Athletic director Mike Hamilton is asking Tennessee football fans to help him secure UT's best possible bowl bid.

As it does every year, UT's athletic department has sent out order forms to fans who want to purchase bowl tickets. This year, however, there's an adjustment.

Instead of fans waiting to purchase tickets until after the bowl destination has been determined, UT is asking fans to commit to a certain number of tickets before the bowl is determined. Fans will be charged only for the tickets to the bowl to which UT is invited.

"That will say something to these bowls as we're going through this process," Hamilton said Monday.

The ticket commitment could help UT secure a bid to a Florida bowl. Hamilton said he is holding out hope that UT will be invited to the Capital One Bowl in Orlando or the Outback in Tampa.

Neither seems likely unless the SEC has two teams invited to play in BCS bowls. The Capital One is expected to take the loser of the SEC championship game between Arkansas and Florida. The Outback is expected to choose either LSU or Auburn — whichever team the Cotton Bowl doesn't select -- over UT.

Hamilton doesn't see it that way.

"I don't think it's a long shot," Hamilton said of the Vols landing in a Florida bowl. "If we finish 9-3 and, particularly, if we have two teams from the Southeastern Conference playing in the BCS, I think that we have a good chance to be playing in Florida when bowl season rolls around."

If the SEC can get two teams into the BCS, that would help the Vols because it would slide every team up on the bowls' pecking order.

"I'm biased," Hamilton said. "I expect it because of the type league we have. It just makes sense to me."

Hamilton said a BCS bowls' decision (likely the Orange Bowl) would come down to a two-loss SEC team versus a one-loss Big East team.

The Vols have been to a Florida bowl once in the past nine seasons.

"I think we're very attractive to them," Hamilton said. "I think our fans are ready to travel back to Florida."

If UT could land an Outback Bowl bid, it would likely play Penn State.

"They're not showing their hand but they've made it clear that they like Tennessee," Hamilton said of the Outback Bowl committee members.

If UT slips past the Outback, the slide could continue. If Georgia beats Georgia Tech this weekend, then the Bulldogs would be a favorable candidate for the Chik-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta.

That could mean UT would slide to the Music City Bowl in Nashville. UT has played in the Chik-fil-A bowl in two of the past four seasons.

If UT loses to Kentucky this weekend, the Vols could slide to the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La. An upset aside, the key may prove to be fan support; that's what Hamilton's hoping.

"We've made it clear that we think our fans are ready to travel, from a bowl perspective again," Hamilton said. "We will sell more than the league minimums in those particular bowls that are out there."

Hamilton said UT sold 13,000 to 14,000 tickets to the Cotton Bowl in 2004 and averaged 23,000 tickets sold to the past two Peach Bowls in Atlanta in 2002 and 2003. Hamilton said UT can't guarantee a number of tickets sold, as that would be a violation of SEC rules.

For Kicks: Senior kicker James Wilhoit had four field goals in Tennessee's 39-10 win at Vanderbilt to become the SEC's active career scoring leader with 316 points. He moved into ninth place overall. He was named SEC special teams player of the week.

Wilhoit leads the SEC with 7.9 points per game this season. Arkansas running back Darren McFadden is second with 7.8. Wilhoit also is leading the SEC in field-goal percentage with 84.2.

Wilhoit, who also handles kickoffs, has accounted for 33 touchbacks on 67 kicks. UT ranks third in the SEC in kickoff coverage.

"I think the biggest thing is being healthy this year," Wilhoit said.

He had a loose bone particle removed from his kicking foot after his sophomore year. The recovery limited Wilhoit during his junior campaign.

Roll Call: Weakside linebacker Jerod Mayo (knee) did not practice Monday and is doubtful for Saturday's game.

Defensive end Antonio Reynolds (neck) is expected to return to practice this week, UT coach Phillip Fulmer said.