“Peace” may appear on the back of his jersey, but the Vols’ starting middle linebacker wasn’t waving any white flags against the Crimson Tide on Saturday.

Tennessee’s Robert Peace led the Vol defense with five tackles for a loss, helping UT win in five overtimes.

“That’s something I can look back on when I’m 50 years old and smile about,” Peace said following Monday’s practice. “I think that game will go down as one of the greatest Tennessee-Alabama games ever played.”

Peace’s performance may also be remembered as one of the greatest in recent memory.

Vol head coach Phillip Fulmer said after Saturday’s game that he felt like Peace made “a hundred tackles.”

In reality, he only made 10, but Saturday wasn’t Peace’s first impressive performance in overtime.

In the Vols’ six overtime win against Arkansas last season, he recorded 15 tackles.

The senior said he enjoys playing through pressure.

“It’s a physical, hard hitting game and those are the type of games that I like to play in,” Peace said. “From the beginning of the Arkansas to the end of the Alabama game this year, I just had a good feeling.”

That good feeling translated into a 51-43 win for the Vols.

“That’s what this team needed after the two weeks we had,” Peace said. “We’d needed a good win over a good opponent and that’s what we got.”

Go Gators?

Following practice, Peace and other Vols echoed support for Florida this weekend against Georgia.

If the Gators win,there will be a three-way tie for first place in the SEC’s Eastern Division.

“There’s no doubt that we’re pulling for Florida,” Peace said. “We’d like to control our own destiny, but obviously we don’t.

“We need a little help and we’re looking for it.”

If the three teams remained tied at the season’s end, six different tiebreakers would be a push and the other eight conference athletics directors (excluding the West winner) would vote on which team goes to Atlanta for the Dec. 6 SEC Championship Game.

Injury update

Two Vol starters are likely to miss Saturday’s matchup with Duke.

Tailback Cedric Houston (ankle) and free safety Rashad baker (knee) are doubtful for the game.

Clausen wins honor

After five touchdowns (four passing, one rushing), in the Vols ‘ overtime win again ‘Bama, UT quarterback Casey Clausen was named Offensive Player of the Week on Monday.

This marks the second time Clausen has received the honor, the first coming in Tennessee’s 35-24 win over the Tide in 2001.

Tinsley sighting

Tennessee wideout Derrick Tinsley recorded his first touches of the season and at possibly the best time.

On the first, Tinsley carried for a 28-yard gain on a reserve and the second came on a 6-yard touchdown pass from Clausen in the first overtime.

First to three

The Vols’ win Saturday was the first time an opponent had won three-consecutive games against Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

Getting offensive

The 51 points scored by the Vol offense was the most ever by Tennessee against the Tide and the most scored against Alabama since 1907.