LEXINGTON, Ky. - Tennessee's win over Kentucky could send the Vols from the frigid Commonwealth to the warmth of Florida.
By beating the Wildcats 30-24 in overtime Saturday , the Vols improved their record to 7-5 overall and 4-4 in the SEC. That should put UT in prime position to land an Outback Bowl bid, which gets the second pick among non-BCS SEC bowl teams.
The Big Ten representative in the Outback Bowl likely will be Wisconsin or Northwestern.
The Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta also is a possibility. The Atlantic Coast Conference representative in the Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta likely will be Virginia Tech, which beat Virginia 42-13 on Saturday.
The competition will be fierce for bowl slots. Thanks to some upsets on Saturday, there are six 7-5 teams in the SEC. UT and Georgia have the best conference record among those teams at 4-4.
It could be another week before the bowls announce their selections, after the SEC championship game on Saturday. UT athletic director Mike Hamilton said he hopes the SEC will release teams not expected to compete in a BCS bowl this week so teams can begin selling tickets.
As expected, he feels the Vols are a solid pick.
"I think there's a very positive feel around the program right now," Hamilton said. "That's what I hear from the fans and the general reaction I get from the community."
The Outback has been criticized in the past for selecting teams more on a promise of tickets sold than their regular-season accomplishments.
"You're not supposed to do that by SEC rules," Hamilton said.
Yet Hamilton refused to say he wasn't worried about that happening.
"I don't know," he said. "We won five out of seven ball games. We finished second in the (SEC) East. We have one of the hottest young coaches in America. Our team is playing well.
"Tennessee has always drawn well in TV ratings. That matters to the bowls, too, very much so. I think we're a very viable candidate that our fans would be excited about."
The Outback Bowl is clearly the destination the Vols desire.
"Whoever wants us, we're glad to be going to a bowl game," quarterback Jonathan Crompton said with a smile. "Hopefully we'll have a warm Christmas."
Surprise, Surprise: Safety Eric Berry returned kickoffs Saturday, the first time he's done so this season. UT coach Lane Kiffin hinted this week that Berry would have an increased role.
Berry returned two kicks for 49 yards and a long of 26.
Berry previously returned two kicks for 32 yards against Alabama in 2008.
For Kicks: Devin Mathis was 3-for-3 on extra points and 1-for-1 on field goals, meaning he is still perfect on the season. Mathis was 4-for-4 (three extra points and one field goal) in his career debut last week against Vanderbilt.
Keep It Clean: Kentucky might have let the emotion of one of its biggest home games in school history get to it, but the visitors didn't have that problem.
The Wildcats were hit with multiple costly penalties that killed drives and ruined field position, but the Vols only had two flags marked off against them compared to six for 64 yards on the other side.
"I don't know how many flags there were, but there were only two enforced penalties on us," Kiffin said.
"We knew that was going to be a big part of this game.
"I don't know, I think they called it the biggest game ever here, and knowing that we were going to have to weather the storm, there was going to be a bunch of energy, their guys were going to be pushing around, and our guys showed a lot of composure."
The Vols also had to deal with a lot of hostility from a riled-up Kentucky crowd, particularly on the way off the field on the way to the locker room, but that didn't seem to bother them, either.
Tennessee 69, South Carolina 57 men's…
Vanderbilt 65, Tennessee 47, Jan. 24…
Signing day celebration at Neyland…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group and defensive end Willie Bohannon (86) force a fumble by Kentucky quarterback Morgan Newton turning the ball over to UT on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009 at Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Ky.){kind=link}
Comments » 109
rockytopatl writes:
I love the Bloomin' Onion, but since I live in the ATL, I'd love to see the Vols eat more chickn.
Orangeblood13 writes:
Hey either way, let's go win it and reel in some more recruits
tenuscvol writes:
Win the bowl and end up in the top 25...
I'm all for that...
GBO!
V_O_L_S_GO_VOLS_GO writes:
Randall Cobb = UT Flunkie
Good player, but he would never have fit in anyway in our system, and tonight proved it. GO BIG ORANGE!
asleep#212036 writes:
Don't think that 8-5 will get us ranked, but it will get us a lot of mileage with recruits looking to the future. Another class or two like this year's and we will definitely be back in the elite SEC picture. Go Vols!!!
loyalvol_alltheway writes:
Don't knock Cobb. That kid has tremendous heart and amazing talent. He's so well-rounded he could fit into any system, in my opinion.
So proud of our Vols!
VolFanFtl writes:
As a Vol fan living in Florida - I hope we play in Tampa. It will be fun watching the Gator nation implode at the thought that Lane Kiffin is in Florida for a week.
It would be nice to play Penn State and finally beat them....
65Vol writes:
And we just keep Dangling that BIG ORANGE carrot
FWBVol writes:
That's not what Lane Kiffin said a couple of days ago. CLK questioned how Fulmer and the former Tennessee staff ever let the Alcoa product get away. Cobb is great player, and I'm glad Kentucky didn't use him more tonight when he was hot.
OldSmokey writes:
Hell of a win anyway you look at it. Lets keep it going!!
tnmantravel#531151 writes:
don't get me wrong about this statement, however
in my younger years, NO 7-5 team would be playing on new years day, my how the college football bowl scene has changed over the decades....just like their can be no more Mr. October in baseball ever again (world series don't begin now until november, gotta stretch out the time frame and evenings to max out the cash from the networks) just as (no more march maddness for ncaa basketball, remember the final four are in april, still gotta stretch out for the cash and seems last year their were 32 college football bowl games, 3/4 of those games attendance looked like a wnba basketball arena crowd, if you don't get my drift, it's mostly empty.....
a 7-5 football team playing on new years day just doesn't seem right.....even if it is our beloved Vols.....
Gator_Hater (Inactive) writes:
It's called parity brother. Any one of these teams would've had a ten-win season 20 years ago. It just so happens that they're all good NOW.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Outback would be sweet.
An Outback win would be awesome.
Congrats Kiff and staff for somehow, someway winning 7 games and scoring a close or two along the way.
murrayvol writes:
And you see no advantage in a short drive to Music City? :)
jobrando#216494 writes:
Exactly...Would love seeing VOLS play Middle Tennessee as a demonstration of parity...No more Bama team domination of the past and it's all good for football.
tensie2004 writes:
The only problem that I have with Cobb is that he isn't wearing an orange jersey. He is a very talented home grown product. Fulmer needs to be kicked in the butt for not signing him but I guess thats why he is no longer our coach.
mpm80#1357758 writes:
im sure he would fit into our system just fine esp. if he returned kicks like that for us
gohawks1 writes:
Agreed. Cobb is a helluva player. Today belongs to the Vols, though!
DownTheField writes:
the end of this article seems like a dangling participle
HallowedHill writes:
Great win last night! If UT gets picked for the Chick-Fil-A bowl, my wife and I will definitely be there to cheer on our VOLS!
GO VOLS!
monsterman writes:
Strongly disagree. Cobb would have been a star at UT just like UK. Fulmer missed this one, just like he missed Patrick Willis.
Go Outback Tonight! Go Vols.
orangepridenation writes:
What are you talking about? This kid would fit into any system. He can run, catch, return kicks, heck he can even throw some decent passes. Fulmer was an idiot for not getting this guy.
orangepridenation writes:
Yea..i don't see many of our home-grown raw talented players slipping through the cracks anymore. Kiffin showed me a lot last year when he pried Tennessee native Marsalis Teague away from Florida.
micbrooks#212023 writes:
R. cobb wanted desparately to come to UT, but PF thought he was too SLOW ???can you believe it ?? I agree with CLK, He could play for me anytime, altho he fits better in their system than ours
TommyJack writes:
Hey Glad. You need to go on to bed. Clearly you've been up all night. Cobb would start for anyone.
Vol_dog writes:
It's true years ago when there were only 8-10 Bowls. A 7-5 team wouldn't go to a bowl game. But the abundance of Bowls we have now, allows for more MAJOR inter conference match ups. These are few and far between during the season.
My dream would be to have a Big Ten/SEC showdown during the regular season. Like they have in basketball with the ACC/Big Ten.
The commissioners of each league could get every team to drop one of their "buy a win" games and schedule 10 Marquee games on a given Saturday! Replace Florida vs Charleston Southern with Florida vs Ohio State followed by Bama vs Iowa followed by UT vs Penn State and on down the line. Those would be 10 games the whole nation would be interested in and talked about 2 months before the season started.
Instead, who even knew or remembered that Florida played Charleston Southern this year. Or for that matter that Charleston Southern exist!
lomas98 writes:
With as much trouble has we have shown stopping the spread and "wildcat" formations, Northwestern would be a nightmare to stop.
volonthehill writes:
Cobb is one helluva player and he took a pounding last night. Wish we had him.
Ringside writes:
Please let it be the Outback. My son and I are an hour away. GBO!!!
yabadabadoo1026 writes:
and this poster is an even bigger idiot for saying such a stupid thing
537081 writes:
I'm proud of this team. Don't get me wrong, a few seconds here or another yard there, they could have had a 9 or 10 win season. I feel our players gave their all for Tennessee this year. That is all I ask. Go South Pittsburg.
kd45music writes:
On the one hand, there are way too many bowl games and in the past (way back in the past) not even 8-4 teams would get bids. All the games were played on New Year's Day and that concluded the season in fine fashion. Now the bowl games stretch out seemingly as another whole season. But on the other hand, it is football and that makes it worthwhile to one who could watch games all year long.
Vol_In_Ohio writes:
I am all for the better bowl, but Outback vs. Wisconsin...BORING.
Peach vs. Va Tech would be way more interesting.
softball writes:
he is a great player and we would have loved to have him, Just ask Kiff. I hate that we missed out on such a great athlete.
Pompey writes:
NONE !
Weatherman writes:
It sure was fun talking smack to the wilcat fans last night in Lexington..."it's great to be a TN Volunteer..."
ajbake writes:
agreed. odd and abrupt ending to the article.
67ralley writes:
Living in VA makes it difficult to like VaTech. I love to watch them to hope to see them lose. I would love the opportunity to play the "Chokies"!
SEC 3-0 over ACC Saturday! HA!!!!
Ringside writes:
The best high school OL is in Tampa at Tampa Catholic. Maybe we could get him on the sidelines. Florida is making a big push for him.
InertGas writes:
I would not fear Virginai Tech, a second tier ACC school.
HartfordCTvol writes:
So no chance at Penn State? I really want another shot at those guys. If we end up playing Wisconsin again that will be a snoozefest.
golfin_blondie writes:
True to many bowl games today even to many BCS games! It seems like every city or very whatever has a bowl game. I don't think it even means as much today to get to go to a bowl. I am peaching to the choir here...We need a play-off system but we know that will never happen to much money in bowling.
roloyo writes:
That's only one of many reasons Phat Phil is an idiot.....and unemployed
Ringside writes:
Tellico, have you heard anything else on Tiger?
It is assumed that he was roughed up before getting in the car?? Sounds domestic. Now he is refusing to talk the the FHP, but says he will today. He is host to his own golf tournament starting Thursday.
roloyo writes:
I don't know why she puts up with his BS, when she could just come live with me. Go figure.
Ringside writes:
I was working Tampa Bay connections this morning.
GBO
Ringside writes:
I think you are right. Heard one tv channel mention possible affair he was having.
Fla_Vol writes:
I was at the Penn State game year before last when we lost that game.I had a feeling that we were in trouble watching the Vols come out of the tunnel to start the game. There was no show of emotion or enthusiasm..........guarantee you will see plenty of both wherever they play this year......looking forward to seeing them come down here this year & get revenge on Penn State.
aotay writes:
The post is right. New Year's day bowls are not what they used to be. You say what bowl they are going to, that is fine but just to be playing on New Year's Day is not that great anymore. To many lesser bowls being played on that day.
orgbleglory writes:
YEP...congratulate him while there; had 9 of Rivals top 50 and 23 of the top 250 in attendance yesterday; got commits from everything going all the way out to 2011 class...and u idiots want to talk about Vol recruiting!!! Good luck; enjoy the Train Ride!!!
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