 | | Tailback Arian Foster rushed for 148 yards and one score in his first career start against South Carolina. | DID YOU KNOW?
Tennessee's 35-34 come-from-behind victory over Notre Dame in South Bend Nov., 9, 1991, marks the Vols' second-largest comeback-win since 1961. The Vols trailed the game -- now known as "The Miracle in South Bend" -- by a score of 31-7 in the second quarter. Like this season, the Irish were ranked higher than UT entering that contest (Notre Dame was fifth in the AP poll, while the Vols were ranked 13th). SERIES HISTORY
Tennessee breaks from Southeastern Conference play and travels north to South Bend, Ind., where it looks to get back on the winning track against Notre Dame. The Vols lead the all-time series with Notre Dame 4-3, dating to 1978. This year's game marks the first meeting between UT head coach Phillip Fulmer and first-year Irish head coach Charlie Weis. Fulmer is 2-1 all-time against Notre Dame, including a 28-18 win at Notre Dame Stadium in 2001. Tennessee is 2-1 all-time in South Bend. NOTRE DAME MARKS VOLS' FIFTH TOP-10 FOE THIS SEASON
Tennessee faces its fifth top-10 opponent of the season Saturday when it takes on No. 8 Notre Dame in South Bend. The Vols are 1-3 vs. top-10 opposition thus far in 2005. The Vols lost to No. 6 Florida 16-7 in Gainesville Sept. 17, defeated No. 4 LSU 30-27 in overtime Sept. 26 in Baton Rouge, fell to No. 5 Georgia 27-14 in Knoxville Oct. 8 and dropped a 6-3 decision at No. 5 Alabama Oct. 22. This season marks the first time in Tennessee football history that the Vols have faced five top-10 teams in the same season (including postseason play). VOLS' LOSSES HAVE COME TO OPPONENTS SPORTING COMBINED 26-6 RECORD
Tennessee's four losses this season have come against teams that are a combined 26-6. Alabama is 8-0, Georgia is 7-1, Florida is 6-2 and South Carolina is 5-3. The Vols' defense gave up just five touchdowns in its four losses, with two coming against Georgia, one at Florida and two vs. South Carolina. Three were rushing scores, and two (both by South Carolina) came through the air. NOVEMBERS TO REMEMBER
Tennessee has a 75-5 (.938) mark in the month of November since 1985. Since that season, the Vols are 43-3 (.935) at home and 32-2 (.941) on the road in November. The rare November losses came in: 1990 and 2004 vs. Notre Dame; 1996 at Memphis; 1999 at Arkansas; and 2002 vs. Miami (Fla.). Against Southeastern Conference opposition, the Vols boast a 54-1 (.982) record in November (including a perfect 28-0 home mark). HARALSON THIRD ON UT'S ALL-TIME TFL LIST
Senior defensive end Parys Haralson ranks third on Tennessee's career TFL list with 40.5 since 2002. The two-time co-captain trails only Reggie White (51 TFLs from 1980-83) and Leonard Little (53 TFLs from 1995-97). Both White and Little went on to be top-three round NFL draft picks and NFL Pro Bowl selections following their playing days on Rocky Top. Arian Foster FLIRTS WITH 150 IN FIRST CAREER START
Redshirt freshman Arian Foster set career highs for carries (25) and rushing yards (148) while making his first career start last weekend vs. South Carolina. He also scored on a 1-yard TD plunge, giving him two scoring plunges on the year. On the season, Foster is averaging 4.7 yards on 61 carries. He scored his first career touchdown to cap Tennessee's victory over Mississippi earlier this season. Foster has also been a receiving threat out of the backfield, catching four passes for 51 yards, including a career-long 25-yard reception vs. Mississippi. Foster was forced into the starter's role in the Vols' backfield after senior Gerald Riggs Jr. suffered a season-ending ankle injury at Alabama Oct. 22. UT FIFTH NATIONALLY IN RUSH DEFENSE
Tennessee ranks first in the Southeastern Conference and fifth nationally with a rushing defense that allows an average of just 85.6 yards per game. The Vols' opponents are averaging just 2.7 yards per rush this season. In addition, John Chavis' unit has allowed just three rushing plays of 20 yards or longer. CORRALLING OPPOSING TAILBACKS
The Volunteers' defense has not allowed an individual opposing player to reach the 100-yard rushing mark this season. The leading rusher on each of the teams Tennessee has faced thus far has averaged a net rushing total of just 68.7 yards. Georgia's Thomas Brown is the leading ground-gainer against the Vols this season, as he managed 94 rushing yards Oct. 8. THREE VOLS AMONG SEC'S TOP-20 TACKLERS
Senior linebackers Kevin Simon and Omar Gaither rank fifth and ninth, respectively, on the 2005 SEC tackles leaderboard. Simon averages 9.0 stops per game, while Gaither averages 7.6 tackles. Sophomore safety Jonathan Hefney ranks 18th in the league with 6.4 stops per game (ninth among all SEC defensive backs). Gaither's two forced fumbles rank tied for third in the league, and Hefney's two interceptions rank tied for fourth this season. TENNESSEE ALLOWING THREE PASSING TDs THROUGH SEVEN GAMES
In 2004, Tennessee's defensive secondary allowed seven passing TDs through the first seven games of the season. This year, however, the Vols have allowed jut three TD passes in seven outings. UAB threw a 27-yard TD pass in the season-opener, and the Vols then went five straight games without allowing a scoring strike through the air. South Carolina finally broke through with a pair of passing TDs Oct. 29 This season marks the first time in the Fulmer era (1993-present) that Tennessee did not allow a passing TD through its first five SEC games. One reason for the lack of opponents' scoring strikes could be the disruptive nature of UT's defensive front seven, which has logged 19 sacks and 24 QB hurries so far this season. DEEP RECEIVING CORPS SHARING CATCHES, RACING FOR 1,000 CAREER YARDS
Tennessee's top-five wide receivers this season -- seniors C.J. Fayton and Chris Hannon, juniors Bret Smith and Jayson Swain and sophomore Robert Meachem -- are all within five catches and 71 yards of one another statistically. Meachem leads the group in receptions (21), while Swain leads in yards (252) and average per catch average per catch (13.3). Each of those five receivers is also steadily working towards the 1,000 career receiving yard milestone. Swain leads that charge with 905 yards followed by Fayton (892), Hannon (774), Meachem (687) and Smith (605). WILHOIT NINTH ON UT's CAREER SCORING LIST
Junior placekicker James Wilhoit ranks ninth on Tennessee's all-time career scoring charts with 199 points. He is also the SEC's active career scoring leader. The Hendersonville, Tenn., native needs four points to tie George Hunt (1969-71) for eighth place on the Vols' all-time list. Wilhoit is 34-for-53 on field-goal attempts during his career and 97-of-99 on extra-point tries. TAYLOR ADDING PUNCH TO VOLS' RETURN GAME
Entering Tennessee's third game of the season (at LSU), the Vols were averaging 14.3 yards on kick returns and 5.3 yards on punt returns. True freshman Lucas Taylor took over UT's returner's duties against LSU and has since returned 12 kickoffs for a 20.9 average, upping the Vols' season average to 18.2 yards. Taylor has also returned 12 punts for a 6.6-yard average. Taylor's 41-yard kick return Oct. 22 at Alabama was a career-long, and it set up Tennessee's only score of the day (a 32-yard field goal by James Wilhoit in the fourth quarter). TWO-TIME CO-CAPTAIN, LEADING CAREER TACKLER ALLEN OUT FOR SEASON
Tennessee's defensive charges were dealt a serious blow during the Vols' game against Georgia Oct. 8, as senior co-captain Jason Allen suffered a season-ending hip injury while tackling Bulldogs tight end Leonard Pope in the second quarter. With 220 tackles to his credit, Allen was UT's active career leader at the time of his injury. He also led all active Vols with 18 career PBUs. He played in 44 games during his career with four interceptions and four forced fumbles. As a safety in 2004, Allen led the SEC with 123 tackles. He returned to his favored cornerback position for the Vols this season after garnering first-team All-SEC acclaim for his efforts as a junior. A preseason All-America selection, Allen is one of six Vols who have already earned a bachelor's degree (Sport management) He is currently pursuing a second degree in Child and family studies. QUARTERBACKS
Senior Rick Clausen made his fifth start of the year when UT faced South Carolina Oct. 29, and he shared time under center with sophomore Erik Ainge ... The South Carolina game marked the second contest this season (along with the opener vs. UAB) in which two Vols' QBs each conducted a scoring drive ... Clausen is completing 59.4 percent of his passes this season and has passed for 1,107 yards ... Ainge has started two games this season and is completing 41.2 percent of his passes for 323 yards ... Clausen has three TDs through the air, while Ainge has thrown for a pair of scores ... Tennessee is averaging 204.3 passing yards per game. TAILBACKS
Redshirt freshman Arian Foster made his first career start last weekend vs. South Carolina and posted career-highs in carries (25) and yards (148) ... Foster is averaging 4.7 yards on 61 carries this season (285 net rushing yards) ... Junior FB Cory Anderson has 11 catches for 105 yards this season ... As a team, the Vols average 3.3 yards per carry and 110.7 rushing yards per game. WIDE RECEIVERS
Sophomore Robert Meachem averages 10.9 yards on his team-leading 21 catches this year and is the only Vol with multiple receptions in every game ... Junior Jayson Swain leads the team in receiving yardage (252) and average per catch (13.3) ... Sophomore Chris Brown is the only Vols tight end to catch a pass this season; he has seven receptions for 70 yards ... Tennessee averages 11.0 yards per catch this season and has 1,430 total receiving yards. OFFENSIVE LINE
Junior OG Rob Smith's 20 consecutive starts mark the longest such streak of any current Vol ... Right tackle is the only O-line position at which the same player has started in all seven games ( Albert Toeaina) ... UT averages 110.7 rushing yards per game (10th in the SEC) and is gaining 3.3 yards per attempt ... The Vols have allowed 10 sacks this season. 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 85.6 rushing yards per game (first in the SEC and fifth nationally) ... Senior co-captain DE Parys Haralson has recorded multiple TFLs in four of UT's last five games ... Haralson is the SEC's active career sacks leader with 18 ... All-America DT Jesse Mahelona has two sacks and five TFLs this season ... Senior DE Jason Hall continues to play well and has five sacks and 9.5 TFLs on the season. LINEBACKERS
Senior LB Kevin Simon leads the Vols with 63 total tackles and his nine stops per game rank fifth in the SEC ... Fellow senior Omar Gaither ranks second on the squad with 53 stops ... Senior Jason Mitchell has 26 tackles this season ... Sophomore Ryan Karl leads the Vols with five special teams tackles ... Redshirt freshman Jerod Mayo has seen significant playing time as a backup in 2005. SECONDARY
Two-time co-captain and preseason All-America DB Jason Allen was lost for the season after suffering a hip injury vs. Georgia Oct. 8 ... Sophomore DB Inquoris Johnson has replaced Allen and performed well, most recently recording three PBUs vs. South Carolina ... Junior DB Jonathan Wade and sophomore FS Jonathan Hefney each have two INTs on the year ... Hefney ranks third on the team with 45 total tackles ... Tennessee is allowing 208.3 passing yards per game and has given up just three passing TDs on the year. SPECIAL TEAMS
Junior placekicker James Wilhoit is 7-of-12 on FG attempts this season and has had two FG tries blocked ... Nine of Wilhoit's last 13 kickoffs have gone for touchbacks ... Redshirt freshman punter Britton Colquitt is averaging 39.4 yards per punt (10th in the SEC) ... Tennessee's kick-return average stands at 18.2 yards, and the Vols are averaging 5.8 on punt returns ... Elusive true freshman Lucas Taylor has become UT's top returner and averages 20.9 yards on kick returns and 6.6 yards on punt returns ... The Vols' opponents average 19.8 yards and 13.3 yards on kickoff and punt returns, respectively. UP NEXT
Tennessee hosts its annual homecoming game Nov. 12 vs. intrastate rival Memphis. The Volunteers lead the all-time series with the Tigers 18-1, dating to 1968 (Memphis was known as Memphis State for all gridiron meetings prior to 1994). Tennessee has won its last three games against Memphis. UT head coach Phillip Fulmer sports a 4-1 record vs. the Tigers, with the lone loss coming in 1996 in Knoxville by a score of 21-17. Fulmer is 1-0 against fourth-year Memphis head coach Tommy West. A 1976 graduate of Tennessee, West lettered for the Vols as a tight end from 1973-75. Tennessee is 62-16-3 all-time in homecoming games, including a 7-0 mark against Memphis. 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 | | 
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