ATLANTA — Tennessee wide receiver Cedrick Wilson, after going without a

single reception the first three games of this season, has developed a good

rapport with junior quarterback Tee Martin.

It was Wilson’s 26-yard touchdown catch in the dying minutes of Saturday’s

Southeastern Conference Championship Game against Mississippi State which

secured Tennessee’s 13th conference title.

Wilson, a sophomore from Memphis, now has six TD receptions on the season

and, after a slow start to their relationship on the field, Wilson has

become a dependable target for Martin.

After Tennessee wrapped up its 24-14 victory over Mississippi State, Wilson

had some glowing words about the man who has led the Vols to a 12-0

record.

“He’s the best quarterback that ever came through the University of

Tennessee,” Wilson said. “He’s out of the shadow of Peyton (Manning).

“The types of things that he’s been through. I mean, how many people could

be in the shadow of a person that the country was really behind.

“Everybody knew that (Peyton) was the best quarterback in the country. How

many people could come behind him and play and be as effective as he is?

And then take a team 12-0? I mean…

“He was in a no-win situation, but I think he handled it well. He stood

behind Peyton for two years and learned all the things he had to learn and

I think Peyton taught him well. But in my eyes, Tee Martin is the best

quarterback that ever came through the University of Tennessee, quote,

unquote.”

Vols set Championship rushing mark

The Vols shook off a slow start against the Bulldogs on the ground to

set an SEC Championship Game record with 151 rushing yards. Travis Henry

was responsible for most of them, going for 120 yards on 26 carries.

“This team’s strength has been running the football,” said outgoing UT

offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe.

However, the Vols didn’t get off to a great start in the running game,

rushing for just 58 yards on 33 attempts in the first three quarters. They

made up for lost time, though, by racking up 98 yards in the final

quarter.

“We just kept our poise,” said Henry of the Vols finally getting the run

untracked.

The previous championship rushing record was 132 yards, set by Alabama

versus Florida in 1992.

Defense puts leash on Bulldogs

The Vols’ defense, coming off a shutout the week before against

Vanderbilt, held Mississippi State’s offense to championship game lows for

offensive production.

The Bulldogs set SEC futility marks for total yards (149), passing yards

(84), average gain per play (2.98 yards) and plays (50). They also tied

record lows for passes completed (10) and first downs (9).

“We were just not executing on offense,” said MSU head coach Jackie

Sherrill. “We’d get two or three plays and then go backward.

Odds and Ends

Tennessee’s 12-0 record this season marks the first time ever that the

Vols have won 12 games in a season … The Vols have won at least 11 games

in three of the last four years and only the seventh time in school history

… The Vols’ Fiesta Bowl bid is their 10th consecutive bowl trip, the

longest current streak in the SEC … With six points, placekicker Jeff

Hall passed Arizona State’s Luis Zendejas (368) for fifth on the NCAA’s

all-time kick scoring list. He now has 371 points, which is also an SEC

record … The Georgia Dome crowd of 74,795 was the second-most ever for a

sporting event held there … Peerless Price was named the game’s MVP after

catching six passes for 97 yards and a touchdown.