Alabama Ends Vols' Seven-Year Streak, 34-14

Crimson Tide Records First Win Against Vols Since 1994

Oct. 26, 2002

KNOXVILLE - Alabama took advantage of six Tennessee turnovers in defeating the Vols 34-14 before 107,722 at Neyland Stadium.

With the victory, the Crimson Tide ends UT's seven-game winning streak over Alabama-the longest for the Vols in the colorful series and the longest for any opponent over Alabama.

After Leonard Scott's 13-yard touchdown run on a reverse to narrow the Tide's lead to 24-14 at the 1:46 mark in the third quarter, Alabama answered by going 76 yards in 15 plays, consuming 8:15 to open a 27-14 lead.

The Tide added a late score after Charlie Peprah intercepted a Casey Clausen pass and returned it 49 yards to the UT 1. Santonio Beard's second touchdown of the night made it 34-14 with 3:22 remaining.

Alabama took a 14-7 advantage into halftime with both scores coming after Tennessee turnovers.

On Tennessee's first possession, Alabama defensive back Gerald Dixon scooped up a lateral pass and returned it 66 yards for a touchdown.

In the second quarter, after the Vols drove to the Alabama 6, Charles Jones intercepted a Clausen pass in the end zone. Bama struck quickly following the turnover, going 80 yards in six plays, highlighted by Brodie Croyle's 56-yard pass to Zach Fletcher. Santonio Beard's 10-yard rush with 52 second remaining in the half made it 14-0.

On the ensuing kickoff, the Tide elected to kick it to upback Mark Jones. Jones returned the kick 87 yards for a score to pull the Vols to a 14-7 deficit going into halftime.

Alabama held Tennessee to a season-222 yards of total offense.

Tennessee travels to South Carolina, who had an open date today, next Saturday in a 3:30 p.m. (EST) kickoff that will be televised by CBS.


 

Coach Scooters Corner

By Coach Scooter, Staff Writer

October 18th, 2002

Hello to all the Big Orange Nation for another week! Of course, Coach Scooter has had to get psychiatric help due to the events of the last few games, and after keeping the tissue companies in business after the long trail of tears from Athens back to our underground bunker deep inside enemy lines, I have finally found the strength to talk about our Brave Boys in Orange. Here is what happened in the week that was

The times they are a changin’?

The more things change, the more they stay the same in college football. In these days of pass happy offenses, kicking game winning field goals on third down, and BCS Eggheads, every now and then we get smacked in the face with a piece of history. In a game where the Seminoles were too stupid to know when they were beat, against the team the “experts” said would not be touched all year, Saint Bobby’s Injuns gave the defending national champions all they wanted, and had an opportunity to blow away the myth of the Canes invincibility with one kick of 43 yards. Reminiscent of other Nole disappointments, this one sailed wide of the uprights to keep the Hurricanes winning streak and number one ranking in tact. I will say this; the picture in the paper of the Hurricanes player in the face of the Nole kicker who missed the kick was both vulgar and disgraceful. I give Coach Larry Cocker a lot of credit with what he has accomplished in the short time he has been at Miami, but if I were him, I would find the player who did it, and run his backside until it dropped. There is no place for thugs in the world of college athletics. You want to be a punk, go join the guys from Georgia Championship Wrestling. At least there when you run your alligator mouth, your jay bird behind is going to have to back it up.

The times they are a changin’ Part 2

Well, as much as things stay the same, sometimes they do change; even in college football. When was the last time we saw the Large Reptiles lose two games at home in the same season by such lopsided scores? Not since the heady days of Ray Graves (A UT alum), Charlie Pell and Galen Hall have we seen the players from Gainesville get smacked up and down the field for 60 minutes as they have this year at home. It’s like my Aunt Molly always says, “Them boyahs got slapped so hard their clothes went out of style.” Watching the game on television reveled the curious site of the long lines of Gators fans walking up the stairs to the exits, and by the fourth quarter, the only colors seen in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium were of purple and gold, instead of orange and blue. As we mentioned a few weeks ago, this is one of the beautiful things about college football, and college sports in general; things change. Nothing stays the same. I will say I am disappointed with what has happened to Rex Grossman since I enjoy watching him play. Memo to Coach Zook: Please put your best and largest players in between him and the big uglies on the defensive line from now on, please? Thanks! Signed, Coach Scoot

Vol History

Since this is an off week (in all honesty, everything after the Wyoming game has been an off week) we searched the Big Orange Nation database to find this week’s Vol History Lesion. Here is what our global computer network came up with: The coach was General Bob Neyland. The General had a rule about players leaving Knoxville during the season. However, the General had one player who thought he could buck the system. The player (who’s name is protected under the Big Orange National Information Security Act of 1934) was from Greenville, Tennessee, and was in love so he wanted to go home to see his girlfriend. He snuck off one night after practice, and returned to Knoxville early the next morning. When the General found out about it, he didn’t say a word, until practice that day. Before the squad broke into their specific team drills, he asked the player, “How far is it to Greenville?” The player replied, “Well, General, it’s about 70 miles.” The General looked him in the eyes and said, “Good. Then give me 70 laps.”

Vol Quiz

Of the original 13 founding members of the SEC, what three left the conference since it’s birth in 1932?

A.) South Carolina, Florida State, Georgia Tech
B.) South Carolina, Memphis, Tulane
C.) Sewanee, North Carolina, Louisville
D.) Georgia Tech, Sewanee, Tulane

Answer below…

This week/Last week for the Vols

This is an off week for the Vols. Last week was too. I am not the kind of coach that will go on record as saying if we would have had this player, or if we would have had that player we would have won. I think Clausen’s injury limited us from what we could do, and he is an important part of our offense, but who knows what would have happened if he played. I think James Banks is the future, and even Coach Sanders said he reminded him of drawing up plays when Tee Martin was here. And we all know what we accomplished when Tee was here! I disagreed with John Adams article about Coach Fulmer being overpaid, at least in one sense. I don’t believe any sports figure should be paid what the sums they get now. I think the big bucks should go to our teachers and leaders of the country since they are responsible for our future, as well as safety. However, I think Coach Fulmer did the best job he could with the players he had available. I would like to see John Adams try to write a successful article without the use of his car to get to work, his computer to do research, the pen and paper to write notes, and the his keyboard to type the words. Take all that away, and let’s see just how well he does. I have not been happy with the Vols performance this year, but I believe they are giving us their very best, and since that’s the case, they can’t do any better. Many teams would be 1-5 instead of 4-2. If we should win the rest of the games (Yes, I know we play Miami) then all will be forgiven and the disappointment of the first part of the year will be forgotten. Stay with the Brave Boys in Orange, my fellow countrymen, this is not over yet.

Random thoughts from Coach Scooter

Walking back to our tailgate from Sanford Stadium, my friend, Coach B, and I were minding our own business, and trying to keep the water inside the eyelids, at least until we could find our brown, then we had an excuse for turning the water works on. It was all I could do not to start crying as I walked down the ramp out of stadium since ole Scoot’s heart was broken. Anyway, I was talking with a Georgia fan who was just as nice and personable as he could be. I congratulated him, and he shook my hand and said thank you and best of luck against Alabama in two weeks. I liked that sort of thing. About 50 feet from our tailgate, we hear two Georgia fans verbally degrading our team and us. They even said some things in reference to our heritage, and another comment about doing something that, after checking with several physicians, was impossible for the human body to do. I never looked at Coach B as I said, “Just keep walking.” We veered over to the tailgate site, which seemed to anger these guys even more, and resumed our day with the others at our site. As much as we wanted to turn and get into a brawl with these jerks, we both knew the best thing was to diffuse the situation by not saying anything at all and letting it die down. The reason why I am writing about this is the fact we felt as if we were in the minority because of the team we cheered for. I know now what a lot of the minorities feel like when they walk down the street, and folks, it isn’t a pleasant experience. It almost ruined our game day experience, and I get angry when that is compromised! We all have bad fans, and there isn’t a lot we can do about that. However, a few bad fans gives all of us a bad name, so the next time you are at Neyland Stadium, or any other place representing the University of Tennessee, know that you are judged by the colors you wear. Know that you can either ruin or enhance the passionate game day experience for those of other nations who we play (even the guys at Vanderbilt) by just a few words. It’s like in my playing days when my old Head Coach, Coach Ivan, once told me, “Boy, act like you have been there before. Win and lose with class.” So, when we all see each other in two weeks when our old rivals from Tuscaloosa come calling, appreciate the day, appreciate the team we are playing, and appreciate the moment when we all can act with class win or lose. Trust me, it will make the game day experience one you will want to savor.

Answer to the Vol trivia question

The answer is D; the original members who dropped out were Georgia Tech, Sewanee and Tulane.

Next week, Coach Scooter recaps the week’s college football action, and prepares for the always exciting day when Tennessee plays Alabama. It gives me chills just thinking about what the 26th is going to bring. I hope it does in you all too! Until then, practice your Dale Jones tip drill from when he intercepted Mike Shula’s screen pass in 1985, think about how seeing Alabama’s wishbone and Bear Bryant on the sidelines always made the heart beat faster, and as always, rub your blue tick on the belly. As bad as things have been for us the last few weeks, I have run out of things to do with your blue tick, so if you have any suggestions, send them my way, and fast!

Vols' Rally at Georgia Falls Short, 18-13

Greene Passes For 232 Yards Against Shorthanded Vols

Oct. 12, 2002

By PAUL NEWBERRY
AP Sports Writer

ATHENS, Ga. - Georgia took a major step toward erasing two decades of disappointment.

The sixth-ranked Bulldogs dominated for most of the game, taking advantage of an injury to Tennessee quarterback Casey Clausen and then holding up against a furious comeback to beat the 10th-ranked Volunteers 18-13 Saturday.

The Bulldogs (6-0, 3-0 SEC) extended their best start since 1982, but not without some nervous moments at the end.

Tennessee (4-2, 1-2), which went most of the game with third-stringer James Banks filling for Clausen, scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to make it close.

But Georgia recovered an onside kick, and Tony Milton broke off a 25-yard run on fourth-and-2 to clinch the victory.

For a while, it looked as though the Bulldogs had all the points they'd need when Reggie Brown blocked a punt late in the first quarter. The ball went through the end zone for a safety and a 2-0 lead.

Tennessee was forced to go without Clausen, a three-year starter who hurt his non-throwing shoulder in an overtime victory over Arkansas the previous week.

Clausen didn't practice all week, but the Vols looked as though they had hardly prepared to play without him. Backup C.J. Leak did little more than hand off, giving way to Banks on the third series of the game.

The freshman worked with a limited set of plays straight off the playground: running in all directions to escape the incessant Georgia rush.

Tennessee's top receiver, Kelley Washington, wasn't a factor until the final period. He actually lost 13 yards on his first two pass receptions and didn't have a deep ball thrown his way until late in the third. Kentrell Curry broke it up, and Washington slapped the grass in frustration.

Georgia quickly realized that Tennessee wasn't going to do much offensively, so the Bulldogs played it safe and slowly built on their lead.

Two field goals by Billy Bennett put Georgia up 8-0 at halftime, and Brown scored the Bulldogs' only touchdown on an 11-yard touchdown pass from David Greene about 6Ż minutes into the third quarter.

Georgia remained the only unbeaten team in the SEC and stayed on course for its first conference title since 1982. The Bulldogs will be solid favorites the next two weeks in home games against Vanderbilt and Kentucky, meaning they could be undefeated going into the annual showdown against Florida on Nov. 2.

Georgia's 20-year championship drought is the longest in school history. Tennessee has been responsible for many of the disappointments, handing the Bulldogs their first loss three years in a row from 1997-99.

Both teams were unbeaten and ranked in the top 10 when they met in 1998 at Sanford Stadium. Tennessee had just lost star running back Jamal Lewis to an injury, but Travis Stephens stepped in and ran all over the Bulldogs in a 22-3 victory.

This time, Tennessee didn't have anyone who could fill Clausen's shoes.

After Bennett's third field goal pushed the lead to 18-0, Georgia appeared to relax. Derrick Tinsley caught a screen from Banks in the backfield, broke several tackles and scored on a 33-yard pass with 11:52 remaining.

The 2-point conversion failed when Banks was drilled on a sweep around left end, nearly winding up in the hedges that ring the field.

Washington finally had a big play, making a leaping catch over the middle and breaking away for a 45-yard gain. That set up a 5-yard halfback pass by Tinsley, who rolled right and found Jason Witten in the back of the end zone.

Tennessee had nearly half its 344 yards in the fourth quarter, but the comeback fell short.

Greene was 22-of-37 for 232 yards, including seven passes for 112 yards to Terrence Edwards, who set the school record for receiving yards.

Georgia had only 62 yards rushing.


 

Coach Scooters Corner

By Coach Scooter, Staff Writer

October 10th, 2002

Hello citizens of the Big Orange Nation, it’s your old pal Coach Scooter back again for another week. However, instead of being in our underground command post behind enemy lines, I am reporting this from inside the Atlanta Mental Health Wellness Center, where I was admitted since last Saturday Night/Sunday morning. Since Dr. Zillman wouldn’t allow me anything sharp to write with, I am dictating this column to a nurse. (And she is quite the fetching young lass, so Coach Scoot ended up doing quite well). We will recap the game our Brave Boys in Orange played last week after I have taken my medication. I was told under doctor’s orders not to discuss the events of October 5th unless I was sedated and doctors were standing by. In addition to being a crier (I ball my eyes out every time I hear the Pride of the Southland Band’s version of The Tennessee Waltz), I tend to drop into an abyss of worry and fear whenever it looks bleak for the Vols. And it looked mighty bleak many times for the Vols last week. Pacing and blowing into my closed palm helps some, but only for a few seconds. Aunty Molly came by to visit last night, and she told me that our offense was so ugly, it reminded her of our cousin Ernie, who was so ugly, he fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down. Aunty Molly did sneak Coach Scooter a little brown into the hospital so I could get through the long nights in my padded cell. Bless her heart! Due to the stress of last week’s game, and knowing I had to get this column done without getting a nervous breakdown, I sipped some brown, flirted with the nurse, and got inspired. So now, I present to you, Coach Scooter’s Column for the week.

Classic SEC battle in Tuscaloosa

In what was the game of the year so far in the SEC, Georgia and Alabama showed us all why games like this make us all love college football the way we do. The game went back and forth for 60 minutes, until Billy Bennett hit the game winner from 32 yards out with 38 seconds left. Think about all the big plays! Fred Gibson’s amazing catch as he was falling down with a defender draped over him. Brady Coyle’s dive over UGA defenders to score a touchdown showed how much he wanted that touchdown. Then there was Alabama’s Charlie Peprah, who picked Fred Gibson’s pocket for a 35-yard interception return for a touchdown to give the Tide their first lead of the day. As a fan of college football, this was the kind of game we all love seeing. As a fan of either school, this one was a heart wrenching battle that had mood swings after each play. One thing Coach Scooter had to ask is: Why didn’t Bama call timeout earlier to save some clock when the Bulldogs were driving for the clinching field goal? They started calling their timeouts with less than a minute to play, which left them with just over 30 seconds once UGA kicked the field goal. It was a moot point as Coyle was picked off on the first play after, but Coach Fran might have played it differently if there was more time to play. In a related story, I was in the war room of two UGA fans, Coach Cord and Coach Brad on Saturday afternoon, and I was amazed to see the agility of these two as they leaped up, from a sitting position mind you, across the room and landed smack dab in front of the TV to see Bennett’s kick go thought the uprights. The SEC judge gave them both a 9.8, but the Big XII judge, shafted them with a 5.4. In the ensuing melee after the clinching interception, Coach Cord required medical attention afterward to close a cut. Ah, the beauty of the moment when your team finally seals sweet victory.

The Red River Shootout comes to Dallas this Saturday.
(This information was printed from intelligence obtained from the Sooner Nation)

One of college footballs most entertaining and intense games is the Oklahoma-Texas game, which is renewed this Saturday. This game is so big, that it has to be played at a neutral sight, Dallas. It is held in conjunction with the Texas State Fair at the Cotton Bowl. Each school gets half of the tickets to the game, splitting right down the 50-yard line. On one side you have a sea of burnt orange, and the other is an ocean of crimson and crËme. When these 2 teams meet, you can throw out the records. Since 1929, the Sooners and Longhorns have met during the Texas State Fair every season. The Cotton Bowl opened in 1937, and since that time, Texas leads the series 34-29-4. Texas and Oklahoma - one of the biggest and best rivalries in college football. These teams have gone at it 94 times since 1900, and there's never any love lost.

For 100 years, the Red River Shootout has been a border war, played during the hoopla of the Texas State Fair in a stadium evenly divided in Texas orange and Oklahoma crimson.
Home field advantage doesn't exist in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. Depending on which team you root for, it's either Oklahoma-Texas or Texas-Oklahoma. The preferred team comes first. Always. The rivalry dates back to 1900, before Texas was known as the Longhorns and Oklahoma was still called the Rough Riders. Texas leads the series 55-35 with five ties. Nine times, either Oklahoma or Texas has come in ranked No. 1 in the nation.

The October game brings out the best, or perhaps the worst, in the fans. Texas cornerback Roderick Babers learned that last year when he played Oklahoma for the first time. "When little old ladies are giving you the bird, that's when I knew there was some bad blood in this game," Babers said.

Fourteen years since he last laid out a Longhorn, Brian Bosworth still gets worked up about Texas. Ask him about playing the Longhorns and the former Oklahoma All-America linebacker starts talking faster and louder. "I lived and breathed that rivalry," said Bosworth, a Texan who crossed the Red River to play for the Sooners. "It was good vs. evil. And you know who was evil." Never one to mince words -- he once referred to the Longhorns' color as "puke orange" -- Bosworth sounds like he'd love one more game in the annual Red River Shootout.

Vol History 101

This week Volunteer History lesion comes to us from the 60’s. In the first game played on Tartan Turf, Vince Dooley's Georgia Bulldogs were the opponent. In a game of firsts, such as Nashville's Lester McClain became the first black to play in an SEC varsity football game, and the first game broadcast by legendary voices of the Vols, John Ward and Bill Anderson, the game was dubbed, “Rouser on a Rug,” by Sports Illustrated since Georgia AD Joel Eaves was upset Tennessee installed the turf without informing them. “Let them play an intersqaud game for the national TV audience,” he said. The Vols, trying to sooth out a bad situation, offered to give Georgia special shoes and invited them to come to Knoxville a few days earlier to work out on the new surface. Once the theatrics subsided and the game began, it turned into a classic. The Vols rallied from a 17-9 fourth quarter deficit led by quarterback Bubba Wyche who threw a TD pass on the final play of the game, then got the Vols into the end zone after time had expired for a two point conversion and a tie.

Vol Quiz

Georgia has one of the most beloved mascots in college football with UGA VI, the English Bulldog. Tennessee has Smokey, the pleasant Blue Tick Coon Hound. You assignment today, if you choose to accept it, is to tell VolTalk how many Smokey’s there have been since the current Smokey?

A.) 4
B.) 5
C.) 6
D.) 7

Answer below….

This week for the Vols

Since we are talking about the Vols, you have to give Coach Scooter a second here, I need to take my medication. I also see Dr. Zillman walking down the hallway towards my padded cell, so I think we can get this underway. If I start to get a nervous, heart beating faster, shaking hands, slurred speech and all that, just give me a minute. Of course, the nurse caring for me is causing some that. Anyway, back to the task at hand. Arkansas, who was spanked by Bama just a week earlier, showed why you can never take anyone for granted in the SEC, or in college football in general. The Arkansas game, and how it played itself out brought back memories of 1998 when Chris Ramsuer recovered Clint Storner’s fumble. We were at a Tennessee football watching party at a bar in Marietta called Sideline’s, and when we got the ball back, I curled up underneath a large double-decked bus they had inside the place and watched the rest of the game with my hands over my eyes. Yes, Coach Scoot can get a little nervous watching our Brave Boys in Orange play. Ah, the memories…..Excuse me a second….Nurse, could you give me another one of those sedatives? All right, before I drift off into an orange haze, let me finish this report. This week, the matter at hand is a HUGE game with Georgia. The Dawgs are the team to beat in the SEC East, and after last week’s win at Tuscaloosa, they are for real. The Vols are not quite there yet, and after seeing their offense for another week of futility, they better bring a large bag of tricks to Athens, or this one is going to be over quicker than you can say “Sick ‘em.” With all the injuries and the tough going so far this season, this looks like a mismatch of epic proportions. The Vols only hope of escaping defeat is if they can get a rainout. Well, since this isn’t baseball, that doesn’t leave us much of a choice now, does it? Now is the time to stand behind your team, my fellow citizens of the Big Orange Nation. Now is the time to be proud of what you are, and who your heart belongs to. When you send someone you love into a gauntlet filled with dangerous dudes name Pollack, Greene, Gibson and Edwards, you’d better be there to stand beside them. I’ve got my tickets and will wear my orange proudly. My comrade in arms, Coach B, who last Saturday made me drink my bourbon with two hands since he was afraid I was going to spill it because my hands were shaking so much, will also be there. Yep, we might get beat, and beaten badly, but I will be damned if I am going to send the infantry into battle and not be there to watch the results. Who knows, maybe we can write another glorious chapter in the history of the Big Orange Nation? If so, be there to write a verse or two, will ya?

Answer to this week’s trivia question:

D.) The hound patrolling the sidelines at the Vols games is Smokey VIII, so that means there have been seven Smokey’s before this one.

All right, my fellow countrymen. Now is the time to see if we have the team to challenge for the SEC championship. It’s like former Buffalo Head Coach Marv Leavy once said, “Boys, all you ever asked for is an opportunity. You got it today. Where else would you rather be than right here, right now?” With all the injuries and lack of offensive punch, this is going to be a tall order. However, nobody (Even Coach Scooter) gave us a chance last December in Gainesville, so anything can happen. Until Saturday at 3:30pm, watch replays of Johnny Butler’s weaving mad dash for a TD against Alabama in 1939; for the Privates in the Big Orange Army, ask your commanding officers what it was like to see the Tennessee Walking Horse parade up and down the sidelines before a game, and finally, but most importantly, rub your Blue Tick on the belly for luck. And if you can’t find a Blue Tick, get any dog you can find, except an English Bulldog, rub their belly while you repeat General Neyland’s Game Maxims (Works kind of like a baptism), and that will suffice. Good thing Coach B has a Blue Tick, or Coach Scoot might be hanging out at the Humane Society this week. And with that, the drugs are beginning to kick in, and all seems right with the world, so before I pass out, do you think I can get one of you guys to send over an orange nursing uniform? I mean really, if I am going to stay here for a few more days, I will….zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

Tennessee Defeats Arkansas 41-38 in Six Overtimes
 

Davis Rushes For Career-High 135 Yards

Oct. 5, 2002
 

By ELIZABETH A. DAVIS
AP Sports Writer

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer said a lack of discipline and youthful mistakes were keeping the No. 10 Volunteers from playing their best. He had nothing to complain about Saturday night.

Jason Witten caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from Casey Clausen in the sixth overtime to give Tennessee (4-1, 1-1 SEC) an exhausting 41-38 win over Arkansas.

"This is the type of game that jells a football team. I am excited about the way we played," he said. "We had the heart and the guts to take it to them."

For the Razorbacks (2-2, 0-2), who beat Mississippi 58-57 in a record-setting seven-overtime game last season, it was a heart-wrenching loss.

They pushed into the final overtime but had to settle for a 47-yard field goal by David Carlton in the sixth OT before the Vols got their last chance.

"When it went into overtime, I said, 'This is our game. We're ready,"' Arkansas coach Houston Nutt said. "This was bitter, bitter. There were a lot of times we outplayed them."

The teams kicked field goals in the first two overtimes and were held scoreless in the third.

Arkansas finally scored a touchdown in the next OT, on Matt Jones' run, but the Razorbacks couldn't get the 2-point conversion. Under NCAA rules, teams must go for 2 points after touchdowns starting with the third overtime.

Tennessee scored a touchdown on Clausen's 25-yard pass to Tony Brown, but the Vols also failed on the 2-point conversion.

Jabari Davis, who scored two TDs in regulation, ran from 12 yards out to start the fifth overtime. He fumbled, but the ball was recovered in the end zone by Troy Fleming. Clausen was then stopped on the conversion attempt. De'Arrius Howard scored a TD for Arkansas, whose pass attempt was intercepted by Tennessee's Julian Battle at the goal line.

Arkansas scored two touchdowns in a 4Ż-minute span of regulation to tie the game at 17 with 3:30 to go.

The Razorbacks trailed 17-3 after Davis scored on a 58-yard touchdown run a minute into the fourth quarter. Arkansas got the ball back, drove 60 yards and scored when Howard ran 10 yards.

The Vols were pushed back, penalized and had to punt on fourth-and-17.

Standing at his own 8, Jones passed to Richard Smith at the 40, and Smith ran down the sideline untouched to the end zone for a 92-yard touchdown to tie it.

"The coaches have told us never to quit, and we were down seven at our own 8, I kept thinking about that," Jones said.

Clausen completed 19 of 28 passes for 291 yards and two touchdowns.

Jones, who couldn't find many open receivers, ran 21 times for 66 yards. Arkansas' leading rusher, Cedric Cobbs, left the game in the third quarter with a twisted left ankle.

The Razorbacks, who have lost five straight games in Knoxville since 1992, continued to rely heavily on the run but couldn't score a touchdown until Howard's 10-yard run cut Tennessee's lead to 17-10 with 6:56 remaining.

Tennessee came into the game averaging 129.5 yards on the ground - 10th out of 12 SEC teams - and was determined to improve despite its leading rusher, Cedric Houston, sitting out with a torn ligament in his left thumb.

The Vols pounded away at Arkansas' defense with Davis, starting in place of Houston, carrying 25 times for 135 yards. Tennessee finished with 162 yards on 47 attempts.