| DID YOU KNOW?
Among the major college football programs with an overall winning percentage of .600 or better between 2001 and 2005, only three teams sported a better winning percentage on the road than at home. Tennessee is one of those teams, along with Georgia and Miami (Fla.). During that span, UT was 23-10 (.697) at home and 21-9 (.700) on the road (with wins at Georgia and at Miami). SERIES HISTORY & NOTES
Tennessee travels to Arkansas to take on the Razorbacks for the 15th time in series history Saturday. The Vols head to Fayetteville for the first time since 2001 with a three-game winning streak against the Razorbacks in tow and a 12-2 all-time record against Arkansas.
The teams haven't met since UT won a 41-38 thriller in six overtimes at Neyland Stadium in 2002. The Vols held Arkansas to only a field goal en route to a 13-3 victory the last time the squads met at Razorback Stadium.
UT head coach Phillip Fulmer is 9-1 lifetime against the Razorbacks, including six straight wins to start his career against Arkansas. Arkansas head coach Houston Nutt is 1-4 against the Vols.
The 2006 Vols roster features six players from the state Arkansas: James Turner (Augusta), Slick Shelley (Fort Smith), Roshaun Fellows (Warren), Ricardo Kemp (Warren), Bret Smith (Warren) and walk-on Derrick Furlow (Crossett). | BIG ORANGE TAILGATE TOUR HITS FAYETTEVILLE | | | Join the Tennessee Alumni Association for the 2006 Big Orange Tailgate Tour when it rolls into Fayetteville Saturday, Nov. 11, 2006 from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Come and join fellow Vols fans at the Randal Tyson Track Center (behind Baum Stadium (baseball field) - one mile from football stadium), 1380 S. Beechwood, for a pre-game pep rally before cheering on the Vols in Fayetteville. We will have the UT pep band, cheerleaders, door prizes, games/trivia contests, a cash bar, tailgate style food and spirit buttons for sale. (Free parking and shuttle service to football stadium - Shuttle picks up at Gate A of Baum Stadium (approx. 200 yards from the Randal Tyson Track Center) | CATCHING FIRE: MEACHEM STORMING TOWARDS ALL-AMERICA HONORS
Robert Meachem further enhanced his reputation as a big-play threat at any time against LSU.
The junior wide receiver hauled in five catches for 121 yards a pair of deep-strike touchdowns against the nation's top-ranked defense. With starting quarterback Erik Ainge sidelined with an ankle injury, Meachem grabbed touchdown passes from freshman Jonathan Crompton that covered 37 and 54 yards.
The scores gave the All-America candidate eight touchdown catches this season -- the most in the SEC and seven more than he's had in either of his previous seasons at Rocky Top. His 121 yards against LSU leaves him just 11 yards short of becoming the fourth Vol in school history to reach 1,000 in a single season.
Meachem -- one of 14 semifinalists for the 13th annual Biletnikoff Award, presented annually by the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation to the top receiver in college football -- leads the SEC and ranks second in the nation in receiving yards per game (109.9) through nine contests. The Tulsa, Okla., native has piled up 989 yards on 50 catches to help pace one of the SEC's most potent offenses.
Meachem also has been one of the nation's biggest surprises. Despite leading UT in receiving yardage in each of his two previous seasons on Rocky Top, he wasn't even listed on the preseason "Watch List" for the Biletnikoff Award finalists. He's leaped to the forefront, however, after setting new season-highs for catches and receiving yards in just six games this year. | NCAA's Top Receiving Duos | | (2006 Average Yards Per Game) | | Duo (School) | Yards | | 1. Williams-Dubois (NMSU) | 174.7 | | 2. Filani-Johnson (Texas Tech) | 164.6 | | 3. Meachem-Swain (UT) | 163.9 | | 4. Hall-Brown (Alabama) | 159.3 | | 5. Douglas-Urrutia (Louisville) | 158.6 | | Must have played in 75 percent of games | MEACHEM, SWAIN COMPRISE NATION'S THIRD-BEST RECEIVING DUO
Tennessee wide receivers Robert Meachem and Jayson Swain comprise the third-best receiving duo in NCAA Division I-A in terms of average yards per game this season. The pair has combined for 1,475 yards and 13 touchdowns this season, with Meachem totaling 989 yards and Swain gaining 486 for a combined per-game average of 163.9 yards. Each Vol has recorded a multi-TD game this season, with Meachem leading the pack with three multi-TD outings (California, Air Force and LSU). Both have set career-highs for receptions and yards in a season this year. TENNESSEE TO PLAY 17th GAME WITH ESPN COLLEGE GAMEDAY ON SITE
Tennessee has appeared in 16 games when the crew from ESPN College Gameday was on site. The Vols' record in those contests is 7-9 (.438), including a 5-4 mark away from Rocky Top. Since the show hit the road in 1993, the higher ranked team has won 70 percent of the time (103-44). This weekend's game marks the 41st time the show has broadcast from an SEC site (the most of any conference) and the first time it has been on site for an Arkansas game. CUTCLIFFE'S MAGIC NUMBER = 30
During David Cutcliffe's two stints as Tennessee's offensive coordinator (1993-98 and 2006), the Vols have been awfully tough to beat when they score at least 30 points. In fact, with Cutcliffe gripping the offensive reins, Tennessee has scored at least 30 points in 53 different games; and UT owns an impressive 51-2 (.962) record when that happens. Cutcliffe's UT teams score at least 30 points in 63.9 percent of their games (53 of 83). The Vols average 34.4 in those contests.
When Cutcliffe's UT offense totals at least 30 points, Tennessee outscores its opponents by an average of 25.6 points per game (42.81 ppg to 17.23 ppg).
Below are some of Tennessee's scoring breakdowns with Cutcliffe as offensive coordinator: - Home SEC Games: 34.1 ppg
- Home Non-Conference Games: 38.4 ppg
- Road SEC Games: 35.3 ppg
- Road Non-Conference Games: 29.0 ppg
- Neutral-Site Games: 27.5 ppg
VOLS OFFENSE LEANING HEAVILY ON THE PASSING GAME
Not since 1997 -- Peyton Manning's senior season -- has Tennessee's offense relied so heavily on the passing game as this year. Through nine games, the Vols are averaging 169.0 more passing yards than rushing yards per game (276,8 to 107.8). In 1997, UT averaged 180.7 more passing yards per game (331.8 to 151.1).
During UT's 1998 national championship season, the Vols actually averaged 23.8 more rushing yards than passing yards per game (211.3 to 187.5). But from 1999 through 2005, Tennessee averaged 76.7 more passing yards than rushing yards per outing. That number has risen significantly this season by nearly 100 yards (92.3). VOLS PASSING, SCORING NUMBERS RANK AMONG NATION'S BEST
Tennessee ranks among the top-20 teams in NCAA Division I-A in three offensive stat categories this season.
UT's passing efficiency rating of 155.87 is 10th-best in the nation. The Vols rank 12th in the country with 276.8 yards of passing offense per game. Tennessee ranks 19th nationally in scoring with 31.3 ppg.
The Vols' offensive numbers place them atop the SEC rankings in passing offense and red-zone offense (93.5 scoring percentage). MEACHEM ON VERGE OF 1,000 YARDS THIS SEASON
All-America candidate and Biletnikoff Award semifinalist Robert Meachem is 11 yards shy of becoming the fourth Vol ever to log 1,000 receiving yards in a single season.
Joey Kent reached 1,000 yards in back-to-back years, totaling 1,055 yards in 1995 and 1,080 yards in 1996. Marcus Nash set UT's single-season record one year later with 1,170 yards in 1997. Most recently, Kelley Washington logged 1,010 receiving yards in 2001.
At his current pace (109.9 ypg), Meachem is on track to set a new school record with 1,319 receiving yards at the conclusion of the regular season (not including a postseason bowl game). ARKANSAS MARKS UT'S FIFTH TOP-15 OPPONENT THIS SEASON
Saturday's game at 11th-ranked Arkansas marks Tennessee's fifth game this season against a team ranked in the top 15 at the time of competition. The Vols own a 2-2 mark thus far vs. top-15 foes, with wins over ninth-ranked California (35-18) and ninth-ranked Georgia (51-33) and losses vs. sixth-ranked Florida (21-20) and 13th-ranked LSU (28-24).
Last season's schedule was just as grueling, as Tennessee faced five top-10 teams in the same year for the first time in school history (including postseason play).
Tennessee owns a 3-0 record vs. Arkansas when the Razorbacks are ranked in the top 25. In the 1971 Liberty Bowl, ninth-ranked UT downed 18th-ranked Arkansas 14-13. In the 1990 Cotton Bowl, an eighth-ranked Tennessee squad posted a 31-27 triumph over the 10th ranked Razorbacks. And in 1998, the top-ranked Vols beat 10th-ranked Arkansas 28-24.
Tennessee has never faced such a highly-ranked Arkansas squad in Fayetteville. WILHOIT SEC'S THIRD ACTIVE LEADING SCORER; FOURTH ALL-TIME AT UT
Tennessee senior placekicker James Wilhoit ranks second among the SEC's active career scorers with 299 points (trailing Auburn's John Vaughn; 304). Wilhoit also ranks fourth on UT's all-time career scoring list and is on the verge of becoming the fourth Vol ever to log 300 career points.
For his career, Wilhoit is 53-of-75 on FG attempts and 140-of143 on extra-point tries. He already has earned his degree in Communications and is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Sport studies. VOLS VICTORIOUS ON THE ROAD
Since 1992, Tennessee owns the best road record among SEC teams, going 45-13 for a mark of .776. The Vols' 45 victories away from Rocky Top are the second most in the league during that span.
This season, Tennessee is 2-0 on the road in the SEC with wins at Georgia and South Carolina (as well as a non-conference victory at Memphis). UT BLOWS PAST 2005 INTERCEPTION TOTAL
The Tennessee passing game has improved by leaps and bounds this season. The Vols aren't too bad against the pass either.
After intercepting just nine passes in all of 2005, Antwan Stewart nabbed the 14th pick of the season for the UT defense when he intercepted LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell in the fourth quarter. The interception was the third for UT in the game -- the second consecutive game the Vols had grabbed passes that weren't intended for them. Junior safety Jonathan Hefney picked off his team-leading fourth pass of the season earlier in the game, and Demetrice Morley scored his first career touchdown after snagging a Russell pass and returning it 31 yards to the checkerboard.
Coupled with Marvin Mitchell's interception return against South Carolina, the Vols have scored defensive touchdowns in consecutive games for the first time since 1996. Dwayne Goodrich returned an interception 45 yards for a score against Arkansas, and Raymond Austin took a pick 26 yards for a touchdown one week later against Kentucky. Senior cornerback Jonathan Wade has been instrumental in leading the 35th-ranked passing defense in the country. Wade -- who forced a fumble against LSU -- has three interceptions, and the Shreveport, La., native leads the SEC with 13 passes defended this season.
Fellow senior Stewart has picked off more passes this season (three) than he had in his whole career entering 2006. NOVEMBERS TO REMEMBER
Tennessee has a 77-8 (.906) mark in the month of November since 1985. Since that season, the Vols are 44-5 (.898) at home and 33-3 (.917) on the road in November.
The rare November losses came in: 1990, 2004 and 2005 to Notre Dame; 1996 at Memphis; 1999 at Arkansas; 2002 vs. Miami (Fla.), 2005 vs. Vanderbilt and 2006 vs. LSU. Against Southeastern Conference opposition, the Vols boast a 55-3 (.948) record in November (including a 28-1 home mark). QUARTERBACKS
Junior Erik Ainge played just two series vs. LSU last Saturday due to an injured ankle suffered at South Carolina Oct. 28 ... Ainge still ranks second in the SEC and 13th in NCAA Division I-A with a 155.14 passer efficiency rating this year, and his 247.0 passing yards per game rank first the SEC ... Ainge is 15-5 as a starter and ranks sixth on UT's all-time passing yards chart (4,405) and eighth on the school's all-time total offense list (4,254) ... Redshirt freshman Jonathan Crompton played most of the game vs. LSU and was solid against the nation's top defense, completing 11 of 24 passes for 183 yards, two TDs and one INT. RUNNING BACKS
Sophomore TB Arian Foster made his second straight start Saturday vs. LSU ... Redshirt freshman TB LaMarcus Coker (56.1 ypg) is currently sidelined with a knee injury suffered vs. Alabama Oct. 21 ... Redshirt freshman Montario Hardesty (3.3 ypc) maintains the Vols' depth at tailback ... The Vols are averaging 107.8 rushing yards per game and have scored 13 rushing TDs on the year while averaging 3.6 yards per carry. WIDE RECEIVERS
Robert Meachem continues to lead UT's receiving efforts, pacing the squad with 50 catches for 989 yards and eight TDs ... Meachem ranks first in the SEC and second in the nation with 109.9 receiving yards per game ... Seniors Jayson Swain and Bret Smith have 486 and 343 receiving yards this season, respectively, while combining for nine TDs ... Starting TE Chris Brown ranks fourth on the team with 20 catches this year ... Tennessee averages 276.8 passing yards per game and 13.5 yards per catch this season. OFFENSIVE LINE
Tennessee's nine sacks allowed this season rank second in the SEC, and the Vols' have proven quite adept at pass blocking ... Preseason All-America OT Arron Sears has made 33 career starts ... Excluding Sears, UT's current offensive-line starters ( David Ligon, Josh McNeil, Anthony Parker and Eric Young) have just 39 starts between them ... The UT coaches have expressed confidence in the development of backups Chris Scott (OT), Ramon Foster (OG) and Vladimir Richard (OG). DEFENSIVE LINE
Tennessee is allowing 136.4 rushing yards per game this season and UT's opponents are averaging 3.8 yards per rush ... Starting DEs Antonio Reynolds and Xavier Mitchell have combined for 25 tackles in the last three games ... Preseason All-America DT Justin Harrell is out for the season with a ruptured biceps tendon ... In Harrell's absence, preseason All-SEC pick Turk McBride has moved from end to tackle and is performing well inside ... McBride's shift has increased playing time for DEs Robert Ayers and Wes Brown. LINEBACKERS
Sophomore Jerod Mayo ranks fourth in the SEC with 8.3 tackles per game ... Senior Marvin Mitchell ranks sixth in the league with 8.1 stops per game ... SLB Ryan Karl averages 4.5 stops per game ... Redshirt freshman Rico McCoy is making the most of his playing time, as he has 17 tackles this year ... Sophomore Ellix Wilson logged a career-high five stops vs. LSU last Saturday. SECONDARY
The Vols totaled three INTs last Saturday to raise the team's season total to 14 ... Junior FS Jonathan Hefney ranks ninth in the SEC in tackles with 7.1 per game and has a team-high four INTs this year ... Senior DB Jonathan Wade leads the Vols with 18 "big plays" on defense this year and forced a fumble vs. LSU ... Sophomore SS Demetrice Morley returned an INT 31 yards for his first career TD last Saturday vs. LSU ... Senior Antwan Stewart tallied his third INT of the year Saturday ... Backups Ricardo Kemp and Antonio Gaines are seeing increased action as the season wears on. SPECIAL TEAMS
Senior placekicker James Wilhoit totaled six points vs. LSU and remains fourth on UT's all-time scoring list with 299 points ... Sophomore punter Britton Colquitt is averaging 46.6 yards per punt this year to rank first in the SEC and third nationally ... Jonathan Hefney is averaging 16.8 yards per punt return this season ... For the year, the Vols average 14.6 yards on punt returns and 16.2 yards on kick returns ... UT's opponents are averaging 12.5 and 19.6 yards on punt and kick returns, respectively. |
