James Wilhoit does not strive to be a big man on the Tennessee campus. He just wants to be a regular guy.

That became more difficult after Sept. 18, 2004.

Tennessee played host to Florida in front of 109,061 fans, the largest crowd in Neyland Stadium history.

Wilhoit, the Vols' kicker, was thrust into the spotlight late in the game.

With 3:25 left, Tennessee scored a touchdown and trailed 28-27. Wilhoit went onto the field for the potential tying PAT kick.

He pushed it wide right.

"Three minutes left, I'm sitting on the sidelines, I'm thinking to myself, 'All right, if this game ends like this, it's OK, it's just one kick, you just have to accept it,' " Wilhoit recalls. "It's just part of the job. It's definitely a lot better that I got a chance to redeem myself."

Many UT fans headed for the exits after the missed PAT kick. Florida only needed to run out the clock. It couldn't.

Tennessee took over at its 39 with 43 seconds left. The Vols moved into field-goal range.

Wilhoit prepared for a 50-yard field goal with 6 seconds left.

Wilhoit's roommate, offensive guard Rob Smith, offered Wilhoit some words of encouragement.

"He'd just missed a PAT, so I know he was probably a little nervous," Smith said. "He might not say he was, but if I had just missed a PAT and was going for a 50-yard field goal, I'd probably be a little nervous. I was just trying to give him some confidence, some support, and telling him I believe in him."

Wilhoit calmly jogged onto the field and kicked the winning field goal.

He says it was an unforgettable moment.

"Definitely, I think it's something, say you come back for a game or something and they're talking about the 2004 Vols or something like that, it's something you'll never forget," he says. "It was just an incredible experience."

As Tennessee prepares for a trip to play Florida in the Swamp on Saturday, Wilhoit is reminded time and again about his kick that beat the Gators - and the missed PAT kick that could have been costly.

He says the missed kick made him more focused every time he goes to kick one. He still doesn't know why he missed it.

"I really try not to dwell on it too much, actually," he says. "I figure I've made (87-of-88 at UT), then missing one, you know, I consider that kind of to be an anomaly. So I just basically don't worry about it and just take one kick at a time. I've had success after every other extra point so I just don't worry about it."

Wilhoit feels he is kicking better than ever after having foot surgery in the offseason.

He made a 46-yarder and missed a 47-yard attempt in the 17-10 season-opening victory over UAB.

Wilhoit might get another chance to beat Florida with his foot Saturday. If he does it again, he will again be a big man on campus. Like it or not.

"I'm a pretty low-key guy in the first place," he says. "More than anything, if somebody introduces me, I try to say my name's James. I don't say 'Wilhoit' or anything else like that. I can blend in with the normal population. For me, I just try to blend in as much as possible anyway. Something like that (winning kick), it's just a great feeling and a great moment I can share with my friends and my family, but it's not really any different in my everyday life."