And now we present one of the most satisfying plays in Tennessee Football history:
Tennessee, who would've much rather been playing for the National Championship than playing in the Citrus Bowl, had already received an extra boost of momentum because of the opponent. Just four years removed from the Heisman Trophy debacle of 1997, the chance to play Michigan was a small comfort to the wounds of the 2001 SEC Championship Game loss to LSU. And the Vols took advantage, jumping to a 24-10 lead at halftime behind what would become Casey Clausen's best day of his entire UT career.
But early in the third quarter, this game went to another level. The Vols drove 85 yards in three plays, and got 64 of those yards right here...on a catch-and-run by a tight end.
Jason Witten was and is many things, but "fast" is not the first word you go to when describing his talents. He's tough, he's sure-handed, he's physical. But fast? Like, run away from your entire secondary fast? Apparently when playing Michigan, the answer is yes.
This one opened the floodgates, and the Vols would eventually push the lead to 45-10 before the Wolverines got one in garbage time. It was a satisfying start to the New Year, a wonderful epilogue to the golden era of Tennessee Football, and one of the best visuals of good old fashioned SECSPEEDWOOOOO I've ever seen. I could watch this all day.