University of Tennessee Athletics
ESPN COLLEGE GAMEDAY HEADED TO VOLS-GAMECOCKS MATCHUP
October 23, 2006 | Football
Oct. 23, 2006
ESPN's College GameDay Built by the Home Depot will originate from Columbia, S.C., on Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. The Tennessee Volunteers (6-1, 2-1 SEC) visit the South Carolina Gamecocks (5-2, 3-2 SEC) at 7:45 p.m. on ESPN.
Fans are invited to be on hand as Chris Fowler, Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit and Desmond Howard host the two-hour show at the state fairgrounds, across the street from Williams-Brice Stadium.
GameDay is in its 20th year of existence and its 13th year as a traveling program to campus sites. Tennessee has appeared in 15 games when the crew from GameDay was on site. The Vols' record in those contests is 6-9, including a 4-4 mark away from Rocky Top.
Since the show hit the road in 1993, the higher-ranked team has won 70 percent of the time (101-44). This weekend's game marks the 40th time the show has broadcast from an SEC site (most of any conference) and the first time it has been on site for a UT-South Carolina game.
This marks the fourth time that GameDay has visited the South Carolina campus.
UT-LSU SET FOR AFTERNOON KICKOFF; FOOTBALL TRADING CARDS AVAILABLE TO FIRST 10,000
The Southeastern Conference announced Monday that Tennessee's Nov. 4 contest against LSU is being televised by CBS and kicks off at 3:30 p.m. Eastern time. The Vols have appeared on CBS twice this season, in a one-point loss to Florida in September and in Saturday's 16-13 win over Alabama.
Tennessee leads the series against LSU 20-5-3, having won 11 of 13 all-time meetings in Knoxville (one loss, one tie). Last year, UT rallied for its biggest second half and fourth quarter comebacks in school history to defeat the Tigers in Baton Rouge. The Vols trailed 21-0 at the half and 24-7 early in the final period before claiming a 30-27 overtime triumph.
The UT Athletics Department will distribute Tennessee football trading cards to the first 10,000 fans at Gates 10 and 21 prior to the LSU contest.
Other SEC teams involved in Nov. 4 televised games feature Mississippi State at Alabama and Florida at Vanderbilt in a split Lincoln Financial Sports telecast (both games 11:30 a.m. Central) and Arkansas at South Carolina on ESPN (7:45 p.m. Eastern).
-- Tickets remain for Tennessee's 2006 home finale against Kentucky on Nov. 25. Tickets can be purchased either through the utsports.com Web site or by calling (865) 656-1200 or (800) 334-VOLS in the state of Tennessee.
INTERVIEW OF COACH Phillip Fulmer BEFORE SOUTH CAROLINA GAME AT COLUMBIA
1. What can the Vols do to offset the loss of starting tailback LaMarcus Coker, who played ahead of Arian Foster and Montario Hardesty?
A - "Our whole team will have to step up. That's necessary when you lose a good player. It's happened this season in the defensive line, and it needs to happen again with the running back corps. I believe Foster and Hardesty can do it."
2. With improvement in punt coverage against Alabama so noticeable, how had the Vols used the off-week to shore up that phase of play?
A - "We really worked hard on it. It wasn't a matter of effort. It was a matter of execution. We needed better tackling and that kind of thing. We are making progress, but need to always work on it."
3. Comment on UT's effectiveness in limiting Alabama's running attack last Saturday.
A - "We were pleased with what we were able to do. We had better practice habits, especially on tackling. Still, it's something we can't let up on in any way."
4. How important is it for the Vols to retain their obvious determination in seeing to it the fourth quarter belongs to Tennessee?
A - "It's something we've worked on and are doing a better job of making true. Over on the sidelines Saturday, there was a lot of enthusiasm as the fourth quarter got under way."
5. What weapons does South Carolina possess that will make it a tough test to try to return from Columbia with a victory Saturday night?
A - "It's always tough to go on the road in the Southeastern Conference. South Carolina will have great support Saturday. It's difficult to deal with their offensive team, which has an abundance of talent. We'll have to do a good job of containing those guys."
