Tennessee has a chance to make history at Vanderbilt on Saturday -- or live in infamy.

The defense has a chance to be the first at Tennessee to pitch four consecutive shutouts against the Commodores in the 97-game series history. A win also clinches a spot for the Vols in the Dec. 4 SEC championship game in Atlanta against Auburn.

On the other hand, a loss would snap UT's 21-game win streak over Vandy that dates back to a 28-21 loss in 1982 and likely drop the Vols out of the New Year's Day bowl picture barring an upset over Auburn.

"Losing to Vanderbilt is something that's brought up every now and then at the lettermen's functions,'' said offensive coordinator Randy Sanders, who arrived at UT as a player two years after UT's most recent loss to Vandy in 1982. "Some say they want Tennessee to win every game, but it would be nice not to be on the last team that lost to Vanderbilt.''

It seems the gravity of this in-state game is not lost on this UT team.

"If I had a house and a car, I'd bet them that coach (Phillip) Fulmer would resign if we lost to Vanderbilt,'' senior defensive end Karlton Neal said. "A guy has to take pride in a game like this. Thinking about losing hasn't run through anyone's mind here.''

Perhaps that's why when the possibility of losing to Vanderbilt is discussed, UT players react harshly.

"You better not lose this game; That's the way you can put it,'' Vols' senior linebacker Kevin Burnett said. "We have to take the mentality that it's do or die now. Not just us, but this could mean jobs. If we don't go to the SEC championship, it's a good possibility this coaching staff will lose their jobs for that. That's how we look at it."

UT would have to lose to both Vanderbilt and Kentucky to miss the SEC title tilt.

Fulmer claims to be at loss for an explanation of the Vols' run against Vanderbilt, which ranks as the most dominant in the series' history.

"It's one of those oddities that just kind of happens,'' said Fulmer, who developed a respect for Vanderbilt while spending the 1979 season as an aide to Commodores' head coach George MacIntyre. "There is a very healthy respect for the Vanderbilt program.''

Indeed, the Commodores nearly scored an upset in 2000, rallying in a 28-26 loss at the Nashville Coliseum. That particular Tennessee team was young and stretched thin by injuries. Sound familiar?

"I remember that game,'' Fulmer said. "They made a run at us there at the end. I talked to the team about it Monday.''

One of the lasting impressions from that game came in the final seconds, when a Vanderbilt defender hit Travis Henry as he stood idly by Casey Clausen, who was taking a knee to run out the clock. Henry was knocked backwards onto the ground and was helped off the field. The Vols' linemen, meanwhile, stood with hands on hips and did not go to the aid of Henry or attempt to defend him.

Instead, it appears, Tennessee saved its retaliation for the next three meetings, in which they have outscored the Commodores 110-0.

Neal said a standard has been set.

"All the seniors will be looking for a big game,'' Neal said. "That (shutout) is obviously a goal we'll shoot for. But we want to win the game more than anything.''

Safety Jason Allen agrees.

"I don't care about the streaks,'' Allen said. "I just want to win Saturday. The streaks are in the past. You have to live for the present and the future.''