for Labor Day Weekend like me, you're there - it's the best rivalry in the state, and nothing else comes close to the atmosphere or the on-field talent.

Thank God. Football is here.

Picking the BCS Participants

Next week is game week, so we'll finish up the preseason stuff here over the weekend before turning our attention to kickoff and who's not on UCLA's injury report. The most prestigious of preseason prognostications - that's how preachers type - is to pick the National Champion. But since I've now crossed the threshold into the realm of the completely irrational and don't want to write another impassioned post about how the Vols are going to win every game only to see it go up in flames on the West Coast in week one, I've instead cleverly channeled my insane and boundless optimism this way: selecting the ten BCS participants.

The four BCS bowls plus the National Championship will once more be comprised of the champions of the six major conferences, plus four at-large bids. A mid-major conference champion is eligible to receive one of those bids if it finishes in the Top 16 of the final BCS standings. And no conference is allowed more than two teams in the BCS, which means lots of unhappy campers in the SEC and Big 12 this year and more equal revenue sharing.

So, with that in mind, and with no determining factors here like which are the conference champions or who's ranked number one, these are my ten picks for the ten teams that will be playing in the BCS bowls come January:

Florida - Do you really think they'll lose four games again this year? Head-to-head I still don't trust Georgia to beat them with any consistency, and the Gators actually have an easier schedule.

Ohio State - Even if you don't think they'll play for the whole thing or beat USC, there's simply way too much returning talent for the two-time runners-up to not see them as the overwhelming Big 10 favorite.

Oklahoma - As I've mentioned elsewhere, I think this is the team with the best combination of fewest questions, most answers, and most manageable schedule. Whether they win or not once they get there is another issue.

South Florida - The best looking Cinderella from '07, the Bulls have a home date with stepsister Kansas and then the same old same old. Even with a loss, I think they get in simply because only two are going from the SEC and the Big 12.

Tennessee - Because it's always a good idea to pick two teams from the same division in one conference, since the loser of the conference championship game almost never goes to the BCS. And because I dare you to find me a Tennessee fan who'll tell you that they're afraid of Georgia with a straight face.

Texas - Picking two teams from the same division, part two. Kansas stole this spot last year only when the Horns lost to Texas A&M. Missouri will be better than both of them again this year...but Texas will get the spot because that's who people want to see on TV, and the Horns didn't lose in the championship game.

USC - Because somebody has to win the Pac-10, and guess who it's going to be. Again. I think the Trojans are at the bottom of the National Championship contenders list, but they'll still get in the BCS.

Wake Forest - Because I don't trust Clemson at all, Virginia Tech has zero experience, and Wake Forest has a bunch of guys with 2006 ACC title rings still walking around campus, plus they catch Florida State while their players are still suspended.

West Virginia - Like South Florida, even at 11-1 I think they'll still get in even if they need the at-large. Beating Auburn would ensure their name in the National Championship race.

Wisconsin - Are Wisconsin and South Florida better than LSU, Georgia, Missouri and any of the other teams you're asking about? Nope. But again, two teams per conference...plus I don't think any mid-majors are going this year, so it's the Badgers making it to the big time.

Disagree? Of course you do. Feel free to leave your picks in the comments.

Brandon Warren cleared to play

#1 in your program...you know the rest.

It's on: NCAA clears Warren to play for Vols

Big Orange Roundtable - Week 7

Week 7 finds us just two weeks away and in the friendly confines of Fulmer's Belly, who hosts the questions this week. You know the drill by now, so let's get right to it:

1. Knock on wood before answering this question, but let’s assume that Jonathan Crompton goes out with a season ending injury in the 1st half of the first game of the season. Should we just pack it up and wait until next season, or is there a glimmer of hope in any of the young backups?

I think Thursday's scrimmage will go a long way in determining whether BJ Coleman or Nick Stephens can become a clear-cut #2 under center. Coleman outperformed Stephens in Saturday's second scrimmage, but I don't think anything's fully settled yet.

Nor do I think either of those two guys give us what we need to win in 2008.

The Vols have worked with limited options before - AJ Suggs, CJ Leak and Rick Clausen come to mind - but I'm not sure Coleman and Stephens are as good as any of those choices (though granted, we haven't seen them in action). If something catastrophic happens to Crompton, I'd wager the Clawfense gets a massive overhaul and the Vols start running less spread and more option behind Gerald Jones and our talented tailbacks and offensive line. But it seems like all of those options lean towards 2009 as our glimmer of hope.

2. Does Erik Ainge have a future in the NFL?

I thought he was in one of the best possible situations in New York before Favre showed up, but since he hasn't gotten a snap in a preseason game yet and Eric Mangini has made fun of his throws, clearly I was wrong.

Ainge performed well under David Cutcliffe's system, and so the question for me was always how well that would translate in a faster NFL game without Cutcliffe there beside him. But if Ainge isn't even getting a chance to compete, then I too see clipboards and pristine green and white jerseys in his immediate future.

3. Why in the hell did you decide to blog about Tennessee football? Aren’t there already enough Tennessee blogs?

Quality over quantity, my friend.

A little more than two years ago I moved from Knoxville, where I'd lived all 24 years of my life at that point, to Middle of Nowhere, Virginia in my first pastoral appointment. Being 3.5 hours from home, and being single, pet-free and living in a place with zero to do when I'm not playing Pastor Will, I started blogging as a way to keep having the conversations I missed by not being with friends and family in Knoxville, and there are few things I love to talk about more than the Vols. SESB has been and continues to really be just my own random thoughts, but a few months ago someone recommended I post some of these articles at Bleacher Report, where I ran into some other members of the Roundtable...and the rest...is history.

4. If you could be one player in one game in Tennessee history, which player and which game would you pick? Why?

Ooh, good question. Fulmer's Belly goes with Peyton Manning in Birmingham '95, which is an excellent choice. I'd have to be Peerless Price in the National Championship Game - not only do you take home MVP honors with 199 yards receiving, not only do you score what ends up being the game-winning touchdown on a long bomb for arguably the biggest play in Tennessee football history, but you make the nation take notice and land the cover of Sports Illustrated with your first name plastered there for everyone to see, while the guy everyone else was talking about at your position on the other team finishes with one catch for seven yards.

5. Which is your favorite rivalry and why? (Not necessarily limited to Tennessee teams)

So, we're going to assume that plenty of others on the Roundtable are going to write about Tennessee and Alabama (which is the only right answer if you're talking about Vol rivalries). So for a different perspective, let's talk about the most interesting rivalry I've seen personally, all things considered: Virginia and Virginia Tech.

I'm not sure there are two pure rivals with a greater dichotomy than UVA and VT. If you've ever been to Charlottesville, whether it was on a school field trip en route to Monticello or on a passionate quest to chase the roots of Dave Matthews Band, it's a very nice place around the campus of UVA: great hospital, beautiful campus, and Thomas Jefferson is freaking everywhere. It's very stately, very rich, very upper class. And their fans are likewise.

You've probably never been to Blacksburg.

Granted, the Christiansburg/Blacksburg area has come up in the world in the last decade or so the way that "Let's build a Wal-Mart and see what happens" tends to work in lots of little places in the south. But the surrounding area of southwest Virginia, where the Hokies draw their passionate fan base? Well, there's a reason I call it Middle of Nowhere.

It makes a difference in their fans. In Charlottesville, you're not that far from DC and there are plenty of other things to distract you. If you're a sports fan and you live in southwest Virginia, the Hokies are all you have. Their coach is one of your own. They are your pride and joy.

The rivalry is called "Culture vs. Agriculture", and that's dead on. It creates a class war between the two schools that really runs even deeper - Blacksburg is clearly in dixie, but Charlottesville? Is that the north or the south?

It's interesting for me personally, coming from Knoxville and now living in Hokie Nation, while my oldest friend moved from Knoxville a few years earlier and has now landed just outside Charlottesville. In 2006 we went to games at both stadiums, watching UVA blow a huge lead against Maryland during one of Tennessee's off weeks, then heading to Blacksburg for one of the Thursday night throwdowns against top ten Clemson. And all the stereotypes play out: Virginia fans are arrogant even when they shouldn't be, have a nice looking stadium for its size but fans who generally sit on their hands, and have an underachieving football team. Virginia Tech gets the most out of their smaller house, has rabid fans that create an intimidating venue despite its size, and has always had an overachieving football team that plays homegrown BeamerBall and emphasizes lunchpail defense, special teams, and dogfighting (low blow!)

And capping it all off...Agriculture has had the upper hand in the rivalry for quite some time now.

Since the shootings at VT, the rivalry has softened...a little. But over time, it'll find its way back to the class war status, which for me continues to make it a fascinating case study in not just on-field theatrics, but the complexity of a truly all-encompassing rivalry.

...but it's no Third Saturday in October.

Bonus: Who will win the national title this year? And by how many points will Tennessee win? (See what we did there?)

Oh, I like what you did there. Continuing in the not-picking-against-Tennessee tradition, I'll take the Vols over Oklahoma, 30-28 on a last second TD pass to Brandon Warren. There are layers of wishful thinking here. Layers.


Check out the other responses here throughout the day/week...
- YMSWWC
- Third Saturday
- Gate 21
- Moondog Sports
- The View from The Hill
- Rocky Top Talk
- Losers With Socks

Random Thoughts - Sunday August 17

I was in Knoxville over the weekend for my parents' 30th Anniversary, and driving back to VA on Saturday night I saw the lights on at Neyland for the scrimmage. If there's a better time of year than right now, I don't know what it is.

Big Orange Roundtable - Week 6 Roundup
Moondog Sports wraps up a great week of questions with a look at the best of our responses. Fulmer's Belly takes the baton for next week, as we move ever closer...


"You shouldn't put too much emphasis on preseason scrimmages, but..." - Part II
At least there's nothing glaring to point your finger at.

Actually, there's a lot of good between the lines of the recaps. Jonathan Crompton did what I hope he does all year: efficient, mistake-free football while making the plays you need to make. It's Tee Martin 101, which was apparently on display at Neyland last night: 12 of 18 for 101 yards, no interceptions, and an apparent highlight-worthy throw to Gerald Jones for a touchdown.

Speaking of #4, Jones led the receivers (6 for 82). He started again with Lucas Taylor and Josh Briscoe in a three wide set.

The second leading receiver? Brandon Warren.

Look, it's not just my Alcoa High School pride or more shameless attempts to reference my previous stint as AHS's play by play man. This kid is really good. And he will make a difference in our offense if he gets on the field. He caught six passes for 41 yards, and with both Jeff Cottam and Aaron Douglas question marks, we need him now more than ever.

The running game? Solid.

Arian Foster answered any lingering questions about his knee - he touched the ball five times for 42 yards, which is enough to ease my pain. There's potentially an interesting battle for the third spot behind Foster and Montario Hardesty between Lennon Creer (9 for 70, including a 58 yarder with a costly fumble at the end) and Tauren Poole (14 for 38 with the ones). But this all depends on the distribution of carries, which is somewhat of a question mark with Stan Drayton and Dave Clawson calling the shots this year.

Defensively, it appears you're going to need to get comfortable with Wes Brown at end over Ben Martin, and Adam Myers-White over Nevin McKenzie at outside linebacker. You also may be getting comfortable with the names Gerald Williams and Prentiss Wagner very soon. Right now, it appears the first four in the secondary will be DeAngelo Willingham and Dennis Rogan at corner, with the dynamic duo of Demetrice Morley and Eric Berry in the secondary.

And Daniel Lincoln? 8 of 9 in the kicking portion, including a long of 49 yards.

There's another scrimmage Thursday, though that one may be more about separating the second team from the third. The answer to the absolute nightmare question of "What happens if Jonathan Crompton gets hurt?" appeared yesterday to be BJ Coleman, who went 15 of 24 for 170 yards, while Nick Stephens was only 5 of 11 for 48 yards with an interception. Should Crompton actually get hurt...well, you might be seeing more of the G-Gun.

Meanwhile, UCLA scrimmaged yesterday as well, where QB-by-default Kevin Craft went 8 for 18 for 93 yards with 3 interceptions. He threw six consecutive incompletions...and then threw seven straight completions. Very interesting...


Where does Michael Phelps rank in sports history?
ESPN.com is running this poll today: Which is the greatest athletic achievement of all-time?

- Lance Armstrong: 7 straight Tour de France wins post-cancer
- Wilt Chamberlain: 100 points in one game
- Nadia Comaneci: 7 perfect 10.0s at '76 Olympics
- Joe DiMaggio: 56 game hit streak
- Gertrude Ederle: first woman to swim English Channel, shatters men's record
- Steffi Graf: wins Grand Slam plus gold medal in 1988 in tennis
- Wayne Gretzky: 92 goals and first ever 200 point season in 1982
- Eric Heiden: 5 gold medals in speed skating in 1980 Olympics
- Edmund Hillary & Tenzing Norgay: first to scale Mount Everest in 1953
- Michael Johnson: wins 200 & 400 at '96 Olympics
- Jesse Owens: sets 4 world records in 70 minutes at Big 10 Championship, 1935
- Michael Phelps: 8 gold medals, 2008 Olympics
- LaDainian Tomlinson: 31 touchdowns, 2006 season
- Bill Walton: 44 points on 21 of 22 shooting in 1973 NCAA title game
- Tiger Woods: Tiger Slam, 2000-01

I'll say this: I think the achievements of Armstrong, Comaneci, Graf, Phelps and Woods stand above the rest because they involve something over multiple days, months or years, and ensure complete dominance over everyone else in their respective sports. You can vote now at the poll, where SportsNation is in the throws of a fight between Armstrong and Phelps for first.

Preseason AP Top 25

Two weeks out, and now it's getting real:

2008 Preseason AP Top 25
1. Georgia (22)
2. Ohio State (21)
3. USC (12)
4. Oklahoma (4)
5. Florida (6)
6. Missouri
7. LSU
8. West Virginia
9. Clemson
10. Auburn
11. Texas
12. Texas Tech
13. Wisconsin
14. Kansas
15. Arizona State
16. BYU
17. Virginia Tech
18. Tennessee
19. South Florida
20. Illinois
21. Oregon
22. Penn State
23. Wake Forest
24. Alabama
25. Pittsburgh

USA Basketball is fun again

As the Olympics continue to play with my workweek schedule and offer "distractions" almost 24 hours a day, this morning if you too were up early you could've seen the Americans take on Greece as they continue group play in men's basketball. The Greeks defeated the Americans in the 2006 FIBA World Championships, another blemish on an American record that includes merely a bronze medal in the 2004 Athens games.

It's an interesting phenomenon, USA Basketball. The Dream Team in 1992 is still the greatest collection of talent on one team in sports history, and I don't think the debate is even close. I was 10 years old that summer, and even if I couldn't fully appreciate the historical significance, man was it fun as a kid to watch Barkley get a rebound, find Magic, who fired an outlet pass to Bird, who found Jordan for a slam. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Watching those guys was as much about the unique moment and the hype (and merchandise) surrounding them as it was the actual basketball itself, and the original Dream Team was never challenged en route to the gold medal. Years passed and other impressive incarnations brought home other medals, but without the unique first-time quality or the sheer star power of the original, Olympic and FIBA basketball got...well, kinda boring.

And over the years, while the European game kept improving, maybe the American players got bored too. Maybe they stopped taking it seriously. Maybe they lacked the team chemistry that was so evident for Argentina in 2004 when they won gold.

Either way, a sport that had already become boring suddenly became frustrating: the Americans were losing and at times not looking good doing so, on and off the court. We expected dominance but got tired of watching it along the way, and then when it suddenly went away we got mad. You and I both know people who actually cheered against the Americans at times in the last decade. But surely you're not one of them.

But as a product of all those struggles, now on the other side of it, we're starting to care again.

Sure, the talent on the 2008 squad is impressive: Kobe, LeBron, D-Wade, 'Melo, Chris Paul and more. And sure, Coach K is on the bench. But more than that, it's a unique combination of two things that's making watching this team so much fun.

First of all, they play hard and they play well.

The '92 Dream Team was like watching the Globetrotters. They did anything they wanted for 40 minutes and you watched them for completely different reasons.

The '08 Redeem Team can't do that stuff when they're playing the upper half of the field, which includes Greece this morning, Spain on Saturday and anyone they'll see in the "playoff" portion. The competition is much better.

But in years past, the Americans were borderline lazy.

Guys who are not three point shooters would just jack threes from the shorter line...and miss. They played defense like it was an All-Star Game instead of an important event. They were moody and lacked cohesion...frankly there was little to watch or like but raw talent, and these days raw talent isn't enough.

In 2006, Greece scored triple digits on the Americans, who shot 28 threes while allowing Greece to shoot 62% from the field with only 4 steals. Basketball purists and enthusists either shook their fists or simply stopped caring.

This morning, the Americans held Greece to 69 points and forced 25 turnovers with 15 steals in a 92-69 win.

So yeah, you can still see some highlight reel plays with this team. And watching today, it's fun to see who really separates themselves on a team loaded with talent (Wade, LeBron and Chris Bosh, specifically). But these guys play hard and they play with a sense of urgency. And Coach K doesn't pamper - Team USA plays a nine man rotation, which means Tayshaun Prince, Michael Redd and Coach K's own Carlos Boozer don't get in until garbage time. I like that.

It's that sense of urgency that's the second factor in making these games so much fun to watch.

Because no matter how talented or how well they're playing together now, the rest of the field is still good enough to give them a run for their money.

They're the best team in the field, but they're still human. And that makes it much more interesting.

I like turning on the game and not knowing for sure that the Americans are going to win by 30. I like the danger and the sense of urgency. I like that this morning's game involved one second quarter spurt from Team USA to put themselves way out in front, but the rest of it was fairly even. And again, it's only going to get better/worse - Spain will probably be the best team they've played so far, and then it's on to the quarterfinals where everybody's good.

Those in the southeast and Vol Nation are familiar with some of this phenomenon. The Lady Vols are so consistently dominant every year, I almost never watch them in the regular season. Last year, in a National Championship year, I watched exactly one regular season game when they played Notre Dame, because it happened to be on. I watched some SEC Tournament stuff, and then didn't watch again until the Sweet 16. Because it's a forgone conclusion.

But no matter how dominant, when the outcome is in doubt, the Lady Vols are incredibly fun to watch. They play hard, they play well, they play together. The semifinal game against LSU this season was incredibly intense.

The outcome is in doubt for the Americans, even though they're the best team in the field. You can still see alley-oops and LeBron James' attempt to set a record for most creative ways to block a shot in one Olympics. And hopefully, probably, you'll still see them win a medal and it should be gold.

But I love the fact that I can't type "they'll win the gold for sure." I love that the competition is at that level. And I love that the Americans are finally playing up to the task.

Minute-for-Minute: The 10 Most Exciting Tennessee Football Games (1989-2007)

And now, for something much more exciting.

As I've discovered CBS College Sports Network over the last month and their nonstop run of classic SEC Football during the month of August, my TiVo continues to seek out classic Tennessee games that I haven't seen in their entirety since they were initially played. And with almost a dozen Vol games on tap on the network over the next two weeks, there are some that I have a passing interest in...but there are others that I find myself incredibly excited for them to roll around on the broadcast schedule, because they're simply such great television.

So that got me to thinking about the single most exciting Tennessee games in the modern era.

Now, this list is not the most memorable or the greatest comebacks, and puts a much smaller emphasis on rivalry. So you won't find the National Championship on this list or any emphasis given to games that were played in that season, nor will you find any blowouts or games that weren't any good until the finish.

If you're looking for a more comprehensive list of the biggest overall wins, check out The 50 Best Vol Games feature. You can find the first part of this feature from yesterday here: The 10 Most Heartbreaking Games.

These ten are simply, in my opinion, the greatest individual football games, the most exciting and dramatic from start to finish. They're the ones I'd want to watch right now more than any others; the ones where you can take any football fan, sit them down, and say "Watch this."

(And yes...the Vols win them all)

10. 1991: No. 13 Tennessee 35 - No. 5 Notre Dame 34 (South Bend)
Alright well, I said none of the greatest comebacks, but you have to include The Miracle at South Bend. And it really is good television throughout, because it's fascinating to see how it goes completely wrong at every turn for the Vols in the first two quarters. One year after the Irish broke Vol hearts in Knoxville, Notre Dame built an inexplicable 31-7 lead in the second quarter and was kicking a field goal to end the first half. The Vols blocked the kick and ran it back for a touchdown, setting up a furious rally in the second half. An Aaron Hayden screen pass on the heels of a Dale Carter interception would complete the rally and put the Vols in front, but Notre Dame drove downfield to set up a game-winning field goal attempt. Jeremy Lincoln blocked the kick off his hind end - no joke - and the miracle was complete.

9. 1990: No. 10 Tennessee 23 - Virginia 22 (Sugar Bowl)
Playing in the Sugar Bowl as SEC Champions for the first (and last) time since 1985, the Vols met a Virginia team that had been ranked No. 1 in October before their starting quarterback Shawn Moore was injured. With Moore back on the field for this one, the Cavs played like the No. 1 team for three quarters, building a shocking 16-3 lead on the Vols heading to the final period. This game contains the most exciting 4th quarter I know of, starting with the Vols intercepting Moore at the nine yard line. Andy Kelly played the final quarter you dream about (14 of 18 in the 4th), leading the Vols downfield for a score to make it 16-10. Virginia kicked a field goal, the Vols scored a touchdown. Virginia kicked another field goal to make it 22-17 with 2:31 to play, and Kelly calmly drove the Vols 75 yards, with Tony Thompson punching in the final go-ahead score with seconds left on the clock.

8. 2006: No. 13 Tennessee 51 - No. 10 Georgia 33 (Athens)
You look at the score and it doesn't seem very exciting, but this game had everything.

Georgia was undefeated and sporting the number one defense in the country; the Vols' only loss was by one point to eventual National Champion Florida. Leading 10-7 in the second quarter, Mikey Henderson raced 86 yards on a punt return for a score for UGA. When the Vols punted again, Georgia went 8 plays, 85 yards for another score to make it 24-7.

Tennessee got a crucial score before the half to make it 24-14, then intercepted Joe Tereshinski on the second play of the second half to set up a score to instantly make it a game again, 24-21. The teams traded field goals before the Vols got Tereshinski again and entered the 4th quarter trailing 27-24 but driving.

The Vols finally got the lead on a TD pass, and Georgia would probably like to forget most of what happened next.

The Dawgs went three and out, and the Vols blocked the punt and recovered it for a touchdown (and the cover of Sports Illustrated).

Then Georgia completed the special teams madness by running the ensuing kickoff back for a touchdown. At 38-33, there was still plenty of game left.

But from there, the Vols put the hammer down: touchdown, fumble, touchdown, interception. A game that Georgia led 24-7 turned into a spectacular Vol victory and 51 points against the nation's best defense. Two kick returns, a blocked punt, a 35 point turnaround and 84 total points.

7. 1998: No. 10 Tennessee 34 - No. 17 Syracuse 33 (Syracuse)
This game is historically significant for the year it takes place in, but is still an outstanding football game in any year, especially for a season opener. In Tee Martin's starting debut, the Vols built a 24-13 lead behind Jamal Lewis but couldn't keep Donovan McNabb at bay, who finished with 300 yards. The 'Cuse took the lead 33-31 before the Vols used a fortuitous pass interference call to set up a Jeff Hall game-winning field goal. More on this game here.

6. 1998: No. 1 Tennessee 28 - No. 10 Arkansas 24 (Knoxville)
The definitive '98 game that saw Anthony Lucas and the undefeated Hogs build a 21-3 lead on the No. 1 Vols in their first week at that position before Tennessee started the comeback. The second half included a critical blocked field goal, a botched punt for a safety, a big Arkansas stop on 4th down, Clint Stoerner's fumble and Travis Henry doing the rest for the Vol win. More on this game here.

5. 1995: No. 8 Tennessee 30 - Georgia 27 (Knoxville)
Any thoughts the Vols had of disposing an unranked Georgia team were erased by Robert Edwards, who was on pace to have the greatest day by an RB against the Vol defense in history before he got hurt in the third quarter (with 15 carries for 155 yards). His score off the opening kickoff gave Georgia confidence and a 7-0 lead. Not to be outdone, sophomore Peyton Manning led the Vols right downfield on their first drive and ran (yes ran) for a score to tie the game. The Vols took a 14-10 lead in the second quarter, but Georgia simply wouldn't go away. The Vols led 20-17 before Georgia scored on the drive that would end Edwards' day but give UGA a 24-20 lead.

With :35 to play in the third quarter, Manning hit Joey Kent on play action to put the Vols back in front, 27-24. Georgia would threaten in the red zone but couldn't get in without Edwards, but hit a field goal to tie the game at 27-27 with 4:51 to play.

Then Manning threw one of his four interceptions - not on the day, but in the entire season - and Georgia had the ball at the Vol 35 with 2:25 to play. But again, there was no running game without Edwards. There was also no overtime in 1995, so as the clock ticked Georgia was thinking about a tie as the worst possible option. When Brice Hunter dropped a third down pass, Georgia was left with a 53 yard field goal with 1:34 to play.

The kick went wide right, and now the Vols had life.

On the first play, Jay Graham broke two tackles on a screen pass and went 28 yards to instantly put Tennessee in field goal range. The Vols would get another first down to set up freshman Jeff Hall with :15 to play. From 34 yards, Hall snuck it inside the upright, and the Vols survived 30-27.

4. 1992: No. 24 Tennessee 34 - No. 14 Georgia 31 (Athens)
All the way down at number four is a game, like No. 2 on yesterday's heartbreak list, that I didn't think would ever be topped.

In the first year of the new divisional format, the Tennessee/Georgia game instantly moved from a once-a-decade meeting to an every year rivalry. And this Georgia team was loaded: Eric Zeier, Garrison Hearst, Andre Hastings and Shannon Mitchell. The Vols had graduated most of the talent from their 1989-1991 run where they went 29-6-2 and won the SEC Championship twice.

What's more, Johnny Majors was in the hospital and young interim Phillip Fulmer was coaching in his first big game. Sophomore Heath Shuler and the Vols were heavy underdogs down between the hedges.

Georgia fumbled the opening kickoff, but the Vols only got three points. After the teams traded field goals, Garrison Hearst found the end zone to give UGA a 10-6 lead. When the Vols scored just before the half to make it 13-10 things looked good, but Georgia converted a 3rd and 23 on a deep bomb from Zeier to Hastings to give them the locker room lead.

People who think Tennessee's been running the same offense since the late 70's should remember that the Vols were running lots of power I with the inexperienced Shuler in this game. The Vols grabbed a 20-17 lead and Georgia kept turning it over, four in total heading to the 4th quarter.

Heath Shuler scrambled for 40 yards on third down to put the Vols in position, then took it in himself on a draw for a score that put the Vols up 27-17. It wasn't safe.

Two plays after fumbling out of bounds, Garrison Hearst took a simple counter play 60 yards to put the Dawgs right back in it, 27-24. To further demonstrate Hearst's ability, despite the fact that you've got Zeier and Hastings, on 3rd and 10 from the 17 on their next drive, what does Georgia do?

Straight up the middle with Hearst, who goes the distance with a wicked stiff arm, and behind his running the Dawgs are back in front 31-27 with under 6:00 to play. Three TDs and 161 yards on the day for Hearst.

Heath Shuler led Tennessee downfield but was sacked at the 40 yard line. After an incomplete pass, the Vols faced 4th and 14 with 2:15 to play.

And the Vols suddenly went from power I to five wide, and Shuler threw a bullet to seldom-used Ronald Davis for 25. Shuler threw another strike to JJ McClesky at the four yard line, then took it in himself for the score. 14 plays, 80 yards, 34-31 Vols, but with :50 to play we still weren't done.

From the 10 yard line, Zeier fired complete to the 28, then on one of the greatest roller coaster plays in Tennessee history, Zeier dodged a sack twice and then found Hastings at the Georgia 45. Hastings broke two tackles and went upfield to the Tennessee 35, but was hit from behind off the second one and fumbled. The Vols jumped on it, and with :17 to play had sealed the win. An incredible individual day from Zeier, Hearst and Shuler. 569 yards of offense for Georgia...six turnovers.

3. 2007: No. 19 Tennessee 52 - Kentucky 50 (4 OT - Lexington)
Unlike Tennessee's six overtime affair with Arkansas in '02 and the five OT's they played with Alabama the next year, this game was also very good in regulation.

A Tennessee win secures the SEC East title. A loss would put Georgia in Atlanta, and give Kentucky their first win over the Vols since 1984. Tennessee looked to put it away early, scoring on the first play from scrimmage on a dump pass to Arian Foster. Then the Vols used a healthy dose of the tight end to set up another score and a 14-0 lead that had everyone in orange breathing easy.

A missed field goal opened the door for UK, who scored early in the second. Down 17-7 late in the quarter, UK caught a break on an interception, but then Andre Woodson was picked off on the very next play, and the Vols went for the throat and got it, scoring to take a 24-7 lead into the locker room. At halftime, I said "Wait 'til basketball season" to just about everyone wearing blue who looked at me for more than two seconds in the upper deck at Commonwealth Stadium.

UK opened the third quarter by driving 80 yards in 14 plays to make it 24-14. They got the ball back but fumbled and UT capitalized, again putting the Vols up by 17 and again causing little to no stress.

But Kentucky responded quickly to make it 31-21 heading to the 4th. Ainge was intercepted, but Kentucky got nothing. The Vols drove to the UK 30 but turned it over on downs. The Cats found the end zone again to make it 31-28, and when the Vols went three and out, all of a sudden we were sweating in the 30 degree temps.

But Woodson was picked off again, and all seemed well. However, again the Vols couldn't get a single first down, and punted Kentucky back to their own 8 yard line with 3:32 to play. I looked at my friend and said "If they drive 92 yards in 3:32 to beat us, we don't deserve to be champions."

Instead, they drove 91 yards. On the way, they converted on 3rd and 11, 2nd and 15, 3rd and 15 with :38 to play, then picked up 23 yards on the very next play to set up 1st and goal at the 6 with :22 to play.

A pass interference call in the end zone made it first and goal at the two. Rafael Little ran for no gain and UK called their final time out with :08 to play. Then Andre Woodson dropped a shotgun snap, rolled out and barely missed his man. UK elected to kick the field goal, and off we went to overtime.

After a relatively tame start to OT where both teams scored a touchdown, in the second OT Ainge was intercepted and Kentucky lined up to kick the game winner from 35 yards off the foot of Lonas Sieber, Knoxville native. With Kentucky on the precipice of their first win over the Vols in 22 years and Georgia on the verge of Atlanta...

...the Vols blocked the kick, and we played on.

Two touchdowns and two missed conversions in the third OT led to number four, where the Vols scored from the 40 yard line and got the two. Kentucky scored, but Andre Woodson was sacked from behind on the two point conversion. Tennessee escaped as SEC East Champions. 102 total points, 1,084 yards of total offense, and a title for the Vols.

2. 2004: No. 13 Tennessee 30 - No. 11 Florida 28 (Knoxville)
New names were writing themselves into the Tennessee/Florida rivalry: Chris Leak was the starter for Florida, while freshmen Erik Ainge and Brent Schaeffer got the nod for the Vols. This was simply a spectacular back and forth football game with something eventful on almost every drive.

Off a Tennessee fumble on their opening drive, the Gators went down and scored. Then Tennessee kept it simple and went 12 plays, all runs, for 80 yards behind Cedric Houston, Gerald Riggs and Brent Schaeffer for the tying score. A poor decision by Leak led to an interception and an Erik Ainge TD pass to the tight end Justin Reed to give the Vols a second quarter lead.

The Vols pinned Florida at the 3, but that didn't stop Leak, who took Florida 97 yards to tie the score at 14-14. And when Ainge was intercepted, the Gators scored again to take a 21-14 lead into the locker room.

In the third quarter, the Vols drove to the Gator 15 and fumbled. Florida drove to first and goal but missed a field goal that would've given them a critical two possession lead. In response, with the freshman Ainge under center, the Vols went an absurd 14 plays and 96 yards, finishing with one of the most beautiful "at the pylon" TD passes in Tennessee history as Ainge hit Bret Smith.

The teams traded punts before Leak went deep and Vol DB Brandon Johnson mistimed it, and just like that Florida regained a 28-21 lead. But the Vols were immediately equal to the task, going 80 yards in 11 plays, finishing on a Jayson Swain TD. All that was needed was the extra point to tie...

...but James Wilhoit inexplicably missed it.

Reeling, the Vol defense gave up a first down but then stiffened, halting the Gators at the 39 yard line and then getting a crucial break from the officials, who hit Florida with a 15 yard personal foul penalty on a "second guy gets caught" scenario, then failed to restart the game clock. Tennessee got the ball back with :43 to play at their own 38 yard line. Ainge needed two completions and he got them both to Chris Hannon, for 21 and for 7, to set up James Wilhoit again from 50 yards.

And Wilhoit, who couldn't make an extra point, drilled a 50 yarder to give the Vols a 30-28 win. The last time Tennessee has beaten Florida.

1. 2001: No. 4 Tennessee 34 - No. 2 Florida 32 (Gainesville)
Two of the best teams in the country with a (supposed) trip to the National Championship on the line surpassing the hype and playing the greatest minute-for-minute football game I've ever seen.

Tennessee hadn't won in Gainesville in 30 years. The game was moved from September to December following 9/11, which only increased the drama.

Best stat I can use to tell you about the awesomeness of this game? Total punts: 3.

The Vol defense held on the opening drive (punt number one), then took a lengthy trip downfield to get a 7-0 lead. On the ensuing drive, a Rex Grossman pass was deflected by Al Haynesworth and intercepted leading to a Travis Stephens score, and the Vols led 14-0 in The Swamp.

Putting to rest any Vol dreams, Grossman went deep to Reche Caldwell and set up a QB sneak for a score to make it 14-7. On the first play of the next drive, Jason Witten fumbled, and all those bad Swamp vibes were alive and well. The Vol defense held, Florida kicked a field goal and it was 14-10.

On the next drive, Witten again was the culprit, as a ball off his hands was intercepted. When the Gators scored on a pass from Grossman to Jabar Gaffney on the very next play, that 14-0 lead was a distant memory at 17-14 Gators, and that old familiar feeling of "if it can go wrong, in Gainesville it will" was fully present. When the Vols missed a field goal and Jeff Chandler made another one heading to the locker room, it was 20-14 Florida and hope was on life support.

Enter Travis Stephens.

Off the second half kickoff, Stephens burst through the left side and went racing downfield, putting Jabari Davis in position to punch it in on a five play drive that quickly put Tennessee back in front 21-20. Hope had a pulse.

The Gators answered with three to retake the lead, then intercepted Casey Clausen on his only poor throw of the night. The Gators committed to shutting down Donte' Stallworth and Kelley Washington, which they did. But slot man Bobby Graham found room for 7 catches and 71 yards, and Clausen played within himself all night outside of this one throw.

Leading 23-21, Florida drove off the pick to the Vol 34, went for it on fourth down and Grossman was dumped by Will Overstreet, one of four Vol sacks on the night. Tennessee went back to the run and it worked, scoring early in the 4th (but missing the two) to take a 27-23 lead.

Florida drove downfield, where Grossman was again sacked and fumbled but was ruled to have been throwing the ball, so it went down as an incomplete pass and Florida kicked another field goal. Tennessee still led 27-26 and was trying to just hang on.

That's when Travis Stephens made the run, breaking through the linebackers and then absolutely destroying Guss Scott in the secondary before finally being tracked down inside the 10. Jabari Davis finished from there, and the Vols led 34-26. Stephens runs for a sick 226 on the night.

If you're scoring at home, that's 18 consecutive drives without a punt. Read that again.

So then we had two in a row: another sack forced a Gator three and out. Tennessee had the ball and an eight point lead in the 4th quarter in The Swamp, and quite frankly didn't know what to do. They went backwards and punted it right back to Florida - the first and only Vol punt of the night - giving Rex Grossman one more chance.

And Rexy was good for it. Playing for the Heisman, Grossman marched the Gators 67 yards in 10 plays and just over two minutes, finishing with a Carlos Perez reception for the score with 1:10 to play. Playing without the injured Earnest Graham and subsequently no running game, Grossman went 33 of 51 for 362 yards, one interception that wasn't his fault and three total touchdowns. Jabar Gaffney caught 7 for 101 to go with Reche Caldwell's 8 for 115, all this against a secondary with three future NFL players in it. Unreal and incredibly impressive on offense.

But...the Gators needed the two point conversion to tie.

Grossman got pressured again and fired away, and the ball sailed behind the intended target and out of the back of the end zone. The Vol defense bent and bent and bent all night long, but never fully broke, and made the one play they had to make. When John Finlayson pulled down the onside kick, unbelievably the game was over...and the Vols had won.

This game doesn't hold up as well in overall Tennessee lore because the Vols went out the very next week and blew their chance at the title by losing to LSU in Atlanta. Steve Spurrier left for Washington soon after and the rivalry was never really the same. But as the capper to a decade worth of nationally relevant Tennessee/Florida bloodshed, they just don't get any better than this.

The 10 Most Heartbreaking Losses in Tennessee Football (1989-2007)

Part one of a two-day piece, where tomorrow we'll look at something more uplifting...but as the 2008 season closes in, here's one more look at the past.

You can't fully appreciate the joy without the heartbreak, and so here's a painful reminder of what might've been: the ten most heartbreaking losses in the modern era of Tennessee football (we use 1989 as a starting point both because I'm only 26 years old, and because the Vols' 11-1 SEC Championship season that year served as the modern genesis of the success the Vols have enjoyed in the last two decades).

10. 2002: No. 10 Florida 30 - No. 4 Tennessee 13 (Knoxville)
The worst five minutes of my life. One year after finally beating Florida in The Swamp and sending Steve Spurrier packing, the Vols looked poised to take the SEC mantle from the Gators. Florida had been beaten badly by Miami the week before. As a driving rain fell in Knoxville, the teams were scoreless with under five minutes to play in the first half when the Gators scored on 4th and goal from the one yard line. From there, Casey Clausen put the ball on the ground three times in four minutes, and a defensive standoff turned into Rex Grossman taking advantage of the moment. A game that was tied at zero with under five minutes to play in the second quarter became a 24-0 Florida lead at halftime. The Vols never recovered.

9. 2000: No. 6 Florida 27 - No. 11 Tennessee 23 (Knoxville)
With most of the players from the national championship runs now in the NFL, the Vols started AJ Suggs at quarterback and were given little chance to win. But behind Travis Henry's 175 yards and a defense that didn't allow a first down until late in the second quarter, Tennessee gave themselves every chance to win. But those chances kept turning into field goals instead of touchdowns - five of them on the day - and Florida had life. And when the Vols couldn't get one first down to ice it late, Florida drove the length of the field as time wound down, and Jabar Gaffney caught/didn't catch a pass in the end zone to give the Gators the win.

8. 1996: Memphis 21 - No. 6 Tennessee 17 (Memphis)
The one and only time in history the Tigers have beaten the Vols. Peyton Manning thew for 296 but had two interceptions. Memphis had only 153 yards of offense, but (illegally) ran a kickoff back for a touchdown late in the third quarter to tie the game at 14, then got the yards they had to have on their final drive. It's my understanding that this is still the single greatest event in the history of the Memphis Athletic Department.

7. 1995: No. 4 Florida 62 - No. 8 Tennessee 37 (Gainesville)
The one you absolutely can't blame on Peyton Manning. The Vols went to Gainesville and jumped all over Florida, scoring in two plays on the opening drive to begin a run that would end when Raymond Austin returned a Danny Wuerffel fumble for a score that put the Vols up 30-14 late in the second quarter. The Gators scored before the half to pull closer, Tennessee missed a field goal to open the third quarter, it started raining and everything went wrong. Consecutive fumbles by Jay Graham started a Gator run that saw them take the lead in the blink of an eye. Then they simply kept scoring, putting 41 points up in the second half. Quite possibly the worst half of football in Tennessee history.

6. 1992: Arkansas 25 - No. 4 Tennessee 24 (Knoxville)
Under interim head coach Phillip Fulmer, the Vols had stunned Georgia and Florida to become the lead horse in the first ever SEC East race. Johnny Majors had returned to the sideline by October, where Heath Shuler's Vols were undefeated and staring down the barrel of a showdown with eventual National Champion Alabama. Only 1-4 SEC newcomer Arkansas stood in the way. The Vols held a 24-16 lead with under three minutes to play when Orlando Watters returned a punt 71 yards for a score. But when Todd Kelly absolutely murdered the Arkansas quarterback on the two point conversion, all seemed well. Then Arkansas recovered an onside kick, drove inside the 30, and nailed a 41 yard field goal with :02 left to break the hearts of the Vol nation. This was the beginning of the end for Johnny Majors.

5. 1999: Arkansas 28 - No. 3 Tennessee 24 (Fayetteville)
Clint Stoerner used all his karma in two seasons, going from the goat of the dramatic '98 game to the hero in 1999. The Vols were third in the polls and second in the BCS, on pace to play the winner of Florida/Florida State for the title and hadn't lost an SEC game in November since the 1980s. After the previous season, you knew this game would be tight, but a Travis Henry TD put the Vols up 24-14 in the second half. But the lead wasn't safe: Stoerner found Vol nemesis Anthony Lucas on a beautiful throw and catch to put Arkansas ahead 28-24 with under 4:00 to play. Tee Martin drove the Vols down close, but a 4th down pass into the end zone was incomplete, and Tennessee's hopes of defending their National Championship were dashed.

4. 1990: No. 1 Notre Dame 34 - No. 9 Tennessee 29 (Knoxville)
Back before National Championships, losing to Florida or Phillip Fulmer, this game was just about as big as they came in Knoxville. Notre Dame was still Notre Dame and loaded with talent, but the Vols were very good too. And Tennessee stood toe-to-toe with the number one team in the country, holding a lead in the 4th quarter of an incredibly well-played football game. Rocket Ishmail simply wouldn't be contained all day, finally breaking loose to put the Irish ahead. Notre Dame built their lead to 34-23 before Andy Kelly led a frantic drive downfield for a score. The two point conversion failed, but then the Vols recovered the only onside kick I can ever remember them being successful on. Kelly again drove the Vols in range, and everyone in Neyland Stadium knew we were on the verge of something monumental. But his final pass was intercepted in the end zone, and Notre Dame held on.

3. 2001: Georgia 26 - No. 6 Tennessee 24 (Knoxville)
After gaining revenge on LSU the previous week, the Vols looked to do the same to Georgia as they jumped on a wounded Dawg team early. But Georgia held fast and played their way back in the game thanks to a punt return, and as the second half unfolded this turned into a classic. Georgia took a 20-17 lead in the 4th quarter, but Casey Clausen and the Vols picked up a critical 4th down conversion to keep a drive alive. However, Clausen was intercepted and Georgia needed first downs to ice it. The Vol defense held behind a roaring Neyland Stadium crowd, giving Tennessee the ball back with a minute to play. On the best call of Randy Sanders' career, Travis Stephens took a screen pass 62 yards down the left sideline with :44 to play in one of the loudest moments in Neyland Stadium history. But after an ill-fated squib kick, freshman David Greene and new head coach Mark Richt wrote their names into the lore of this rivalry, as Tennessee played prevent and Greene picked the Vol D apart. At the six yard line with ten seconds to play, the Dawgs snuck the fullback into the secondary and Greene fired a touchdown pass. And allow me to just say that you'd never hear John Ward talking about stepping on someone's face and breaking their noses.

2. 1990: Alabama 9 - No. 3 Tennessee 6 (Knoxville)
I didn't think this one would ever be topped. Ranked third and the owners of an unusual 4-0-2 record after tying eventual National Champion Colorado and No. 5 Auburn, the Vols were thinking SEC and National Championship. And Alabama, who'd won four straight against Tennessee at this point, was struggling at 2-3 under new head coach Gene Stallings. If there was ever a year to not just beat Alabama, but crush them, this was it. And you could tell right away it just wasn't going to materialize. Tennessee couldn't move the ball at all and when they did they turned it over soon after. Alabama wasn't moving either, but they hung around and hung around. Greg Burke was asked twice early to kick field goals of more than 50 yards, and he hit one of them. Late in the contest with the score tied at 6-6 and Vol fans thinking about a possible third tie in seven games, Tennessee finally got good field position when Alabama was forced to punt from their own end zone and Dale Carter returned it to the 35 yard line. So Burke was called on again from 50 yards, and for Vol fans the worst that can happen at this point is a tie if he misses. Except, Alabama blocked the kick and the ball went flying twenty yards downfield, giving the Crimson Tide a shot at their own field goal. Phillip Doyle from 47 yards as time expired completed the stunning heartbreak.

1. 2001: No. 21 LSU 31 - No. 2 Tennessee 20 (SEC Championship)
The Vols had survived the heartbreak of No. 3 on this list and put themselves in position to play for the National Championship by beating Florida in Gainesville the week before. The SEC Championship Game seemed like a detour on the way to the Rose Bowl, as the Vols were 2-0 in their two previous appearances, and had already beaten LSU 26-18 early in the year without Donte' Stallworth. And when the Vols took a 17-7 lead in the second quarter, my friends and I in the Georgia Dome started talking about taking an RV from Knoxville to Pasadena. Rohan Davey and LaBrandon Toefield had been knocked out of the game. It was over...but the Vols couldn't put it away. And LSU tied it behind Matt Mauck. Then they took the lead after a rare Travis Stephens fumble. Then the Vols drove to 1st and goal at the 4, and came away with only a field goal to cut it to 24-20. But when the Vol D held LSU on the ensuing drive and got the ball back midway through the 4th quarter and started marching downfield, I was sure we were going to win. And then Donte' Stallworth caught a pass and turned upfield, got stripped and suddenly the ball was on the turf. And LSU pounced on it, and our championship dreams. The Tigers would punch it in on 4th and goal from the 1 just for effect to seal our fate. Tennessee was two quarters away from playing for the National Championship. We haven't been this close since.

Tomorrow, we'll conclude this piece with a look at something more uplifting...

Big Orange Roundtable - Week 6

Week 6 of the Roundtable finds us at Moondog Sports, who hosts some excellent questions this week. As always, you can check the reponses from the host blog above and each member of the 'table at the end of this post throughout the week, and your comments can be included in our weekly roundup.

Whilst enjoying Peyton Manning vs. Woody Widenhofer '97 on CBS College Sports during my lunch break, here are my reponses this week:

(Wait, let's go back for a moment and make a couple of observations about this Tennessee/Vandy game. First, it's a sad state when I can look at Vandy's uniforms from eleven years ago and think that all two million combinations they've run thru since aren't any better than the "classic" V logo with the show your gold (and black) pants. Second...how much fun is it to watch Al Wilson get up on Bill Duff's hip right before coming after the quarterback? Three more weeks, boys.)

Okay, now:

1. Let’s assume the worst for a moment and say the Vols finish the season 6-6. Does Fulmer survive? If not, whom do you believe would be the best person to fill the head coaching vacancy? Even if you believe Fulmer survives, feel free to offer your thoughts on the Vols next coach

6-6 on the heels of a new contract and a new offensive coordinator won't be enough to kill Fulmer. And just one season removed from the SEC Championship Game, I really believe that it would take something like 0-12 or an assassination to see a new head coach in Knoxville in 2009.

Mike Hamilton has cast his lot with Fulmer, and it'd take two consecutive bad years at this point to run him off. But it looks like Fulmer's going to coach as long as he wants to.

If things go well, then I think the next head coach at the University of Tennessee can be Dave Clawson, if Fulmer doesn't stick around forever. Or the Clawfense isn't so successful that Jimmy from Bull Durham doesn't pack up and go coach somewhere else in the near future.

This is always an interesting question, dealing with the next head coach...in part because Fulmer's still the winningest active coach with 10+ years experience, so everytime the naysayers get loud, I'm always curious exactly who we're going to get that's better.

That said, Moondog's Will Muschamp idea isn't bad. I'm uncomfortable with getting NFL guys, so names like Jason Garrett don't hold much weight here.

On a list of realistic names I'd think about, in no particular order: Wake Forest's Jim Grobe, UNC's Butch Davis, Texas assistant Major Applewhite (in a few more years), and Boise State's Chris Petersen.

Names that might be talked about but would make me uncomfortable: Mike Leach (gimmick), Norm Chow (didn't like him with the Titans), and anyone who suggests Maryville High School's George Quarles...not because he's not a good coach, but because I hate those guys. If Alcoa's Brandon Warren and Maryville's Aaron Douglas line up on the field together, they'd better throw to BW.

Wait, what was the question?

2. With the off-field troubles many college football programs have encountered over the past five years, including Tennessee, what actions would you take to prevent players from getting into undesirable situations?

You have to give some credit to whatever contract the players signed this year, as the Vols have been headline-free since Britton Colquitt got his suspension. Whether it's coincidental or the main reason, either way it's been nothing but good so far in keeping the Vols out of trouble.

In my experience in working with college kids (and being one myself just a few years ago) and from what I've seen in working with churches, personal accountability is the strongest tool when it comes to avoiding "undesirable situations".

Contracts can go so far, and perhaps guarantees in the scholarship paperwork about automatic suspensions after x number of offenses would also help. But moreso than fear of suspension or loss of playing time, or even fear of the wrath of this coach or that coach...I think personal accountability works best.

Find upperclassmen leaders on your team and put them with the young kids. Have accountability groups within the team. Make sure you've got people you can trust in the leadership roles, and then make them responsible in part for the behavior and growth of the other players you put under their wing. This may be in part exactly what the upperclassmen leaders have done with the contracts this year, and if so it's a good thing. But I think even more than having a position coach or member of the football staff office be the leader in this process, when you put the emphasis on the players themselves to be leaders and to take care of each other, it's more honest and effective in the long run, and it makes them better people as well as keeping them out of trouble and on the football field, which I feel is one of Fulmer's goals.

3. The Vols have rolled through UCLA, UAB, Florida, Auburn, Northern Illinois and Georgia. We’re No. 3 in the polls and up next is Alabama. With 3:16 left in the 4th quarter the Vols are down 20-17 and it’s 4th and one from our own 29-yard line. Do you kick the field goal or go for it?

I think you've gotta look at situations like this individually; there's no "always go for it" or "always play it safe." That said, in this particular situation, I'm going for it.

Maybe if we were five yards closer or if the ball was in the same spot and it was 4th and 4, I'd say kick it. I'd trust our defense and Daniel Lincoln when called on. But with one yard vs. a 46 yard field goal to tie...you go for it. As we say, if you can't get one yard, you don't deserve to win.

4. What impact, if any, do you believe Stan Drayton will have as the Vols prepare to play Florida?

Tough to guess with Drayton on the whole when we haven't seen the backs under his command in action and when he was handcuffed with the spread down in Gainesville. So in part it'll be easier to answer this question after UCLA when we see what percentage of carries Arian Foster is going to get in comparison to the backups.

However, I desperately hope Drayton knows the one thing that David Cutcliffe seemed to struggle with the most: to beat Florida, you have to control the running game.

Control the running game, control the clock, keep Tebow on the sidelines, and you can win.

Here's what I wrote on this blog the week before the Florida game last season:

As the offensive coordinator at Tennessee, David Cutcliffe is 1-6 against Florida. Now, why is that?

You may not remember this, and it's probably better if you don't, but the old philosophy for beating Florida was to outscore them. When you had Shuler and Manning, you tried to play to your supposed strengths, and so the Vols came out firing. And here's how that turned out under David Cutcliffe:

Cutcliffe Tennessee Offenses vs. Florida

1993: Florida 41 - Tennessee 34

1994: Florida 31 - Tennessee 0

1995: Florida 62 - Tennessee 37

1996: Florida 35 - Tennessee 29

1997: Florida 33 - Tennessee 20

1998: Tennessee 20 - Florida 17 (OT)

2006: Florida 21 - Tennessee 20

(EDIT: and of course, 2007: Florida 59 - Tennessee 20)

Let's throw 1994 out, when Todd Helton started at quarterback and the Gators were ranked #1. With some of the best offenses in school history, the Vols came out with their best punches and tried to knock Florida out. Problem was, Florida always took those punches, and then they hit back. Heath Shuler threw five touchdowns against Florida in 1993, and lost. The second-highest passing total in Tennessee history is 492 yards. Manning did that against Florida in 1996, and lost. In 96 and 97, Manning threw the ball 116 times, and lost twice.

The Vols won in 1998, in part, because they couldn't do the shootout option. Tee Martin couldn't run that offense yet, and so they had to control the ball and the clock. And they got a big play from Shawn Bryson, tough day at the office yards from Jamal Lewis, and kept Florida off the field as much as possible. If that team had tried to outscore Florida, we would've been murdered. And it ended up making all the difference. The problem this year is that the Vols feel like they can outscore Florida with Ainge and efficient receivers, and it's going to be tempting to try. But don't be fooled.

Now, you can look at the FireRonZook.com years, which we all enjoyed, and find some differences. But when Florida wielded a high-powered offense, as they did under Spurrier and as they (apparently) do this year, getting into a shootout hasn't worked. Ever. Didn't work at Cal too well either.

So, what's the solution here? Run. The. Football.

You've heard the stat about the team that runs the football wins this game, and it's one of the more true statistics I know of with Tennessee Football. As stated, Cutcliffe never tried to run or run-first, and the Vols basically handed Florida the rushing advantage 93-97. The only real time that a team in this series ran the ball better and lost was 2000, where an AJ Suggs Tennessee team that had absolutely no business playing with Florida came within moments of beating them, when Travis Henry ran for 175 and the Vols lost by Jabar Gaffney's fingertips 27-23.

What you saw in 1998 repeated itself last year. On the one, the Vols dominated the Gators, forced them into negative rushing yards, and it didn't matter about the rest, that was enough to win. That turned into a National Championship for Tennessee. In 2006, the Gators forced Tennessee to negative rushing yards, and it didn't matter about Meachem, Swain, Smith and the rest, that was enough to win, and it turned into a National Championship for Florida.

This is an interesting moment to be Arian Foster. Here's a kid with obvious talent, whose very best moments went largely unseen in the second half of the disastrous 2005 season, and whose worst moments led to Penn State winning the Outback Bowl. He's looked very good in the first two games. But Florida is where you get remembered. Your whole career can make you good, as it has been for many Vol running backs. But Florida can make you famous.

And we've been here before. In 2003 and 2004, Cedric Houston had strong starts, and looked really good coming into the Florida game. And in both cases, I thought he was getting ready to bust out. And in both cases, for different reasons, he didn't. So now here's Foster, with a wealth of talent behind him much like Houston, who is currently the first (if not the feature) back on an offense that desperately needs to shy away from the pass and focus on running the football right down Florida's throat. Foster can lead the way, if the offense will let him. (EDIT: Instead, Foster fumbled on the game's most crucial possession with the Vols down 28-20 with the ball in the third quarter)

There is absolutely no reason for Tennessee to lose the rushing battle in this game. Tennessee has at least three guys on their depth chart who would start for Florida at RB right now. And even if Florida goes for their yards via the spread option, if Arian Foster, Montario Hardesty, and LaMarcus Coker (plus Lennon Creer if he sees the field again) get outrushed by a bunch of wide receivers, a big white quarterback and a lot of trickery, there will be no excuses. The running battle is ours to win. (EDIT: Oops.)

Avoid the shootout at all costs - remember, even in 2001 when the final score was 34-32, the Vols weren't trying to get in a shootout. It's just that Florida couldn't tackle Travis Stephens, and instead of that offense being ball control like the first drive of the game, it turned into highlight reel...and it kept Rex Grossman's offense in the game until the very end. Randy Sanders has coached Florida better than David Cutcliffe has. That needs to change. The Vols have the horses to execute a ball control, keep-away, smashmouth gameplan. And the Vols also have a quarterback who'll make it mighty tempting to do otherwise. But I don't know how to make it any more obvious, or use any more stats that back it up - run. Run. Run the football, win the game.

I realize many of these decisions rest with Fulmer and Clawson and not Drayton. But I still firmly believe that beating Florida doesn't involve getting the ball to the playmakers, it involves owning the running game.

Beyond that, I just don't think there will be much tangible that Drayton helps us with against the Gators. Maybe some tendencies, maybe something really minor, but Urban Meyer is too smart for anything significant. But if Drayton can use anything for extra motivation...well, we'll take that too.

5. We’ve discussed the Vols offense and defense, but what about special teams? Give us your thoughts on Tennessee’s kicking game and special teams in general.

I had a lot of faith in Daniel Lincoln, felt he had the arrogance you needed from your kicker and he was backing it up. Then he went to the SEC Championship Game and lost that faith by missing two kicks, including one that should've been automatic. So he still can be good enough to be a real asset for the Vols, but that big-game consistency is going to need to be seen to be believed again.

I'm not worried about Chad Cunnigham unless he does something incredibly stupid. You think back to David Leaverton at UCLA or young Britton in Gainesville '05, and there's proof that you don't have to have just a lower punting average to really hurt the ballclub. That said, I think Chad will handle the pressure fine and won't kill us.

Special teams as a whole were a significant contributor to the 2005 debacle, and kick returns against the Vols have been more frequent in the last three years no doubt. So whether the solution is to put better players out there or for the coverage team to simply make the plays they're supposed to make...the Vols have room for improvement.

However, Dennis Rogan is the most exciting and dangerous return threat we've had since Terry Fair, and has plenty of time left to get into a class of his own by the time he's done. The Vols have a chance to make "putting the special in special teams" an exciting factor instead of a bad joke.

Check back here throughout the week for the responses from the other members of the roundtable:

- Moondog Sports (host this week)

- Third Saturday in Blogtober

- Fulmer's Belly

- YMSWWC

- The View from the Hill

- Gate 21