University of Tennessee Athletics
Postgame Notes
September 27, 2003 | Football
Sept. 27, 2003
Recap?|? Final Stats?|? Quotes?|? Photo Gallery
Vols Defeat South Carolina 23-20 in Overtime
Noting Tennessee
* Tennessee is 4-0 for first time since 1998 when Vols went 13-0 to win National Championship ... Vols improve to 2-0 in SEC
* Vols are now 3-1 in overtime games ... 3-0 at Neyland Stadium (wins over Florida-1998, Arkansas-2002, South Carolina-2003)
* Vols' only OT loss was at LSU in 2000 (38-31)
* Tennessee entered the game ranked No. 8 in AP and Coaches' Polls
* UT has won its last six SEC games dating back to last season
* Vols have now won their last seven regular season games
Series Notes
* Tennessee leads the all-time series 18-2-2 ... UT has won the last 11 meetings dating back to 1992
* Vols are 12-0 against South Carolina in games played in Knoxville dating back to 1916
* Last four meetings in series have been decided by 8 points or less
* USC's last win in the series was a 24-23 win at Columbia in 1992
* UT's current 11-game win streak vs. USC ranks fourth longest against any opponent in Vol history
* Today's attendance: 107,881 - largest of the season ...
Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer has a 107-25 (.811) mark in his 12th season at his alma mater
* Fulmer's .811 winning percentage ranks second among active Division I-A coaches
* Fulmer has a mark of 11-0 against South Carolina and is now 43-11 vs. the SEC East (70-17 overall SEC mark)
* Tennessee has a 61-8 mark at Neyland Stadium
* Fulmer has led Tennessee to more 11-win (3) and 10-win seasons (6) than any other coach in UT history
* Led UT to nation's best record (45-5) from 1995-98, including a 13-0 mark in 1998 and the National Championship
Clausen Passing Numbers
* Completed 13-of-22 passes for 149 yards and 2 touchdowns today
* Clausen's 4-yard TD pass to James Banks ended the game in first OT after Arkansas kicked field goal
* Clausen is now 28-7 (18-4 vs. SEC) as a starter at quarterback for the Vols ... 4-0 vs. South Carolina
* Ranks to No. 2 on Vols' career passing yardage list (7,517 yds), completions (606) and touchdowns (56)
* Clausen's Career passing stats now read: 606-of-967 (.627) 7,517 yards, 56 TDs, 26 INT
Receiving Notes
* C.J. Fayton's 9-yard TD pass was his first of the season and his first since catching a 2-yard scoring pass from Clausen in last year's win at South Carolina
* Tony Brown's 51 yards receiving tonight (2 receptions) is a season-high (previous: 35 vs. Fresno State)
* James Banks caught 3 passes for 28 yards including the game-winner a 4-yard TD pass in OT
Colquitt Keeps on Booming
* Dustin Colquitt averaged a career-best 51.7 yards on 7 punts tonight ... (previous: 50.8 vs. Marshall, 2003)
* Punts tonight: (49, 50, 63, 51, 36, 57, 56)
* Colquitt boomed a 63-yarder that went out-of-bounds at the USC 2 in the third quarter
* Had three other punts go out of bounds or downed inside the USC 10 tonight on punts of 49 yards or more
* Now has 34 punts of 50 yards or more in career ... Entered today's game as the SEC's leading punter (47.9), ranking 3rd nationally
Special Teams
* Vols blocked their first punt of the season in the first quarter to set up UT's first touchdown ... Marvin Mitchell blocked the punt and Derrick Tinsley recovered at the USC 10 ... Vols cashed in two plays later on a 9-yard TD pass from Clausen to Fayton
* UT's blocked punt was the first for the Vols since Jason Mitchell blocked an MTSU punt last season (Sept. 7, 2002)
* James Wilhoit converted 1-of-2 field goals .... Made a 33-yarder and missed from 45, ending a streak of four consecutive made
Defensive Notebook
* USC's 217 yards rushing is the most against the Vols this season (previous: 88 by Marshall)
* Brandon Johnson recorded his first interception on the final play of the first half ... Vols have picked off 3 INTs in last two games
Quickly...
* OG Jason Respert made his first start of the season (10th career start)
* DE Parys Haralson made his first career start tonight
* USC's Dondrial Pinkins is the first opponent to rush for 100 yards vs. Vols since Miami's Willis McGahee had 154 last season and most vs. UT since Ahmand Green of Nebraska rushed for 206 yards in the 1998 Orange Bowl
* Vols scored on their opening drive for the second time in four games this season
