Shortly following Tennessee's 17-12 victory over Kentucky at Neyland Stadium on Saturday, tailback Montario Hardesty was asked where he'd like to go for the Vols' bowl game.

"I don't really even know what our possibilities are," Hardesty said. "I just hope it's somewhere good."

No matter where Tennessee spends its holiday, it's already in a pretty good place.

After a disappointing 5-6 finish last season, the Vols are 9-3 and ranked No. 17 in the Associated Press poll.

They're second in the SEC East and in prime position for a New Year's Day bowl, assuming the SEC gets two BCS bowl berths.

Senior guard David Ligon had more of a preference for a bowl game, but the fact that he and his teammates won't be stuck at home is the most important thing.

"I would love to go to the Outback Bowl," he said. "I wouldn't mind going to the Cotton Bowl, either. That was a great bowl.

"But after last year, I'll take anything."

After Tennessee's free-fall from a No. 3 preseason ranking in 2005 turned into its first losing record since 1988, Ligon and UT's 19 other seniors made it a point to turn the program around before their time was up.

After starting 7-1, the Vols lost to LSU and Arkansas, both top-10 teams.

UT thumped Vanderbilt on the road and squeaked by Kentucky, putting them on track for a 10-win season.

It might not be where the Vols wanted to be when the season started, but it's still a pretty good place.

"Obviously we would have liked to have gone undefeated and played for a national championship, but it didn't happen. We made a bowl game, and that was the most important thing," Ligon said. "Not only do we have a winning record, we have a decent record. We're not 7-5 or 8-4 or anything like that."

Senior receiver Jayson Swain had loftier goals for the Vols this season, too.

"I don't have any regrets," Swain said. "We played some tough teams and we had some injuries. That's part of football. I think we played hard every game. Sometimes the ball doesn't roll your way. I think we did our best with what we had."

A victory in whatever bowl the Vols are selected to play would give them their third 10-win season in the last four.

Wins are good, Swain said, but not as important as leaving the program in a good place off the field.

"The reason why everybody comes here and signs here is because it's a family atmosphere," Swain said. "We wanted to make sure we leave it that way. We're playing for each other, having fun. I think we did that.

"Regardless of the win-loss (record), we accomplished our goal, and that's to leave this team as close as we possibly can."

For all the seniors, it will be tough to leave.

It'll be especially tough for Ligon, who sees good things for the Vols in the not-too-distant future.

"If we can get that 10th win, this season's a big success. If not, I think it's still a success because we got it back on track," he said. "We got the young guys to learn how to work. I really wish I had another year or two, because these boys are going to win something pretty big coming up the next few years."

Visitors: UT didn't host any official visitors for the Kentucky game but did receive unofficial visits from two highly-touted Georgia prospects: athlete Eric Berry of Creekside High School in Fairburn and athlete Morgan Burnett from College Park High School in North Clayton.