It's Florida week again. Time for James Wilhoit to dust off his thoughts on last year's game, on his whiplash journey from goat to hero in Tennessee's 30-28 win over the Gators.

Actually, Wilhoit won't have to dust off his thoughts at all.

"Not a day goes by that somebody doesn't ask me about that game,'' UT's kicker said last week.

"It gets to the point where I'm hoping I can do something bigger or better or different, so that I'm not known for just one thing.''

It used to be said a Tennessee football player was known for what he did against Alabama. These days, substitute Florida.

There's no doubt what has, for more than a decade, become UT's biggest rivalry, the most important date on its calendar.

People remember what you do against Florida. The stakes are bigger. The passions are higher.

Wilhoit remembers 1998.

"I'll never forget being younger, watching Jeff Hall kick that field goal,'' he said. "It was a 41-yarder, left hash, overtime. Stuff like that you remember in big games.''

Heroes. Goats. Sometimes they're the same guy.

Casey Clausen was a hero in 2003, heaving a Hail Mary pass to James Banks at the end of the first half in Gainesville. The shocking touchdown sparked the Vols to a 24-10 upset victory.

A year earlier, in a driving rain in Knoxville, Clausen couldn't even get the snap from center.

He was charged with four of UT's eight fumbles in a 30-13 defeat and missed a shotgun snap for another big loss. Tennessee's ineptitude was so profound head coach Phillip Fulmer apologized to the fans.

Goats. Heroes. No one jumped from one category to the other faster than Wilhoit last year.

With 3:25 to play, he missed the first extra point of his career, leaving the Vols trailing 28-27.

But it didn't end there. Thanks in part to a personal foul-flag on Florida's Dallas Baker -- goat! -- and official mismanagement of the clock, Wilhoit got back on the field in position to kick a 50-yard field goal that won the game for the Vols with six seconds to play.

"I think the (missed) extra point made it better,'' said Wilhoit.

"Either way, I was still going to be the guy they talked about.''

Not that there hadn't been heated moments in years past, but 1990 marks the point at which the rivalry took off.

Two reasons:

* One, the Vols and Gators hadn't played on an annual basis until then.

* Two, Steve Spurrier assumed command at Florida.

Spurrier and the Gators would dominate the 1990s but the first hero's mantle was bestowed to Tennessee's Dale Carter.

His amazing 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to open the second half broke open a 7-3 game and triggered a 45-3 UT rout.

If Carter had been tackled at the 50, maybe Reggie Ingram would be remembered as the hero.

A freshman linebacker subbing for suspended Dewayne Dotson, Ingram returned an interception for a touchdown and recovered a fumble to set up another score.