Erik Ainge is the man.

At least that's what I'm left to conclude after Tennessee's 16-7 loss at Florida on Saturday night.

And I don't think I'm alone on this one.

It's not a conclusion based on a stirring performance by Ainge, but on the fact that the Vols paid only lip service to starter Rick Clausen before yanking him against the Gators.

If there is a consensus to be had in Tennessee's discouraged (perhaps even shell-shocked?) football camp, it's that the Vols need to settle on one quarterback and give him the ball.

Maybe a two-quarterback system works somewhere, sometime. At the moment, it's not working at Tennessee.

Judging from how head coach Phillip Fulmer and offensive coordinator Randy Sanders stuck with Ainge in The Swamp, I fully expect to see him start at LSU on Saturday night. Furthermore, I wouldn't be surprised to see him play every snap at LSU.

Thus, unless I miss my guess, no triumphant return to Tiger Stadium awaits Clausen, who began his career in an LSU uniform.

On his Sunday night teleconference, Fulmer didn't tip his hand, indicating some pronouncement on the quarterback situation might come today.

Ainge played the majority of the game at Florida, Fulmer said, because his arm strength and mobility against the pass rush are better than Clausen's.

But mostly he played because Fulmer liked what he saw on the Vols' lone scoring drive, when Ainge completed six of eight passes.

By now, the best chance of jump-starting a lifeless offense is going with one guy. Even if it's the wrong guy.

Fulmer has been telling us there is no wrong guy. That UT is fortunate to have two quarterbacks who have won big games.

He's right, but the rub is that they can't both win big games at the same time.

Neither quarterback, however, has rung many bells in two games this year. Here's betting either would perform better if he played without looking over his shoulder.

That opportunity should be afforded Ainge now.

If he produces scores on his first two possessions at LSU, leave him in.

If he throws interceptions on his first two possessions, leave him in.

Had Clausen played the lion's share of the Florida game, he should be given the same chance at LSU. But he didn't, so I'm not even going to argue the merits of whether Clausen would be a better choice for right here, right now.

If Ainge had better arm strength and mobility against Florida, won't he against LSU, Georgia or Alabama?

Ainge, apparently, is Fulmer's guy.

Leave him in.

They Got It Right: If Saturday's game was played last year, you could make a case the Vols win.

Instant replay, new to the SEC this season, had its first big impact on Tennessee football.

The Vols had scored to tie the game 7-7 in the first half, then were driving again after stuffing Florida's fourth-down gamble.

Bret Smith's diving catch was ruled a catch at the Florida 1, a near-miraculous conversion of a third-and-18 dilemma.

Tennessee had momentum in its favor -- for the only time all night, it would turn out -- and a first-and-goal at the 1 would have almost certainly led to a touchdown and a 14-7 halftime lead.

The SEC replay official in the press-box booth reviewed the play and ruled Smith did not make a clean catch.

Instead of first-and-goal, it was fourth-and-18 at the 19. You know the rest.

"That was a tremendous momentum swing,'' Fulmer said, "but that's why we've got replay, to get it right.

"I thought the ball probably hit the ground.''