Colquitt thinks he's in a slump

Colquitt had one punt downed inside the 20-yard line.

He came into the game averaging 43.3 yards a punt and had pinned eight punts inside the 20-yard line.

"I think I'm in a slump," Colquitt said. "I'm in a different role this year. Last year I punted for field position. This year I'm like a closing pitcher.

"I just come in whenever needed."

Colquitt said at this time last year he had punted 45 times. Colquitt has punted 20 times this year.

"It's hard to get in a rhythm," Colquitt said. "I'm having a hard time finding a rhythm."

Colquitt's best play against Ole Miss came on a fake when the senior completed a 19-yard pass to Chris Hannon on fourth-and-7. The Vols scored on the next play when running back Gerald Riggs found the end zone from 21 yards out. Colquitt said the play call was made by senior Cedric Houston.

"We've been working on a 'Creeper' call when their guy creeps in on us," Colquitt said. "Ced saw it and made the call."

Colquitt said the play is one of three or four fakes UT has ready each week. Colquitt said the Vols saw the opportunity for the fake to work this week in practice.

Ole Miss' View: Ole Miss turned a 14-0 first-quarter deficit into a 17-14 fourth-quarter lead - then let it get away.

"We had so many chances," said senior wide receiver Bill Flowers, whose father is former Tennessee star receiver Richmond Flowers. "We just came up short. It's a sick feeling to lose a game you know you should have won."

The Rebels' expressions coming off the field said it all. They didn't look whipped; they looked frustrated.

Someone asked Ole Miss coach David Cutcliffe: Was this the one that got away?

"Our whole team feels that way," Cutcliffe told The Jackson Clarion-Ledger said.

Cutcliffe had been on the Tennessee side for 10 consecutive previous Tennessee victories over Ole Miss. He remembers the physical mismatches and scores like 41-17, 34-14, 55-13 and 41-3.

"We've gained ground physically, but not enough," Cutcliffe said. "We're trying to become a physcial football team, one that can compete physically with the best teams in the Southeastern Conference."

Recruiting: Tennessee and Ole Miss were competing both on and off the field Saturday. Two of the state of Tennessee's top prep prospects were on campus for unofficial visits.

Germantown's Jeff Cottam, rated as high as the No. 14 tight end prospect in the nation, attended Saturday's game along with Memphis Briarcrest Christian offensive tackle Michael Oher, who is rated by Rivals.com as the nation's ninth-best lineman.

Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer didn't miss a trick in the recruiting game. It was no coincidence that the Vols, who stayed in Memphis before traveling to Oxford on Saturday, worked out Friday at Briarcrest.