TENNESSEE POSTGAME NOTES

Oct. 7, 2006

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Noting Tennessee

Tennessee improved to 5-1 (1-1 SEC); Georgia fell to 5-1 (2-1 SEC).
The Vols entered the game ranked No. 13 in the Associated Press poll and No. 14 in the USA Today rankings; Georgia was ranked 10th in the AP poll and ninth in the USA Today listings.
Following an open-date next Saturday, Tennessee returns to action Oct. 21 vs. Alabama at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville.

Tennessee-Georgia Series

Tennessee leads the all-time series vs. Georgia 19-15-2 dating to 1899.
The Vols are 10-7-1 in games in this series that have taken place in Athens. Vols head coach Phillip Fulmer is 6-2 in Athens.
Today's contest marked the sixth meeting between UT head coach Phillip Fulmer and Georgia head coach Mark Richt.
Georgia has played 71 career games under head coach Mark Richt. Tonight's game marked the most points that the Bulldogs have ever allowed under Richt (previous high: 38 points by West Virginia in 2006 Sugar Bowl), and it was only the fourth time one of Richt's UGA squads allowed at least 30 points in a game.

Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer improved his record to 133-38 (.778) in 15 seasons with the Vols.
Fulmer now owns a 10-5 record against Georgia, a 83-25 SEC mark and a 52-17 record vs. SEC Eastern Division teams.
Tonight's triumph was UT's fourth-biggest rally under Fulmer, as the Vols trailed by as much as 17 in the second quarter.
Tonight's victory was Fulmer's 15th career win over a top-10 team.
Since the SEC expansion in 1992, Tennessee owns the best road conference record in the league with a 44-13 (.772) mark.

Cutcliffe's Magic Number = 30

Under offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe, Tennessee has scored at least 30 points in five of its six games this season.
Under Cutcliffe (who was the offensive coordinator from 1993-98 before returning to the post this season), Tennessee has scored at least 30 points in 52 different games; UT owns an impressive 50-2 (.962) record when that happens.
With David Cutcliffe serving as offensive coordinator, Tennessee has never lost to Georgia (7-0, 35.6 ppg to 17.4 ppg).

Ainge Has Another Solid Outing in Athens

With 268 yards of passing yards today, Ainge moved past Alan Cockrell into seventh place on UT's all-time career list with 3,846 yards through the air.
On the year, Ainge has already set career bests for passing yards in a season (1,657) and completions in a season (118).
Ainge is now 2-0 at Sanford Stadium, going 37-for-59 (62.7 percent) for 418 yards and four touchdowns.
On UT's second offensive possession, Ainge connected with senior receiver Bret Smith three times, including a 16-yard touchdown strike. Ironically, Ainge threw a 22-yard touchdown to Smith to open UT's scoring during the Vols' 19-14 win in 2004.
Ainge also tallied his first career rushing touchdown, sneaking it in from the 1-yard line at the 11:47 mark of the third quarter to make the score 24-20, UGA.
A 15-yard touchdown toss from Ainge to Robert Meachem gave the Vols a 31-27 lead (after a Wilhoit extra point) with 14:18 to play in the fourth quarter.
Ainge now has led three fourth-quarter comebacks in his career. Tonight's was his first since the 2004 Mississippi game.

Strong Return for Foster

Sophomore tailback Arian Foster returned to action after missing the previous two games with an ankle injury. He carried the ball 15 times for 63 yards and scored his first touchdown of the season at the 0:50 mark of the second quarter to make the score 24-14, UGA.
Foster added another TD (1-yard run) in the fourth quarter to put UT up by a score of 44-33 with 8:15 left in the fourth quarter. He made it three TDs with another 1-yard plunge late in the fourth. The
With a 10-yard run in the third quarter, Foster eclipsed the 1,000 career rushing yards milestone.

Led by Smith, Receiving Corps Enjoys Another Big Game

Senior receiver Bret Smith set a new career-high with seven catches and 94 receiving yards tonight. He opened the Vols' scoring with a 16-yard TD catch.
For his career, Smith has 13 catches for 216 yards and three touchdowns against Georgia.
Junior wideout Robert Meachem hauled in seven passes for 98 yards and one TD tonight. He now has 34 catches for 675 yards and six TDs this season.

Wardlow Delivers Special Spark

Redshirt freshman defensive back Antonio Wardlow blocked a UGA punt in the fourth quarter and recovered it in the end zone for his first career touchdown. Wardlow had never previously touched the ball in his brief career. The TD and ensuing extra point gave the Vols a 38-27 lead with under 13 minutes to play in the fourth quarter.
Wardlow's block was the first punt block returned for a TD by UT since Mark Levine returned one seven yards for a score vs. Southern Mississippi in 1995.

Defense Denies

Senior strong safety Antwan Stewart intercepted a Joe Tereshinski pass at the UGA 20-yard line on the Bulldogs' first possession of the third quarter. Linebacker Ryan Karl tipped the pass before Stewart recorded his second INT of the season and the fourth of his career.
At the 0:31 mark of the third quarter, senior cornerback Jonathan Wade intercepted a Joe Tereshinski pass at the UGA 36-yard line. It was Wade's second INT of the season and the fourth of his career.
Free safety Jonathan Hefney picked off a Matthew Stafford pass with under two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. The INT gave Hefney a pick in three straight games. The last Vol to pull off that feat was Rashad Baker against Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina in 2002.
Linebacker Jerod Mayo recovered a UGA fumble at the 7:04 mark of the fourth quarter. It was Mayo's first career fumble recovery. The fumble was caused by a Marvin Mitchell sack (Mitchell's second career forced fumble and first career sack).

Miscellaneous Notes

The Vols scored 37 second-half points tonight. The last time UT had a 30-point second half was Oct. 30, 2004, at South Carolina, as the Vols tallied 35 after the break (excluding OT games).
Following UGA's first scoring possession, Tennessee redshirt freshman LaMarcus Coker returned his first career kickoff. Coker's 40-yard return marked UT's longest return (punt, kickoff or interception) of the season.
Senior placekicker James Wilhoit tallied nine points tonight and remains the SEC's active career scoring leader with 276 points.
For the first time this season, Tennessee trailed at halftime (24-14).
Redshirt freshman defensive back Marsalous Johnson made his career debut tonight for the Vols.
Tennessee's captains for the pregame coin toss were seniors Turk McBride, Marvin Mitchell, Arron Sears, Jayson Swain and James Wilhoit.
Today's attendance was 92,746.

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