SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- A hero. Another miracle.

One might lead to the other for Tennessee today.

Under a national spotlight, the glare of the Golden Dome, and the stare of "Touchdown Jesus," UT football coach Phillip Fulmer is hoping the Vols find both against No. 8-ranked Notre Dame (5-2).

"Offensively, we need a hero," Fulmer said Friday during a team visit to the College Football Hall of Fame. "We need one of those guys, and we really haven't had that this year."

The Vols (3-4) try to end a three-game losing streak against the Irish, who are loaded with offensive heroes.

Kickoff is 2:30 p.m. (TV: WBIR) at the sight of one of Tennessee's all-time greatest comebacks.

It was 14 years ago when the Vols rallied from a 31-7 first-half deficit to get a 35-34 "Miracle in South Bend" victory.

On that day, Andy Kelly was an offensive hero, Aaron Hayden was an offensive hero, Von Reeves was an offensive hero.

Today, Fulmer hopes new names from a different era fill the void, guys like Erik Ainge, or Arian Foster, or Robert Meachem -- fill in the blank -- the Vols won't be picky.

A hero is the missing ingredient to an offense in transition.

Randy Sanders announced Monday he was stepping down as UT's offensive coordinator. Sanders will finish the season as quarterbacks coach.

Fulmer will share the play-calling duties with Sanders today, attempting to outscore an Irish offense averaging nearly 38 points and 350 yards per game.

"We've got a really good feeling going into this game," Ainge said. "The University of Tennessee isn't used to being 3-4 and I'm not used to being 3-4.

"But we're doing all the right things in practice. With everything that has been going on, I think we've handled it really well."

There's also a little extra motivation for Ainge this week.

One year ago, Ainge's freshman season came to end with a dislocated shoulder suffered just before halftime against Notre Dame when he was planted in the turf by Brandon Hoyte.

At the time, Ainge was one of those UT offensive heroes. Then it was Rick Clausen's turn at quarterback.

Clausen would have his shots in the spotlight, but it didn't come against the Irish that day in Neyland Stadium.

The Vols entered the game ranked No. 9 in the country. Notre Dame was unranked and struggling as the end of Tyrone Willingham's coaching tenure neared.

But it was the Irish who pulled off the 17-13 upset that day.

This time, it's the Vols, an 8A 1/2-point underdog, hoping for a reversal of fortunes.

"Last year we were in their same shoes," Notre Dame offensive lineman Ryan Harris said. "We went in to their stadium and had nothing to lose and we came out victorious.

"So we've been in that mentality. We know what they're going to come in here thinking.''

They're thinking about heroes. They're thinking about salvaging a season of bad breaks and bad mistakes.

Tennessee's defense, ranked No. 12 nationally, is thinking about staying the course.

"They haven't been getting the breaks, but on defense they're an incredible team," Notre Dame running back Darius Walker said. "The statistics speak for themselves.

"Allowing 16 points a game, only three passing touchdowns, and they haven't had a 100-yard rusher yet. It's challenging. I want to be the first guy to rush for 100 yards.''

First-year Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis stressed he's not fooled by Tennessee's sub-.500 record.

"We were 6-6 last year because we were inconsistent," Weis said. "They're 3-4 because they've been unfortunate in critical situations.

"There's a difference between losing by 30 points and losing by one critical play. They lost because a guy fumbled into the end zone two weeks in a row. That just doesn't happen two weeks in a row."

It doesn't happen unless you're a Tennessee offense in search of a hero.