Game Preview: VU vs. Tennessee

Tennessee-Vanderbilt Series History/Notes

Tennessee leads the all-time series with Vanderbilt 68-27-5, dating to 1892. The Volunteers hold a 34-10-1 edge in games played in Knoxville. The last time these teams met in Neyland Stadium, the Commodores snapped a streak of 22 straight Vol victories in the series (Nov. 19, 2005).

Tennessee avenged that loss last year in Nashville, using 429 yards of total offense and a two-touchdown performance by quarterback Erik Ainge to post a 39-10 win.

Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer, a native of Winchester, Tenn., who worked as an assistant coach at Vandy in 1979, boasts a 13-1 career record against Vanderbilt. Commodores head coach Bobby Johnson is 1-4 against the Vols.

Of the 57 Tennessee natives on UT???s 2007 roster, 13???highlighted by seniors Steven Jones (Brentwood) and Ryan Karl (Franklin)???hail from the midstate region. Karl has started every game this season and also has served as a game captain.

Vols Lead FBS In Sacks Allowed

Tennessee???s offensive line has allowed just three sacks this season, and just two against starting quarterback Erik Ainge. Overall, the Vols have attempted 363 passes, meaning UT???s opponents are averaging one sack in every 121 attempts.

The Big Orange lead the nation (FBS) in sacks allowed, giving up less than a third of a sack per game (0.3).

Prior to a fourth-quarter sack by South Carolina against Ainge back on Oct. 27, the senior had attempted 290 straight passes without being sacked. His only other sack this year came during the season-opener at Cal in what would have been his third attempt of the game/season.

Vanderbilt ranks tied for 23rd nationally and second in the SEC with 2.80 sacks per game.

Tennessee To Honor 21 Seniors Saturday

Saturday???s home finale marks the last game in Neyland Stadium for 21 Tennessee seniors, each of whom will be making the traditional solo run through the ???T??? during pregame.

Those seniors are: quarterback Erik Ainge, tight end Chris Brown, tight end Brad Cottam, defensive end Michael Crain, quarterback Dylan Dickey, center Michael Frogg, defensive back Antonio Gaines, defensive end Adam Gillem, quarterback Bo Hardegree, free safety Jonathan Hefney, defensive back Inquoris ???Inky??? Johnson, offensive tackle Steven Jones, linebacker Ryan Karl, defensive tackle J.T. Mapu, offensive lineman Cameron Mayo, defensive end Xavier Mitchell, tailback Roy Olasimbo, defensive back Jarod Parrish, defensive end Antonio Reynolds, wide receiver/holder Casey Woods and offensive tackle Eric Young.

Visiting Offenses Struggle Early In Neyland Stadium

John Chavis??? defense has given visiting offenses fits early in UT???s last four home games. The Vols allowed zero points in the first half against Georgia, South Carolina and Louisiana-Lafayette and allowed just a field goal against Arkansas.

In first-half action, the Vols surrendered two first downs and 59 yards vs. Georgia, nine first downs and 146 yards vs. South Carolina, 10 first downs and 172 yards vs. Louisiana-Lafayette and just one first down and 49 yards vs. Arkansas. Additionally, in 24 first-half possessions, opponents reached the red zone only once and have driven into field goal range three times.

The defense also has done a good job of getting its hands on the football early in games. In the last three contests, the Vols have forced four first-half turnovers, three of which the Big Orange offense converted into touchdowns.

2005 Wide Receivers Signees Coming of Age

Tennessee wideouts Josh Briscoe, Austin Rogers and Lucas Taylor were all members of UT???s 2005 signing class. Their collective impact on the Vols??? offense had been minimal prior to this season, but they have been clutch thus far in 2007.

All three players have already set new career-highs for catches and yards.
Taylor has 56 catches for 782 yards and three touchdowns this season. The Carencro, La., native is currently third in the SEC with 78.2 receiving yards per game and is fourth in the SEC averaging 5.6 receptions per game.
Rogers has 41 catches for 490 yards and two touchdowns this season. The Nashville, Tenn., native averages 49.0 yards per game and ranks ninth in the SEC with 4.1 receptions per game.
Briscoe has 36 catches for 305 yards and three touchdowns this year. The Shelby, N.C., native averages 3.9 catches per game.

Two Wins To Atlanta: Vols Control SEC Championship Game Destiny

While three SEC Eastern Division teams are still mathematically alive in the race to appear in the SEC Championship Game, Tennessee is the only team in the division that controls its own destiny.

Tennessee owns the head-to-head tiebreaker against Georgia???the only other two-loss team in the East.

Foster Climbing UT's All-Time Rushing List

Junior tailback Arian Foster???s 100-yard performance against Louisiana-Lafayette on Nov. 3 made him the 12th Vol ever to log 2,000 career rushing yards. He is 117 shy of 1,000 for the season.

He currently ranks 11th in school history with 2,084 career rushing yards and needs just six yards to crack UT???s all-time top 10.

Foster is on pace to net 1,059 rushing yards this season. That would give him the 12th-best single-season total in school history.

And should his career average of 65.1 rushing yards hold steady throughout his career, Foster could make a serious run at Travis Henry???s school record of 3,078 career yards (1997-2000).

Berry Generating Freshman All-America Buzz

One of the nation???s most highly sought-after recruits a year ago, true freshman Eric Berry has started all 10 games this season and is currently fifth on the team with 57 tackles after setting a career-high Oct. 27 against South Carolina with 12. Berry leads all SEC true freshman in tackles.

The starting safety also has added a big-play element to UT???s defense. Berry???s 96-yard interception return for a touchdown at Florida tied for the third longest in the history of Tennessee football. It was the longest by a Vol since Art Reynolds returned an interception 96 yards against Memphis State in 1972.

Berry???s 52-yard fumble return to set up a first-and-goal against South Carolina was the longest fumble return by a Vol since Julian Battle rumbled 81 yards for a touchdown at Notre Dame in 2001.

Berry also had interception returns of 61 and 37 yards against Arkansas on his way to SEC Freshman of the Week honors.

Berry???s 207 interception return yards leads the country this season and are also a school record, topping the previous mark of 177 yards set by Bobby Majors in 1970.

The SEC record for interception return yardage in a season is 244 yards by Florida???s Joe Brodsky in 1956 (on five INTs). LSU???s Greg Jackson stands in second place with 219 yards in 1988 (on seven INTs).

The NCAA single-season record is held by Southern California???s Charles Phillips, who totaled 302 yards on seven returns in 1974.

University of Tennessee Athletics