 | | Parys Haralson has recorded two sacks and three TFLs in each of the last two contests. | SERIES HISTORY
Tennessee plays its second home game in as many weeks when it hosts SEC Eastern Division rival Georgia. Last season in Athens, Ga., the Vols posted a 19-14 victory to snap the Bulldogs' four-game win streak in the series. Tennessee leads the all-time series 18-14-2, dating to 1899. The Vols have also claimed victory in 10 of their last 14 tilts with UGA and boast a 9-7-1 advantage in games played in Knoxville. Under head coach Phillip Fulmer, Tennessee is 9-4 vs. Georgia and averages 26.8 points per game against the Bulldogs. Excluding Tennessee, Georgia is the most-represented state on UT's 2005 roster. The following 10 Vols all hail from the Peach State: Ben Greene (Jonesboro), Bill Grimes (Douglasville), Jason Hall (Marietta), Inquoris Johnson (Atlanta), Cameron Mayo (Dalton), Anthony Parker (Jonesboro), Jarod Parrish (Summerville), Chris Scott (Lovejoy) and walk-ons Stephen Darville (Rome) and Roy Olasimbo (Riverdale). SEARS NAMED SEC OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK
Arron Sears was named Southeastern Conference Lineman of the Week following his overall versatile play as Tennessee defeated Ole Miss, 27-10. The backbone of Tennessee's offensive line, Sears started at left guard for the first time in his career against Ole Miss after having played all but the center position in the Vols' overtime win at LSU just five days earlier. Tennessee rushed for a season high 172 yards against the Rebels and the Vols have controlled the clock for more than 35 minutes in each of their last two games. This season, Sears has two starts at left tackle, one at right guard and one at left guard. HARALSON WREAKING HAVOC ALONG LINE OF SCRIMMAGE
Tennessee defensive end Parys Haralson has been a disruptive force over the last two games (at LSU and vs. Mississippi). The senior co-captain recorded two sacks and three TFLs in each contest after posting none in the first two games (vs. UAB and at Florida). Haralson's resurgence has placed him atop the team leaderboard for both sacks and TFLs, while he also has 15 tackles, a forced fumble and a QB hurry on the year. For his career (43 games), Haralson has 127 total tackles, 16.5 sacks for a net loss of 110 yards and 36 total TFLs for a net loss of 162 yards. GEORGIA MARKS THIRD TOP-10 OPPONENT IN LAST FOUR GAMES
Tennessee's contest vs. No. 5 Georgia marks the third time in the last four games that the Vols have faced a top-10 opponent. UT lost to No. 6 Florida 16-7 Sept. 17 and then defeated No. 4 LSU 30-27 in overtime Sept. 26. The Vols averaged 18.5 points in those two contests, while their opponents averaged 21.5 points. The last time Tennessee faced three top-10 foes in a four-week span was the 1985 season. That year, the Vols opened the season at home vs. No. 10 UCLA (26-26 tie), defeated No. 1 Auburn 38-20 in Knoxville, beat unranked Wake Forest 31-29 in Knoxville and then lost to No. 7 Florida17-10 in Gainesville. In 1989, UT played three top-10 teams in a five-week span, going 4-1. 1985 "SUGAR VOLS" TO BE HONORED PRIOR TO GEORGIA GAME
Tennessee will pay tribute to the 1985 football team -- affectionately known as the "Sugar Vols" for their stunning 35-7 triumph over highly-touted Miami (Fla.) in the 1986 Sugar Bowl -- during a special on-field ceremony prior to Saturday's game. A gala reunion dinner will also be held Friday night at the Tennessee Theatre in Knoxville. DAUNTING RUSHING DEFENSE
The Volunteers defense has not allowed a team to rush for 100 yards all season. UT limited UAB to 53 rushing yards, Florida to 68 yards and Mississippi to just 50 yards. LSU's 98 total rushing yards are the most by a Tennessee opponent this season. Tennessee ranks first in the Southeastern Conference and fourth nationally with a rushing defense that allows an average of just 67.2 yards per game. Joseph Addai of LSU gained 84 rushing yards against the Vols, marking the top output by an opposing player all season. VOLS' OPPONENTS HAVE JUST ONE PASSING TD THIS SEASON
In 2004, Tennessee's defensive secondary allowed six passing TDs through the first four games of the season. This year, however, the Vols have allowed jut one TD pass in four outings (UAB threw a 27-yard TD pass in the season-opener). One reason for the lack of opponents' scoring strikes could be the disruptive nature of UT's defensive front, which has logged 12 sacks and 18 QB hurries so far this season. WILHOIT ENTERS TOP 10 ON UT's CAREER SCORING LIST
Junior placekicker James Wilhoit's nine-point performance vs. Mississippi Oct. 1 lifted him into 10th place on Tennessee's all-time career scoring list with 187 points. Wilhoit is 31-for-49 on field-goal attempts during his career and 94-of-96 on extra-point tries. FOUR VOLS RANK HIGH ON SEC POSITIONAL TACKLES LIST
Junior defensive tackle Justin Harrell is currently tied for first among Southeastern Conference defensive ends/linemen with an average of 5.0 tackles per game. Senior co-captain Jason Allen ranks second in the SEC among defensive backs with 8.2 stops per game. Seniors Omar Gaither and Kevin Simon are sixth and eighth, respectively, among SEC linebackers with 8.0 and 7.8 tackles per game. The four Vols seniors combine to average 29.0 tackles per game. RIGGS POISED TO JOIN ELITE 100-YARD-GAME COMPANY
Senior tailback Gerald Riggs Jr. has tallied eight career 100-yard games, including five in the Vols' last eight contests, dating to last season. Riggs needs just two more 100-yard outings to join the six Tennessee rushers who have surpassed the century mark in at least 10 games during their respective careers. Current Tennessee Titan Travis Henry holds the UT career record with 15 100-yard games. The other backs with double-digit 100-yard games are: Jay Graham - 14; Jamal Lewis - 13; Johnnie Jones - 13; Reggie Cobb - 10; James Stewart - 10). SIX VOLS HAVE ALREADY EARNED BACHELOR'S DEGREES
Tennessee ranks tied for fourth in the Southeastern Conference and tied for 10th nationally with six players on its current roster who have already earned their bachelor's degrees. The Vols' graduates include Jason Allen, Rick Clausen, C.J. Fayton, Richie Gandy, Jason Mitchell and walk-on Sam Wantland. TENNESSEE BOASTS TRIO OF PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAS
Three different Vols earned 19 preseason All-America honors from various publications.
DB Jason Allen - Athlon, CBSsportline.com, Lindy's (2nd), Nationalchamps.net, Playboy, Rivals.com (2nd), Sports Illustrated, Street & Smith's
DE Parys Haralson - Athlon (2nd), Sporting News (2nd)
DT Jesse Mahelona - Athlon, Blue Ribbon, Lindy's, Nationalchamps.net, Playboy, Rivals.com, Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Street & Smith's LEAGUE MEDIA PICKS VOLS TO WIN 2005 SEC CHAMPIONSHIP
Tennessee received 37 of 87 votes cast by media attending the 2005 Southeastern Conference Football Media Days to win the 2005 SEC Championship. In addition, nine Vols were named to the media's preseason All-SEC squads, including first-teamers Jason Allen, Parys Haralson, Jesse Mahelona, Gerald Riggs Jr. and Arron Sears. Cody Douglas, Omar Gaither, Kevin Simon and James Wilhoit were all selected as second-team honorees. 10 VOLS EARN COACHES' PRESEASON ALL-SEC HONORS
Four Tennessee Volunteers--tailback Gerald Riggs Jr., offensive lineman Arron Sears, defensive tackle Jesse Mahelona and defensive back Jason Allen--garnered first-team Preseason All-Southeastern Conference honors as voted on by the league coaches. Tennessee ranked third in the SEC with 10 total players named to the three teams, while UT's four first-team selections trailed only Auburn's six. A pair of Vols offensive linemen made the second and third teams, respectively, in Cody Douglas and Rob Smith. Defensive end Parys Haralson and linebackers Kevin Simon and Omar Gaither were each placed on the second-team defense. Placekicker James Wilhoit earned second-team special teams recognition. QUARTERBACKS
Senior Rick Clausen made his second start of the year when UT hosted Mississippi last Saturday, completing 18 of 35 passes for 206 yards ... Clausen's efficiency stands at 117.29, which ranks 10th in the SEC ... Sophomore Erik Ainge has started two games this season but did not play during the win over Mississippi ... Clausen has recorded 619 yards and two TDs through the air, while Ainge has thrown for 258 yards and two scores ... Highly touted incoming freshman Jonathan Crompton is redshirting this season after undergoing shoulder surgery. TAILBACKS
Senior tailback Gerald Riggs Jr. ranks second in the SEC with a per-game rushing average of 102.5 yards ... He also boasts a healthy 4.6 yards per carry this season ... Riggs has also developed into a receiving threat this season, having recorded seven receptions for 38 yards ... Redshirt freshman Arian Foster has gained 34 yards on nine carries through UT's first three games ... True freshman Montario Hardesty went down with a knee injury in the second half of the Mississippi game. WIDE RECEIVERS
Senior C.J. Fayton leads the Vols this season with 16 catches for 190 yards and one TD ... Fayton set a career-high with eight catches vs. the Tigers ... Junior Bret Smith is the only Vol with multiple TD catches this season (2) ... Sophomore Robert Meachem averages a team-best 14.1 yards on his nine catches this year and is the only Vol with multiple receptions in every game ... Senior Chris Hannon has 12 catches for 115 yards on the year (a 9.6-yard average) ... Sophomore Chris Brown is the only Vols tight end to catch a pass this season; he has six receptions for 52 yards. OFFENSIVE LINE
For the second straight game, sophomore Eric Young made a starting appearance on the Vols' offensive front (left tackles) vs. Mississippi ... Junior Rob Smith, who started the season-opener at center but then moved back to his original left-guard post for the next two games, once again shifted over to leg his second career start at center last Saturday ... Versatile junior Arron Sears was UT's starter at left guard vs. the Rebels, marking the third different position at which he has started in the last three games ... Injured centers Richie Gandy and David Ligon both saw action during the win over Mississippi ... Right tackle is the only position at which the same player has started in all four games ( Albert Toeaina) ... UT averages 111.5 rushing yards per game (eighth in the SEC) and is gaining 2.9 yards per attempt. DEFENSIVE LINE
Tennessee's defensive front, in the opinions of some publications, entered the season as the best in the nation ... Thus far, the unit has lived up to the hype, allowing just 67.2 rushing yards per game (leading the SEC) and recording 12 sacks ... Senior co-captain Parys Haralson has recorded two sacks and three TFLs in each of UT's last two games ... Haralson also forced a fumble vs. Mississippi ... Junior defensive tackle Justin Harrell is tied for first among SEC defensive linemen/ends with 5.0 stops per game ... All-America defensive tackle Jesse Mahelona has two sacks and five TFLs this season ... Junior tackle Turk McBride suffered an ankle injury at LSU and did not play vs. Mississippi ... Junior tackle Tony McDaniel has broken up a pass in each of the last two games, and redshirt freshman defensive end Robert Ayers' lone career tackle thus far was a sack vs. Mississippi for a six-yard loss. LINEBACKERS
Senior linebackers Omar Gaither and Kevin Simon rank second and third on the team with 32 and 31 tackles this season, respectively ... Gaither leads the squad with 7.5 "big plays" on defense, including a team-best two forced fumbles ... Senior Jason Mitchell has 16 stops on the season, and sophomore Ryan Karl leads the Vols with five special teams tackles ... Redshirt freshman Jerod Mayo did not play in the Mississippi game due to a knee injury. SECONDARY
Senior defensive back Jason Allen leads the Vols with 33 tackles this season ... After a strong showing at LSU, junior defensive back Jonathan Wade started vs. Mississippi and returned an INT 19 yards for a TD ... Sophomore safety Jonathan Hefney ranks fifth on the team with 19 tackles on the year ... Junior defensive back Corey Campbell thwarted Mississippi's last drive of the game when he intercepted a pass in the endzone, marking his seventh career INT (which leads all active Vols) ... Campbell leads all active Vols with seven career INTs ... Tennessee is allowing 204.8 passing yards per game and has given up just one passing TD on the year. SPECIAL TEAMS
Junior placekicker James Wilhoit is 4-of-8 on FG attempts this season and has had two FG tries blocked ... Four of Wilhoit's six kickoffs vs. Mississippi last weekend went for touchbacks ... Redshirt freshman punter Britton Colquitt is averaging 38.8 yards per punt ... Tennessee's kick-return average stands at 16.2 yards, and the Vols are averaging 6.3 on punt returns ... Elusive true freshman Lucas Taylor has earned a spot as one of UT's top returners and averages 22.5 yards on kick returns and 6.8 yards on punt returns ... Tennessee's opponents average 19.0 and 13.4 yards on kickoff and punt returns, respectively. UP NEXT
Tennessee travels to Tuscaloosa, Ala., to renew one of most storied rivalries in all of college football when it faces Alabama Oct. 22. The Crimson Tide lead the all-time series with the Volunteers 43-37-7, dating to 1901. Tennessee has won nine of the last 10 meetings, however, including a 51-43 five-overtime triumph in its last trip to Bryant-Denny Stadium Oct. 25, 2003. Vols head coach Phillip Fulmer is a perfect 2-0 against Alabama's third-year coach Mike Shula. Fulmer boasts a 10-2 record versus the Crimson Tide and an unblemished 3-0 mark in Tuscaloosa. In the Fulmer era (1993-present), Tennessee averages 26.8 points per game against Alabama. The Vols' 2005 roster includes four players from the state of Alabama: senior DB Jason Allen (Muscle Shoals), freshman DE Wes Brown (Athens), junior OG Arron Sears (Russellville) and junior WR Jayson Swain (Hunstville). OVERTIME SUCCESS
Since the NCAA established a tiebreaker system for Division I in 1996, Tennessee is 5-1 overtime contests. The Vols have won the coin toss four times and chosen to play defense three times. The only time UT chose offense after winning the toss was against Florida in 1998. Tennessee has played the second and third-longest overtime games in NCAA history at six (Arkansas 2002) and five periods (Alabama 2003). | Date | Opponent | OTs | Coin Toss | Game-Winning Play | Final Score | | 9/19/1998 | Florida | 1 | W (off) | Hall 41 field goal | 20-17 W | | 9/30/2000 | at LSU | 1 | W (def) | Royal 25 pass from Davey | 31-38 L | | 10/5/2002 | Arkansas | 6 | L (off) | Witten 25 pass from Clausen | 41-38 W | | 9/27/2003 | S. Carolina | 1 | W (def) | Banks 4 pass from Clausen | 23-20 W | | 10/25/2003 | at Alabama | 5 | L (off) | Clausen 1 run (2pt conv.) | 51-43 W | | 9/26/2005 | at LSU | 1 | W (def) | Riggs 1 run | 30-27 W | | 
Listen to Vol Network Broadcast | Sirius Channel 145
