 | | Mark Jones returned a kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown in the Vols' loss to Alabama. | THE SERIES
Tennessee and South Carolina are meeting for the 21st time with the Volunteers holding a 16-2-2 series lead, including 5-2-2 in Columbia. The Volunteers have won nine straight games in the series. The last two meetings have been decided by a total of 10 points (UT 17-14 in 2000, UT 17-10 in 2001). UT won the previous seven clashes by an average of 26.6 ppg. The last time Tennessee played at Williams-Brice Stadium, the Vols scored 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter for the come-from-behind victory, 17-14. With 26 seconds left in the game, Travis Henry's 1-yard run punctuated a 68-yard drive for the winning score. South Carolina's last win versus the Vols came in 1992 when the Gamecocks upset No. 16 Tennessee, 24-23, in Columbia. South Carolina thwarted a two-point conversion attempt at the end of the game to preserve the win. The Gamecocks' only other win over the Vols came in 1903 in Columbia in the first game of the series. The two ties also came in Columbia. The first, a 6-6 knotting, in 1919, and then the teams played to a scoreless tie in 1942. Head coach Phillip Fulmer is 9-0 against South Carolina. TENNESSEE AT A GLANCE
The Tennessee Volunteers have dropped their last two games to fall to 4-3 overall and 1-3 in the Southeastern Conference for the first time since the 2000. The Vols finished off that season with six consecutive victories and a trip to the Cotton Bowl. The last time UT was 1-4 in SEC play was in 1988 when it started 0-4 in the conference before winning its last three to finish 3-4.
UT went 4-2 during the first half of the season, going 3-1 at home, 1-0 at a neutral site and 0-1 on the road. The Vols are 0-1 to start the second half after a loss to Alabama, and must play three of their last five games on the road, beginning with this week's matchup at South Carolina. Tennessee has home games remaining with No. 1 Miami (Nov. 9) and Kentucky (Nov. 30). Back-to-back road tilts are up against Mississippi State (Nov. 16) and Vanderbilt (Nov. 23). The future opposition boasts a combined record of 22-16, while the first seven opponents posted a 28-27 overall mark. | WINNINGEST DIVISION I PROGRAMS (Since 1997)
Team W-L Pct | | 1. Nebraska 61-12 (.836) | | 2. Marshall 60-12 (.833) | | 3. Florida State 58-12 (.829) | | 4. TENNESSEE 56-14 (.800) | | 5. Michigan 55-14 (797) | The Vols lead the nation in kickoff returns (28.2 ypr) and are fourth net punting (39.7 ypk). Corey Larkins is third in the SEC and 16th nationally in kickoff returns with a 25.5 yard average, while Dustin Colquitt is second in the SEC and fourth in the NCAA with a 44.2 yard averages in punting.
Tennessee is a plus three in turnover margin in its four wins and a minus four in its three losses. The Vols have been on the plus side in turnovers twice (Wyoming +4 and Rutgers +1), while being even three times (MTSU, Florida, Georgia). Over the last five years, Tennessee ranks as the fourth-winningest program in the nation and winningest program in the Southeastern Conference with a 56-14 mark. Since 1995, the Vols are third in total victories at 77. They trail only Nebraska's 84 and Florida State's 79. NOVEMBERS TO REMEMBER
Complete November Results Since 1985
Tennessee has amassed a 64-3 mark in games during the month of November since 1985. The Vols are 38-1 at home and 26-2 on the road during that span that includes two wins over South Carolina in 1996 (31-14 at Columbia) and a 22-7 victory in 1997 over the Gamecocks in Knoxville. Tennessee has a 44-1 mark against SEC teams in November since 1985 and have a 6-1 mark against ranked teams during the streak--the only loss coming against No.1-ranked Notre Dame (coached by Lou Holtz) in 1990 at Neyland Stadium. | FASTEST COACHES TO REACH 100 WINS (Games) | | | Games | Record | | Gil Dobie | 108 | 100-5-3 | | George Woodruff | 109 | 100-9-0 | | Bud Wilkinson | 111 | 100-8-3 | | Fielding Yost | 114 | 100-10-4 | | Knute Rocke | 117 | 100-12-5 | | Robert Neyland | 120 | 100-12-8 | | Frank Leahy | 121 | 100-13-8 | | Joe Paterno | 122 | 100-21-1 | | Barry Switzer | 122 | 100-18-4 | | Henry Williams | 122 | 100-13-9 | | Phillip Fulmer | 122 | 99-23 | | | | | | FASTEST COACHES TO REACH 100 WINS (Years) | | | Year | Game | | Barry Switzer | 11 | 3rd | | Tom Osborne | 11 | 4th | | Amos Alonzo Stagg | 11 | 6th | | Bud Wilkinson | 11 | 8th | | R.C. Slocum | 11 | 8th | | Joe Paterno | 11 | 9th | | Steve Spurrier | 11 | 9th | | Phillip Fulmer | 11 | ?? | FULMER GOES FOR 100 CAREER VICTORIES
Head coach Phillip Fulmer needs just one more victory to reach the 100-victory mark in his career. He has 99 wins in 122 games and could be the 11th-fastest to reach 100 victories in 123 games with a win over South Carolina.
Fulmer has a chance to tie Texas A&M's R.C. Slocum the fifth-fastest to reach 100 wins in terms of longevity. He could reach the mark in his 11th season and eighth game, trailing only Oklahoma's Barry Switzer and Bud Wilkinson, Chicago's Amos Alonzo Stagg and Nebraska's Tom Osborne.
Fulmer is the only active coach with a minimum of 10 years as a head coach who ranks in top 10 all-time winning percentage list among Division I-A coaches. His .811 winning percentage is 10th. He is one of only 12 Division I-A coaches with an .800 winning percentage under that standard.
Fulmer is currently tied with former Auburn head coach Pat Dye (1981-92) for 14th on the SEC all-time coaching victories list. With one more win, he will become the 14th coach in league history to reach 100 wins. IN THE POLLS
After two straight losses to No. 6 Georgia and No. 19 Alabama, Tennessee has fallen to No. 25 in the AP poll and out of the USA Today/ESPN Coaches poll. UT has been ranked in the top 25 for 33 consecutive weeks. UT opened the 2002 season ranked No. 5 in the preseason polls and spent six of first eight weeks in the top 10. It marked the seventh time in the last eight years the Vols have been a preseason top 10 team. VOLS FIND POSITIVES IN SPECIAL TEAMS
Tennessee's special teams, specifically kickoff returns and punting, have been a bright spot for the Vols all year. Thanks to one of the nation's top return men in Corey Larkins, UT leads the nation in kickoff return average at 28.2 yards per game. Likewise, punter Dustin Colquitt ranks fourth nationally and second in the SEC with his booming average of 44.2 yards per kick.
The Vols got a big boost to their kickoff return average against Alabama when Mark Jones returned a pooch kick 87 yards for a touchdown just before the half. Jones became the first Vol to return a kickoff for a touchdown since Leonard Scott accomplished the feat versus Georgia in 1999. Jones also had a 35-yard return against Middle Tennessee.
For the season, Larkins holds a 25.2 yard kickoff return average which ranks third in the SEC and 16th nationally. He is one of five league players with a 25-yard average per return and needs just 15 yards to become the 13th Vol to post 500 kickoff return yards in a season. He has returned 19 kickoffs for 485 yards, with 13 having been for at least 20 yards, including four for over 30 yards.
Colquitt is one of three punters in the SEC and six nationally averaging better than 44.0 yards per punt. He has averaged over 42 yards per punt in each game, including a career-best 47.8 yard average against Alabama with a career-long 62-yarder. Over the last four games he is averaging 44.1 yards per punt.
The Vols also rank fourth in the NCAA and first in the SEC in net punting at 39.7 yards.  | | Casey Clausen | | UT CAREER PASSING LEADERS | | 1. Peyton Manning - 11,201 | | 2. Andy Kelly - 6,397 | | 3. CASEY CLAUSEN - 5,964 | | 4. Jeff Francis - 5,867 | | 5. Tee Martin - 4,592 | | UT CAREER TOTAL OFFENSE LEADERS | | 1. Peyton Manning - 11,020 | | 2. Andy Kelly - 6,427 | | 3. CASEY CLAUSEN - 5,923 | | 4. Jeff Francis - 5,900 | | 5. Tee Martin - 5,207 | ACTIVE NCAA
STARTING QB WINS
(by percentage/min. 20 wins) | 1. Ken Dorsey
Miami (Fla.) - 32-1 (.970) | 2. Chris Simms
Texas - 22-5 (.815) | 3. Casey Clausen
Tennessee - 21-5 (.808) | 5. Dave Ragone
Louisville - 25-8 (.758) | 5. Byron Leftwich
Marshall - 25-8 (.758) | CLAUSEN MOVES TO THIRD ON VOLS' ALL-TIME PASSING LIST
With 161 yards passing against Alabama, Casey Clausen moved past Jeff Francis (1985-88) into third place on Tennessee's career passing yardage list with 5964 yards. He needs 434 yards to pass Andy Kelly (1988-91) for second, and just five completions to move past Francis in third on the career completions chart.
Clausen ranks third all-time in completion percentage among SEC signal-callers with 300 completions at 64.1 percent (472-736). He trails former Kentucky quarterbacks Tim Couch at 67.1 and Dusty Bonner at 65.3.
In addition, Clausen is 16th on the SEC's career touchdown passes list with 45. He needs just five more TD passes to become one of 16 league quarterbacks with at least 50 scoring strikes, while nine have at least 60.
Another impressive note is that he ranks third behind former UT quarterback Peyton Manning and Georgia's Eric Zeier in lowest percentage of interceptions at 2.85 in a minimum 600 attempts. Manning had a 2.39 interception percentage, while Zeier posted a 2.64 mark. CLAUSEN CONTINUES AS ONE OF SEC'S TOP QBS
Casey Clausen, who sat out the Georgia game with a sore left shoulder, has been an efficient leader for the Vols, passing for more than 260 yards in four of his last five games. Over his last three games he has completed 48-of-82 passes (58.5 percent) with five touchdowns and four interceptions, averaging 245.3 ypg.
Clausen leads the SEC in completion percentage (66.0) while ranking second in completions per game (20.7), second in total offense (259.8 ypg) and third in passing efficiency (141.62) Nationally, he is sixth in completion percentage, 19th in passing efficiency, 25th in total offense and tied for 21st in completions.
He had a string of 112 passes without an interception snapped with a third quarter pick against Arkansas. He fell shy of the the school record of 132 set by Peyton Manning in 1995.
Clausen's string of consecutive games with a touchdown pass ended at 12 against Alabama. It was the third longest streak in school history.
Against Florida, he established career-bests for completions and attempts, going 30-of-44 for 285 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. His previous best for completions was 27 versus LSU in the 2001 SEC Championship game.
In the first three games, he completed no fewer than 22 passes in each contest, while connecting with at least eight different receivers (Wyoming - 11, Middle Tennessee - 9, Florida - 8).
His 82.8 completion percentage (24-of-29) versus Middle Tennessee was a career-best, bettering his 79.2 percent (19-of-24) game against Kentucky in 2000.
Clausen has completed 50 percent or better of his passes in his last 18 games and 24 of 26 career starts. His string of nine consecutive games with a 60 percent completion rate or better was snapped against Rutgers when he completed 53.6 percent (15-of-28). Over the last 12 games, he has completed 256-of-384 for 66.7 percent.  | | Kelley Washington | | UT SINGLE-GAME RECEPTION YARDAGE | 1. Kelly Washington - 256
vs. LSU (2001) | 2. Johnny Mills - 225
vs. Kentucky (1966) | 3. Willie Gault - 217
vs. Vanderbilt (1981) | 4. Carl Pickens - 201
vs. Kentucky (1990) | 4. Stanley Morgan - 201
vs. TCU (1976) | 7. Peerless Price - 199
vs. Florida State (1998) | 7. Kelley Washington - 197
vs. Rutgers (2002) | | | WASHINGTON AVERAGES OVER 100 YARDS PER GAME
Sophomore receiver Kelley Washington, who has missed three games with a sprained knee and concussion, made the most of his playing time by recording three straight 100-yard receiving games (Florida, Rutgers, Arkansas) before being held to 32 yards on three catches against Georgia. Not since Marcus Nash in 1997 had a Vol registered three consecutive 100-yard receiving games.
Washington is tied for second on the team with 23 receptions with a team-leading 443 yards and 19.3 yards per catch. He averages 110.8 yards per game and would rank 11th in the NCAA if he had enough games played to qualify.
Against Florida, he finished with team-high 102 yards receiving on seven catches. Six of the seven receptions went for first downs. Versus Rutgers, he had the second-best receiving game of his career, hauling in seven passes for 197 yards and one score. He and Casey Clausen connected on the three longest passing plays of the season, covering 52, 48 and 58 yards in that game. He hauled in six passes for 112 yards against Arkansas.
* Washington has been on the receiving end of seven of UT's 22 long passes covering at least 20 yards.
* He has taken 15 of his 23 receptions for first downs this season and 60 of 87 in his career.
* He set UT freshman records for receptions and receiving yards with 64 for 1010. He needs 19 catches and 162 yards to enter the top 10 in the respective career categories. With 47 yards, he will become the 12th Vol to reach 1500 career receiving yards.
* Washington has six 100-yard games to his credit, including a school-record 256-yard performance in the first of two meetings against LSU in 2001. JABARI DAVIS SPEARHEADS RUSHING CORPS
Sophomore Jabari Davis, who was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week after posting a career-high 135 yards rushing on 25 attempts while scoring three touchdowns in UT's six overtime victory against Arkansas, spearheads Tennessee's rushing corps, gaining 366 yards on 79 carries. He leads the Vols with seven touchdowns this season and has nine in 17 games played.
Davis, who made his second career start at tailback for the injured Cedric Houston against Arkansas, rushed for 112 yards in regulation on 20 carries and two scores. It marked the third time in his career that he has run for at least two touchdowns in a game (2001-Florida, 2002-Wyoming, Arkansas). He also had a career-long 58-yard scoring run to give UT a 17-3 lead in the fourth quarter versus the Razorbacks, while adding one in overtime.
Davis made the most of his playing time against Wyoming, rushing for two scores on Tennessee's first two possessions of the second half, finishing with 29 yards on 10 carries. He added 39 yards on seven rushes against Middle Tennessee and posted his third rushing tally of the season against Florida on a 1-yard run in the third quarter as he rushed for 32 yards on eight carries. He then posted his fourth rushing score versus Rutgers while running eight times for 40 yards. Against Georgia, he had 65 yards on 14 attempts. SCORING STREAK
Tennessee has scored in 103 consecutive games, dating back to a 31-0 shutout by Florida in Knoxville in 1994. UT's home scoring streak is 54 contests, while it has scored in 120 straight games away from Neyland Stadium. The last road shutout was by Georgia in 1981, 44-0. JASON WITTEN RELIABLE AT TIGHT END
Tight end Jason Witten has been one of the most reliable pass catchers for the Vols. He is the only player to make at least one catch in every game. He's tied for second in catches with 23 while ranking first with four receiving touchdowns and third in yards with 285.
Witten has made at least three catches in five of the seven games, with a season-high six against Florida. He recorded 78 yards in receiving, including the game-winning touchdown against Arkansas. He had registered a TD catch in three straight games (Rutgers, Arkansas, Georgia), with his first coming versus Middle Tennessee. TONY BROWN QUIETLY LEADS RECEIVERS
Tony Brown has quietly risen to the top of Tennessee's receiving chart with a team-high 26 catches for 307 yards which is second.
He stepped up big for the Vols in the first two games in place of the injured Kelley Washington, hauling in 15 passes for 152 yards (10.1 ypc). He led UT in receptions and receiving yards in both games. Over the last five games, he has seen his yards per catch rise to 14.1, making 11 receptions for 155 yards. Brown's lone scoring reception came against Arkansas. DERRICK TINSLEY SHOWS VERSATILITY
Derrick Tinsley has been a very versatile back for the Vols. He has thrown a touchdown pass, rushed for 68 yards on 20 carries, made 15 receptions for 176 yards and three scores while even returning one kickoff.
He had caught at least one pass in the first six games before being shutout against Alabama and he ranks second with three receiving touchdowns, trailing Jason Witten's four.
Tinsley averages 7.1 yards every time he touches the ball. He got off to a slow start running the ball, gaining just eight yards on his first six carries in the first three games. Since then, he has rushed for 60 yards on 14 carries, averaging 4.3 yards per attempt.
A great outlet receiver, Tinsley has made at least two catches in five of the seven games, while posting at least 28 yards in receiving five times. FLEMING GETS SHARE OF TOUCHES
Troy Fleming has also been a success for the Vols as a blocker, rusher and pass catcher. He is the third leading rusher with 113 yards on 23 carries, averaging 4.9 yards per carry. He is also tied for fourth on the team with 15 receptions for 110 yards. Fleming averages 5.9 yards every time he gets the pigskin.
Fleming, Jabari Davis and Cedric Houston have accounted for 11 of the 12 rushing scores this season.
Fleming led the team with 42 yards rushing against Florida while hauling in a team-high and career-best eight passes for 33 yards. The 42 yards rushing matched his career-best set previously in the first game against LSU in 2001. His eight receptions more than doubled his previous high of three versus Georgia in 2001 and bettered the 27 yards he had against the Bulldogs in that same game.
Fleming recorded his first career rushing touchdown on a 16-yard run against Rutgers while rushing for 39 yards, including a career-long 18-yard carry. JAMES BANKS EXCELS IN RELIEF ROLE
True freshman quarterback James Banks, playing in only his second game, made the most of significant playing time against Georgia. Despite not starting, Banks accounted for 203 of 344 yards total offense and one touchdown. He threw for 168 yards on 10-of-15 passing while rushing for 35 yards on 14 carries.
He led Tennessee on nine of its 12 possessions, including driving the team 80 yards on each of its last two possessions for scores. He connected with Derrick Tinsley on a 33-yard scoring strike as a well as hitting Tony Brown on a 48-yard pass that set up that score. His 45-yard pass to Kelley Washington helped set up UT's second score.
Against Alabama, he started the final series of the game, completing his only pass attempt for two yards. AGAINST THE SEC
Tennessee is 67-20 in SEC since divisional play began in 1992, including a 2-1 mark in the SEC Championship game.
Against the Eastern Division, the Vols are 40-12, going 21-5 at home and 19-7 on the road. They have won 20 of their last 26 over Eastern teams, 12 of the last 15 at home and nine of their last 12 road tilts.
Versus the Western Division, Tennessee is 27-8, going 13-4 at home, 11-3 on the road and 3-1 at neutral sites. They have won 22 of their last 26 against Western opponents, including 11 of 12 at home and eight of the last 10 road games. ORANGE ZONE EFFICIENCY
Tennessee has picked up its efficiency when inside the opponent's 20-yard line over the last four games, scoring on 11 of its last 14 possessions (8 TDs, 3-4 FGs). For the season, UT has scored on 21 of 29 occasions (72.4%) with 15 touchdowns. The Vols made five trips into the orange zone in each of the five games, while entering just once against Georgia and three times versus Alabama. They have missed four field goals and turned it over twice on downs.
Of the 22 offensive touchdowns Tennessee has scored, 15 have come from inside the orange zone. NATIONAL SACK LEADERS
Since 2000, Tennessee ranks third nationally in team sacks with 102. The Vols trail only Louisville's 116 and Fresno State's 109 totals. Tennessee is sixth in the SEC in sacks this season with 17. UT trails Georgia and Alabama (24), Mississippi's 19 and Arkansas and LSU's 18.
The Vols are led by Demetrin Veal's three, while Eddie Moore, Rashad Moore and Gibril Wilson have two apiece. Eight others have been credited with at least a half sack. The team has recorded 12 sacks over the last four games. Veal is the active sack leader with seven, while Eddie Moore is second with five. MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
* Rashad Baker leads the team with four interceptions, ranking second in the SEC and 14th nationally. The Vols are eighth in the SEC with eight interceptions. The defense has also broken up 34 passes.
* The Vols recked havoc against Middle Tennessee by recording a safety on a blocked punt, the first since 2000 against Louisiana-Monroe, and scoring a touchdown following a sack by Jabari Greer who forced a fumble that Kevin Simon recovered in the end zone.
* With a rushing touchdown, Derrick Tinsley will be the first Vols since Greg Amsler in 1989 to pass, catch and rush for a score in the same season.
* Tennessee has scored just 57 points in regulation in its four league games.
* Tennessee's rush defense has yielded 157.3 ypg and six TDs over the last three games.
* Tennessee has blocked a field goal and a punt this year (Middle Tennessee & Rutgers) FIRST TIME ACTION
Tennessee has seen 22 student-athletes play their first game and 13 true freshmen have played.
* Fourteen players have made their first career starts at some point this season; seven on offense and seven on defense. They are TB Cedric Houston, TB/FB Jabari Davis, FB Troy Fleming, WRs Leonard Scott, Jomo Fagan and Tony Brown, QB C.J. Leak, DT Demetrin Veal, DT Aubrayo Franklin, DE Mondre Dickerson, LB Robert Peace, DB Gibril Wilson, LB Kevin Simon and DE Karlton Neal.
* There are also 22 players who played in their first game. They included: DB Gibril Wilson, WR Jomo Fagan, LB Kevin Simon, LB Jason Mitchell, DB Chris Heath, DE Ovince Saint Preux, DB Robert Boulware, RB Keldrick Williams, WR C.J. Fayton, C Scott Newsome, LB Mondre Dickerson; PK Phillip Newman, RB William Revill, QB C.J. Leak, OT Richie Gandy, DB Shannon Benton, DE Wesley Holmes, OG Guillaume Dumont, WR Justin Reed, TE Jake Finlayson, WR Jonathan Wade, QB James Banks.
* Thirteen true freshmen have seen action this season. They are DB Jason Allen, QB James Banks, DE J.T. Mapu, LB Parys Haralson, TE Aaron Kirkland, LB Omar Gaither, RB Gerald Riggs, OG Rob Smith, OT Cody Douglas, DT Greg Jones, WR Chris Hannon, DE Jason Hall, WR Jonathan Wade. REGGIE WHITE TO COLLEGE HALL OF FAME
Official Release | White Comes Home
Former University of Tennessee defensive tackle Reggie White (1980-83) has been named to the National Football Foundation's College Football Hall of Fame, Division I-A Class of 2002. He becomes the Tennessee's 18th member of the College Hall.
White was captain of the 1983 Vol squad and was an All-America and All-SEC selection that season. He was the SEC Player of the Year in 1983 and was the Atlanta Touchdown Club's Player of the Year, the Birmingham Touchdown Club's Most Outstanding Senior and the Birmingham Monday Morning Quarterback Club' Most Outstanding Lineman that season. He holds school records for career sacks with 32 and season sacks with 15 in 1983.
He played professionally for the Memphis Showboats of the USFL (1984-85), the Philadelphia Eagles (1985-92) and the Green Bay Packers (1993-98). He led the Packers to a win in the 1998 Super Bowl.
Induction ceremonies will be held Dec. 10 in New York City at the Foundation's annual Awards Banquet at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. UP NEXT
Tennessee plays host to the No. 1 ranked Miami Hurricanes (Nov. 9, Neyland Stadium) in the sixth home game of the season. This will only be the second meeting on the gridiron between these two teams. The Vols defeated the Hurricanes, 35-7, in the 1986 Sugar Bowl. UT is 2-5 all-time against No. 1 teams, playing Florida most recently in 1997. The two wins came over Auburn in 1985 and LSU in 1959, both in Knoxville. |
