 | | Jesse Mahelona has recorded a sack in each of the first games, while the Vols' defensive unit has registered six in two games. | SERIES HISTORY
Tennessee leads the all-time series with the Tigers 19-5-3, dating to 1925. The Vols suffered a 38-31 overtime defeat in their last trip to Baton Rouge but have won four of the last six meetings in the series. UT is 7-3-2 all-time in Baton Rouge. LSU went 9-3 in 2004 and stands at 1-0 this season under the guidance of first-year head coach Les Miles. This season's game with the Tigers marks the first meeting between Miles and UT head coach Phillip Fulmer. In four of the last six meetings in this series, both teams have scored at least 20 points. UT averages 17.9 points per game in Tiger Stadium (215 points in 12 games). The 2001 campaign marks the last season the Vols and Tigers faced off, with Tennessee posting a 26-18 regular-season win in Knoxville before LSU claimed a 31-20 victory in the 2001 SEC Championship Game in Atlanta. The SEC title-game loss cost UT a spot in the national championship game at the Rose Bowl (also the site of this season's national title contest). Tennessee senior quarterback Rick Clausen began his collegiate career at LSU. He played in three games for the Tigers as a freshman in 2002 (starting the game against Mississippi) before transferring to UT. 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. HARALSON TABBED FOR AFCA GOOD WORKS TEAM
University of Tennessee student-athletes will be helping senior linebacker Jason Mitchell support Hurricane Katrina victims through a donation drive at Cumberland Baptist Church in Knoxville last weekend. Senior Parys Haralson headlines the 2005 American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team with his selection to the 11-man Division I-A squad. A third-year starter at defensive end from Flora, Miss., Haralson is the second Volunteer in the last three years to make the prestigious team and is the eighth overall selection from Tennessee. Haralson has volunteered more than 155 hours during his career for various organizations and activities such as the Tennessee Special Olympics, Boys and Girls Club, Sacred Heart School, Keep America Beautiful and Team Focus camp. He helped build homes for Habitat for Humanity, passed out turkeys during the Thanksgiving holiday and participated in Special Spaces, working with terminally ill children. Haralson also volunteered time at April Play Day, Tom Joyner Sky Show and National Crime Victim's Week. VOLUNTEERS SHOWING SUPPORT THROUGH "ORANGEAID"
On Monday, Sept. 5, the UT football and men's basketball teams held the second annual "OrangeAid," raising $6,340 for Red Cross relief efforts. For a donation to the Red Cross, fans had the opportunity to get autographs from select players and coaches at Knoxville's West Town Mall. The football team sold t-shirts with the inscription "One Heartbeat" for $15. UTAD also donated $50,000 from concession sales at the Sept. 3 UAB game to the Red Cross' relief efforts. J. MITCHELL & FAMILY PROVIDE RELIEF IN WAKE OF KATRINA
Tennessee student-athletes helped senior linebacker Jason Mitchell support Hurricane Katrina victims via a donation drive at Cumberland Baptist Church in Knoxville Sept. 10-11. Mitchell's family, which founded the Mitchell Family Foundation to help single families in Abbeville, La., has teamed up with The Vermilion Faith Community of Care (VFCC) to help Hurricane evacuees who have been transported to Abbeville. The VFCC is currently caring for thousands of people who evacuated the hurricane-ravaged areas of Louisiana. FEELING THE EFFECTS OF THE GULF COAST TRAGEDY
The tragic and devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina have impacted the lives of countless Americans, including Jason Mitchell and other UT football players from the Gulf Coast area. Freshman center Josh McNeil is a native of Collins, Miss., which is approximately 40 minutes north of Biloxi. The area near his family's home included nearly 100 pine trees, two of which hit the McNeils' house, and three of which hit and damaged the family's workshop. Sophomore defensive end Xavier Mitchell, from Long Beach, Miss. (the Gulfport-Biloxi area), has also endured hardships as a result of Katrina. His mother, Constance Ayres, lived in a house located just blocks from the coast, and the home sustained such an extensive amount of damage that it has been deemed no longer livable. Sophomore tight end Chris Brown is from Destrehan, La., which is just a 10-minute drive from New Orleans. His family was unharmed during the ordeal, but the house in which his parents and two bothers live sustained considerable damage to its roof. Redshirt freshman tailback Ja'Kouri Williams calls Plaquemine, La., home. That city, located about one hour's drive west of New Orleans, is also home to more than 15 of his relatives. None of them were hurt during the storm, but it took more than three days before anyone heard from his cousins, Veyond Williams and Veronique Verret. Other Vols from the areas affected include Lucas Taylor (Carencro, La.), Jonathan Wade (Shreveport, La.), Parys Haralson (Flora, Miss.) and Casey Woods (Starkville, Miss.). All of their family members were unharmed. VOLS' SLATE AGAINST TOP TENS NOTHING NEW
Tennessee's schedule of Florida and LSU on the road continues the Vols' trend of playing top-10 opponents in consecutive games. UT visited No. 6 Florida last weekend before traveling to No. 3-ranked LSU this Saturday. It marks the eighth time in school history Tennessee has played such competition, including games against No. 8 Auburn (lost, 34-10) and No. 3 Georgia (won, 19-14) a year ago. The last time UT played top-10 opponents on the road in consecutive weeks was Sept. 5-12, 1981, when the Vols lost to No. 10 Georgia 44-0 and No. 5 Southern California 43-7. Head coach Phillip Fulmer owns a 3-1 record in such games, sweeping the 1999 twin bill against No. 10 Georgia (37-20) and No. 10 Alabama (21-7). VOLS GET "SACK HAPPY" IN THE SWAMP
Despite a disappointing loss at Florida last weekend, Tennessee managed to sack Gators quarterback Chris Leak five times during the game. The Vols' five QB sacks were the most by UT in a single game since totaling six against Marshall during a 34-24 win in Knoxville in 2003. The Vols have six sacks on the year, and Jesse Mahelona leads the squad with two. RIGGS POISED TO JOIN ELITE 100-YARD-GAME COMPANY
Senior tailback Gerald Riggs Jr. has tallied seven career 100-yard games, including four in the Vols' last six contests, dating to last season. Riggs needs just three 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). 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. NUMBER SWAP
Preseason All-SEC performers Kevin Simon and Gerald Riggs Jr. highlight the list of Vols who are donning new numbers in 2005. Simon is wearing No. 2 instead of his old No. 5. Riggs switched from No. 31 to No. 21. Other Tennessee players with new uniform numbers include: No. 63 Ell Ash, No. 47 Britton Colquitt, No. 67 Cameron Mayo, No. 7 Jerod Mayo and No. 75 Anthony Parker. 10 SEASONS = 101 VOL VICTORIES
Tennessee's 100th series meeting against Kentucky to end the 2004 regular season resulted in the Vols' 100th overall victory in the last 10 years -- a figure that leads the SEC. The Vols are 101-25 since the start of the 1995 season and assured themselves of ending this season as the conference's top team over the last 10 years for the second year in a row. Tennessee went 99-26 in the 10-year period that ended after 2003. Florida sports the second-best record in the last decade, entering the 2005 season at 96-30. Georgia follows at 88-35 and LSU at 81-40. Auburn is 80-42 over that span. Other SEC schools in order: Mississippi 69-49, Alabama 69-52, Arkansas 69-52, Mississippi State 52-64, South Carolina 49-64, Kentucky 43-71 and Vanderbilt 25-87. NON-CONFERENCE DOMINANCE
Since 1989, Tennessee has a 61-13-1 (.820) record in non-conference games. Only five of those defeats have been in the regular season (Notre Dame in 1990 and 2004, at UCLA in 1994, at Memphis in 1996, and Miami [Fla.] in 2002). The other eight losses came in bowl games. Under head coach Phillip Fulmer, Tennessee is 43-10 (.811) against non-conference foes. Fulmer's home record against non-conference teams is a daunting 20-2, with the two setbacks coming vs. Miami (Fla.) in 2002 and Notre Dame in 2004. QUARTERBACKS
Sophomore Erik Ainge and senior Rick Clausen have each started a game this season ... Clausen started last weekend at Florida, but Ainge saw the majority of action under center, including the entire second half ... Clausen has completed 65.5 percent of his passes in 2005, while Ainge's completion percentage stands at 44.2 ... Ainge was under center for UT's lone scoring drive vs. Florida (which was capped by an 8-yard TD pass) and has two TD tosses to Clausen's one ... Clausen played for LSU in 2002 and started one game (Mississippi) before transferring to UT the following season ... Highly touted incoming freshman Jonathan Crompton is redshirting this season after undergoing shoulder surgery Aug. 10. TAILBACKS
Senior tailback Gerald Riggs Jr. racked up 110 yards on 23 carries vs. UAB but was held to just 86 yards on 17 rushes last weekend at Florida ... Riggs averages 98.0 yards per game and a healthy 4.9 yards per carry this season ... Redshirt freshman Arian Foster has gained 34 yards on nine carries through UT's first two games ... Foster lined up in the backfield during the Vols' 12-play, 83-yard, 5:17 scoring drive at Florida ... True freshmen LaMarcus Coker and Montario Hardesty have yet to see action in a game this season. WIDE RECEIVERS
Tennessee saw seven different receivers and/or tight ends tally receptions at Florida ... Senior C.J. Fayton leads the Vols this season with six catches for 100 yards and one TD ... Junior Bret Smith was Tennessee's leading receiver vs. the Gators, hauling in four passes for 27 yards, including an 8-yard TD catch from Erik Ainge ... Sophomore Robert Meachem saw limited action at Florida, making just one catch, but he still ranks second on the squad with a 16.0-yards-per-catch average (Fayton leads the team with a 16.7-yard average) ... Sophomore Chris Brown is the only Vols tight end to catch a pass this season; he has four receptions for 35 yards. OFFENSIVE LINE
Senior center Richie Gandy returned from a preseason knee injury to start the SEC opener at Florida last weekend ... Gandy's return allowed Rob Smith to move back to his natural left guard position ... Tennessee's running game was limited to 66 yards on 25 carries vs. the Gators, as the Vols averaged just 2.6 yards per attempt ... On the year, UT is averaging 102.0 rushing yards per game, along with a 3.4-yards-per-carry average ... Tennessee's pass protection has remained strong, allowing just two sacks through two games (both at Florida) ... Redshirt freshman center Anthony Parker made his collegiate debut last weekend in Gainesville, seeing limited action in the first half. 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 60.5 rushing yards per game (ranked 10th nationally) and recording six sacks ... The Vols sacked Florida QB Chris Leak five times last weekend, marking the most sacks by UT in a single game since the Vols logged six against Marshall in 2003 ... Senior defensive end Jason Hall tallied six tackles at Florida, including a pair of TFLs ... Senior tackle Jesse Mahelona leads the Vols with two sacks this season ... Tennessee has 11 QB hurries this season, with sophomore end Xavier Mitchell logging three vs. the Gators. LINEBACKERS
Senior linebacker Omar Gaither put on a shining performance in the Florida game, posting a game-high 11 tackles, including a sack for a 6-yard loss ... Fellow senior Kevin Simon totaled five tackles with one PBU ... Redshirt freshman Jerod Mayo started in place of senior Jason Mitchell at the weakside position, but both players logged a pair of stops vs. the Gators ... Sophomore Ryan Karl continues to excel on UT's special-teams coverage units ... Karl made two tackles on kick coverages at Florida, including a punishing hit on UF returner Andre Caldwell that resulted in a broken leg for the Gators junior. SECONDARY
All-America defensive back Jason Allen was rarely tested in the Florida game and finished with three tackles, including an impressive sack on Chris Leak in the first quarter that resulted in a 10-yard loss ... Sophomore safety Jonathan Hefney tallied three stops and a TFL, while junior safety Antwan Stewart made two tackles and broke up a pass ... The Vols held UF to just 179 passing yards -- allowing just two catches of more than 20 yards and no TDs. SPECIAL TEAMS
The Vols were haunted by special-teams miscues during the loss at Florida last weekend, including a blocked field goal, a fumbled punt return and a failed fake punt ... The fumble and fake punt resulted in six points for the Gators ... Junior placekicker James Wilhoit is now 1-of-3 this season on field goal attempts ... Punter Britton Colquitt is averaging 36.7 yards per punt and booted a career-long 54-yarder at Florida ... Tennessee's kick-return average stands at 14.3 yards, and the Vols' punt-return average is 5.3 yards ... Jonathan Hefney has exclusively handled punt-return duties, while Chris Hannon (12.5 avg.) and Inquoris Johnson (15.0 avg.) and Robert Meachem (15.0) have all returned kickoffs. UP NEXT
After consecutive road games against top-10 opponents Florida and LSU, Tennessee returns to Rocky Top and the friendly confines of Neyland Stadium to host SEC Western Division foe Mississippi Oct. 1. And for the third straight week, the Vols face a conference opponent whose head coach is in his first year with his respective team. Rebels coach Ed Orgeron has guided UM to a 1-1 start thus far in 2005. Next weeks contest marks the first meeting between Orgeron and UT head coach Phillip Fulmer. The Vols' and Rebels' most recent meeting came last October in Oxford, Miss. Tennessee posted a hard-fought, 21-17 victory in that game, as Gerald Riggs Jr. rushed for 118 yards and one touchdown and Parys Haralson logged a career-high 10 tackles. UT leads the all-time series with Mississippi 42-18-1, dating to 1902. The Rebels have not defeated the Big Orange since posting a 13-10 win in Knoxville in 1983. The Vols have won their last 11 games vs. Mississippi. Tennessee's Magnolia State natives include senior defensive end (and two-time team co-captain) Parys Haralson (Flora), sophomore defensive end Xavier Mitchell (Long Beach), sophomore wide receiver/holder Casey Woods (Starkville) and freshman center Josh McNeil (Collins). WORKING OVERTIME
Since the NCAA established a tiebreaker system for Division I in 1996, Tennessee is 4-1 overtime contests. The Vols have won the coin toss three times and chosen to play defense twice. 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 | | 
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