NASHVILLE The 2000 roller coaster ride came to an end Saturday night for the Tennessee Volunteers (8-3, 5-3 SEC). And what a ride it has been.
After bolting out to a 21-3 lead, the Vols held off a second-half comeback by the Vanderbilt Commodores (3-8, 1-7) to finish the regular season with a 28-26 win at Adelphia Coliseum.
Head coach Phillip Fulmer was elated with the win. However, the entire season was the first thing on his mind.
We’re obviously very, very proud to get the win, Fulmer said. I’m proud of our football team for coming from the depths of 2-3 to do what they’ve done. It’s just a heck of a job.
It was the sixth consecutive win for Tennessee. The last loss for the Vols was Oct. 7 when Georgia beat UT 21-10 to drop the Vols’ record to 2-3, 0-3.
I told our fans at the beginning of the year that I thought they would like this football team and you have to, Fulmer said. Nothing was easy this year and I appreciate what they’ve done.
Senior tailback Travis Henry has set the tone lately and Saturday was no different. He carried the ball 33 times for 184 yards and two touchdowns.
In Tennessee’s opening drive, Henry made his presence known in a hurry. In 11 plays, UT’s all-time leading rusher ran seven times, capped off by a 3-yard touchdown scamper. Alex Walls’ extra point gave the Vols a 7-0 lead.
We took it upon ourselves to make some big plays in the running game, Henry said, and that’s exactly what we did.
On the next possession, quarterback Casey Clausen hit Eric Parker for 28 yards to the Vanderbilt 36. Henry ran three times, taking UT to the 12.
After a pass interference call on Vandy put the Vols on the 2-yard line, Henry went to work again with a blast through the middle for a 14-0 Tennessee lead.
We had a hard time throwing the ball today and a hard time catching it, offensive coordinator Randy Sanders said. So the best thing we could do was give it to Travis and let him break tackles.
John Markham hit a 31-yard field goal for the Commodores to take the two teams into the locker rooms with the score 14-3.
Tennessee began the third quarter on their own 18-yard line. After moving to the 28-yard line, Henry made history for the second week in a row.
On second-and-10, Henry took the handoff through the middle of the line and sprinted 60 yards before being pulled down by Vandy’s Jimmy Williams at the VU 12. The run made Henry the first person in UT history and the 20th in SEC history to rush for 3,000 yards.
This is a great accomplishment for me and I’m feeling great, Henry said of his 3,078 career yards. I’ve got to thank God for my teammates because without that, none of this would have been possible.
The run set up a Travis Stephens touchdown leap from the 1-yard line for a 21-3 lead. Stephens carried the ball eight times for 25 yards and a score.
Another field goal from Markham, this one from 21 yards, started the Vandy comeback late in the third quarter.
Vanderbilt took possession again on their own 25 but quarterback Greg Zolman completed passes of 15, 11 and 22 yards to put the Commodores on the UT 11. Zolman then hit M.J. Garrett for the touchdown. The extra point was no good and UT led 21-12.
Zolman again connected with Garrett for a 17-yard score, capping off a six-play, 53-yard drive in 59 seconds to make it 21-19 Vols.
Clausen answered Zolman with completions to Eric Locke and Cedrick Wilson to take UT to the Vandy 15. Clausen then lofted the ball to Wilson in the corner of the end zone for the score and a 28-19 lead.
You’ve still got to realize that he’s a freshman, Wilson said. That last drive, he really put it together. That fade route was perfect.
Behind Zolman’s arm and the running of Jared McGrath, Vandy returned the favor by taking the ball to the Tennessee 1-yard line. McGrath punched in the touchdown to trim the UT lead to 28-26.
Tennessee took control of the ball with 3:57 remaining. As the Vols tried to run out the clock, Henry once again came through with a 15-yard run for a first down to seal the UT win.
It looked like (Henry) was shot out of a cannon, Fulmer said. I don’t know which way the play was called but he was going to make the first down.
Tennessee now awaits the results of the SEC Championship to determine where they will travel for a bowl game with the Citrus, Cotton, Outback and Peach bowls heading the list.
