Best trick. Warming up in all orange and then making the switcheroo right before racing out of the tunnel in black jerseys and orange pants.
Best hit, I. Janzen Jackson, "capping off" on Gamecock tight end Justice Cunningham, knocking the ball loose and treating the guy to an in-air somersault to boot.
Best hustle. Either Dan Williams (official credit) or Ben Martin (Lane Kiffin's credit), who recovered the first fumble nearly fifteen yards downfield from where they started the play.
Best call. Tennessee's second play on offense, a 38-yard Jonathan Crompton to Austin Johnson touchdown pass down the middle. According to Kiffin, most defenses take that play away, but they knew from film study that it would work against South Carolina.
Best rinse and repeat. Two plays after Tennessee had turned a forced fumble into seven points, Rico McCoy forced another fumble, Wes Brown recovered it, and the offense turned it into another touchdown.
Best move. Montario Hardesty on his first touchdown, juking right and making the defensive back utterly whiff on one of the prettiest spin moves I have ever seen on his way to the end zone and six points. Call it The Move.
Longest run. Bryce Brown's 37-yarder in the first quarter, during which he negotiated dense traffic in the middle before breaking outside.
Worst streak. Tennessee's first field goal attempt, which was low again and blocked again, making it the third blocked attempt in a row for the Volunteers.
Best threepeat. Having converted forced fumbles on the Gamecocks' first two possessions, the defense forced another on their fifth when McCoy and Savion Frazier hit a scrambling Stephen Garcia. Dennis Rogan recovered, and the offense took it 22 yards to the checkerboards.
Best block. Hardesty on fourth and goal for Tennessee's third touchdown. Hardesty put a rushing defender on his butt with a perfect cut and gave Crompton enough time to hit Kevin Cooper for the score.
Best post-play move. Cooper, who after crossing into the end zone with the ball, quickly one-hopped and flapped his elbows. It was just residual energy, but it looked like a pole-vaulting chicken.
Best hit, II. Jackson again, on Cedrick Snead, who'd escaped an earlier tackle attempt only to find himself airborn and in the arms of Jackson, who promptly slammed him to the ground.
Best peripheral, I. The Pride of the Southland's Thriller:
Best peripheral, II. A short video on Nick Reveiz, his leadership, his injury, and his pending recovery on the VolTron during the timeout. That guy is inspiring.
Best streak-buster, I. Getting a sack on the quarterback in the second quarter, the first in what seems like forever.
Best streak-buster, II. Chad Cunningham's field goal in the fourth quarter, halting the series of consecutive blocked attempts for the Vols at three.
Best Jack of All Trades. Cunningham, who not only kicked off and punted, but kicked field goals to boot (heh) in relief of Daniel Lincoln, who was still recovering from a quad injury.
Best tough guy. Monte Kiffin, who got mixed up in a tackle that spilled over into the sideline. According to Lane, Monte's hand was cut, and despite the insistence of the rest of the staff, he refused to see a trainer even after the game.
Best hit, III. McCoy this time, who nailed some poor South Carolina receiver with a perfectly-timed jarring bear hug of a tackle in the fourth quarter.
Best hit, IV. Jackson again, who capped off on a tight end again late in the game, preventing him from catching a well-thrown pass.
Play of the game, offense. Hardesty's The Move.
Play of the game, defense. Jackson's magical-somersaulting-now-you-have-it-now-you-don't tackle and forced fumble to win momentum for the team for the duration of the game.
Player of the game, offense. Montario Hardesty, who rushed 23 times for 121 yards, two TDs, caught a pass for 12 yards, and preserved his place in highlight videos for years to come with The Move.
Player of the game, defense. Tie between Rico McCoy, who had ten tackles, two forced fumbles, and a pass breakup, and Janzen Jackson, who racked up seven tackles, a forced fumble, two pass breakups, and continues to challenge Eric Berry for the reputation as the hardest hitter on the team. Thanks to lawvol98, Janzen will forever be known around these parts as Stonewall Jackson.
Best quote (paraphrased). Jim Chaney, who, when asked how he and Lane Kiffin collaborate on the offensive gameplan, explained the process and then, laughing, said something like, "If he's doing something screwy, I'll be like [clears throat] . . . and he'll go right ahead and do it anyway." Jim Chaney knows how Mike Slive feels.
Best picture of discipline. Jim Chaney. I've never heard any stories about this at all, but Chaney looks like he's lost at least 100 pounds:
What have I missed?