12:15 - Volstothewall arrives and we lament that UT is 0-2 this year when we watch the game together. “Dude, if we’re losing at halftime, I’m going home,” he says. I agree. We’ll see.

12:32 - OH MY GOSH!! OH MY GOSH!! A throwback to Foster, 65 yards on the first play!!! Touchdown Vols!! Brilliant. Here we come baby! Great play call Cut! WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH ME AND CAPITAL LETTERS??!! EXCLAMATION MARKS!!!!!

12:35 - I love DVR, the greatest invention ever. It was just as pretty the second time around.

12:39 - Ryan Karl in man coverage against Keenan Burton. Pass interference. That’s nice. A 4.7 40 white linebacker on a blazing fast receiver. That’s why we pay Chavy the big bucks.

12:40 - P-U-N-T, Punt, Cats, Punt.

12:47 - Fourth and 4 from the 35, and we throw a screen to Foster, 5 yards behind the line of scrimmage. Par for the course. Kentucky takes over. Ahhhh, not sure about that check-down, Ainge. Need a defensive stand.

12:52 - Two long UK runs in a row. If Eric Berry’s going to be our leading tackler, it’s going to be a long day.

12:55 - Crucial third down inside the 30, and Ellix Wilson rushes through and SACKS Woodson. Out of field-goal range. Huge play. There’s our middle linebacker next year, boys. Ced’s “little” brother. Finally, we’re bringing some heat.

12:57 - I’m not sure I understand the “Ahoy” Old Spice commercial, but it makes me happy. I love the Gulet wannabe lounge-singing “Hungry Like a Wolf” with the four vixens on his carpet. Don’t ask.

12:59 - Where has Brad Cottam been his entire career??!! Oh yeah, he’s been hurt. That acceleration. That speed. 60 yards for a 6-foot-8 tight end? Wow. Back in bidness inside the 20.

1:00 - Ainge to Taylor, 18-yard touchdown. Beautiful passes to the back shoulder. We’re looking amazing. 14-0, good guys.

1:02 - OK, the Peter Frampton Geico commercial is my new favorite. That’s laugh-out-loud funny, I don’t care who you are.

1:06 - Three-and-out. Kentucky’s simply outclassed right now.

1:08 - OH MY GOODNESS, Chris Brown tips the Ainge pass back to himself. That’s SportsCenter-esque if it stands … which, um, it won’t. Clearly hit the ground. Ainge just missed a TD with that overthrow.

1:14 - Third-and-5, and Ainge converts. He is just dissecting this Wildcats defense.

1:16 - Drive stalls and Daniel Lincoln’s 47-yard field goal is just short. Crap. He didn’t hit it well in the cold wind. Man, that’s not good.

1:24 - UK has completed consecutive third downs. We’ve made them pay twice, but the key word is “conversions” here. The Wildcats cannot hang around.

1:29 - Man, another third-down conversion. Great cut by Little. They’re gonna score this time.

1:30 - Right on cue, Woodson-to-Johnson, beating DeAngelo Willingham. 14-7 Vols, and the two missed opportunities have made this a ballgame.

1:34 - Steve Beurlein is trying to negate a long passing play to Lucas Taylor, but the official is correct. He was forced out of bounds. Great diving catch by LT.

1:39 - OK, Lincoln. Big field goal here from 45 out. LEEEEEANS in between the uprights. Big kick. 17-7 Vols. Need the defense to bow their necks.

1:47 - Third-and-5 Kentucky. BOOM! Ricardo Kemp rushes around the end and drills Woodson on his blindside. Big play. Punt time.

1:52 - Crap. Third-and-2, and we play-action pass. I hate our lack of commitment to the run in short-yardage situations. Hate it.

1:59 - Punter Tim Masthay runs for 1 ½ on a fourth-and-1 on his own 30. Man, that was a bad snap, a bad call and they got away with it.

2:08 - With the clock running down, big-time third-down conversion to keep the drive alive by Foster.

2:08 - Awwwwwww. Nice pass by Ainge tipped and intercepted. That’s a killer.

2:09 - Xavier Mitchell - a defensive end - jumps up and intercepts Andre Woodson on the first play after Ainge’s pick. Here … We … Come.

2:12 - A pre-halftime jugular shot. Erik Ainge. Quinton Hancock. Touchdown, Vols. 17 seconds left. 24-7.

2:17 - Dumb personal foul by the Vols to put UK into semi-field-goal range, but the day Knoxville native Lones Seiber hits a 51-yard field goal will be the day I fit into jeans with a 32-inch waist … No good. Halftime.

2:40 - First play of the second half for UK and we give the receiver a 10-yard cushion. I don’t like that gameplan. Please, let’s not start playing South Carolina defense.

2:45 - Kentucky’s driving, and the difference is just amazing between UT’s zone and man coverage. On the plays we run man, UK does nothing. That’s why we’re running zone, apparently. So frustrating.

2:46 - John Chavis is trying to learn to spell his name on the sideline.

2:51 - Touchdown, Kentucky. A 14-play drive, and Dicky Lyons Jr. scores a touchdown with a toe-tap in the back of the end zone. Dicky sucks. Couldn’t beat Dicky to the inside. He sunk in behind the coverage. … Sorry, had to.

2:56 - THROW THE FLAG!!! Pass interference on UK, but they didn’t call it. Even the announcers said it and Fulmer jumped out of his shoes (All three inches high). Three-and-out by the Vols. A room cringes and starts biting its nails.

3:02 - The obligatory Randy Sanders shot. He’s on their side. We may be OK, after all.

3:05 - WE RUN THE BALL ON THIRD AND 1 AND MAKE IT. THE END IS NIGH!

3:09 - We’re punting, and the momentum has clearly shifted. We must persevere. Hunker down, you guys (growled like Larry Munson).

3:11 - Demonte Bolden strips the ball from Woodson, and Alabama boy Wes Brown recovers it. The officials initially miss it but overrule themselves. There’s the play the Vols needed. GO BIG ORANGE!

3:16 - I don’t know what just happened, but a throwback after we put four men in motion resulted in a touchdown pass to Jeff Cottam. I can dig it. 31-14 Vols, just in case UK was getting confident.

3:17 - Rich Brooks is making postgame cocktail reservations at Michael’s.

3:20 - Vindication Lives Here. I think.

3:23 - Oh my goodness. Eric Berry and Jacob Tamme simultaneously catch a ball downfield, but, of course, it’s ruled to the offensive player like always. Tough break.

3:24 - Wow. I’m going to quit cawing Atlanta. Touchdown Tamme with one second left in the third quarter. It’s a 10-point game going into the final 15. We can’t breathe easy. Six plays, 78 yards, 1:30. That’s not how you wrap it up, boys.

3:33 - Oh no. Ainge with an interception. Lindley jumped Austin Rogers on a horrible, horrible throw by Ainge. We’ve got a ballgame.

3:36 - Mayo and Reynolds sacks Kentucky on third-and-8. Another absolute crucial play. I’m going to keep my mouth shut about next week. I speak too soon.

3:40 - Ainge fumbles a snap. Come ON senior quarterback.

3:40 - But, you know, when it boils right down to it, Arian Foster’s just better than you. Big-time first down.

3:45 - Decisions, decisions. Vols up by 10, fourth-and-3 on the UK 33. In this weather, 50 yards is probably a little out of Lincoln’s range. Pooch punt it? Not the wrong call. Go for it? It’d be nice, but if you don’t get it, you give UK decent field position. Just don’t kick a field goal. Timeout Vols.

3:47 - Going fer it, boyz ………. Lucas Taylor DROPS a perfect pass by Ainge. Dadgummit. Huge, huge. Door’s open.

3:53 - Kentucky drives it down our throats and Woodson completes it to Steve Johnson for a touchdown. It’s a three-point football game with 6:11 to go. Oh no.

3:58 - We’re punting.

4:00 - Did you know somebody shot a nine-point buck behind my house on Friday? These are the thing my beautiful wife is good for with the game on the line.

4:04 - We just absolutely undress the receiver Jerod Mayo. Team MVP kills Jacob Tamme and Ricardo Kemp intercepts the pass. Huge, huge, huge.

4:04 - Kemp has two sacks and an interception today after barely playing all year. Besides Mayo, he’s the hero so far.

4:06 - Third-and-long for the Vols, and UK calls timeout with 3:37 left. If we make this one, we’re heading to Atlanta. We’re just not in field goal range, so this is gargantuan.

4:07 - Austin Rogers can’t make the tough grab. We’ve got to make the tough grab. We’re punting AGAIN.

4:09 - Let’s set the game: Kentucky has it on their own 9 with 3:32 left. My heart’s going to explode.

4:13 - Woodson makes a perfect pass on third-and-11 to Tamme. They’re near midfield.

4:13 - Mayo’s hurt. OH NO!

4:16 - Mayo’s back in because he’s a gamer. Makes a tackle. Second down UK from our 47.

4:19 - Kentucky is potentially in field goal range. Man, we almost had an interception.

4:19 - YES! Illegal substitution against UK. Big play.

4:20 - Berry DROPS an interception! Man. That was big, too. Third and 15.

4:20 - First down to Dickie Lyons. At least in field goal range. They can go in the end zone. Tears burn to my eyes. I let a word slip. Man, wish I wouldn’t get so frustrated.

4:21 - First down at the 6. I can’t believe this.

4:22 - Vinson nearly intercepts it. You’ve got to get that. He’s writhing in pain, and his shoulder pops out. That could be major if we get it to OT.

4:23 - Pass interference on the Vols in the end zone. Dang it. We’re gonna lose. Oh man. This is gonna hurt a long time. Nine seconds left.

4:26 - Woodson drops the snap and throws incomplete, but there’s a second left on the clock. They make a chippie, and it’s overtime. At least it wasn’t a touchdown. Yet. Guard against the fake field goal.

4:28 - Remarkable drive (18 plays, 90 yards), Kentucky. Remarkable stand inside the 10 for Tennessee. Seiber field goal. Overtime.

4:34 - Touchdown Burton in freakin’ OT. We’re playing soft zone. Inexplicable.

4:37 - Terrible pass by Ainge on a gimme second down. But Foster’s got his back. Big first down.

4:39 - GERALD JONES WITH A HUGE TOUCHDOWN CATCH! Great play! But it’s under review. I think he had the catch. Elbow was down. It’s close. Man, a freshman!! If it stands, he’s a hero.

4:41 - Ruling on the field stands. Extra point. Second overtime time.

4:44 - Terrible throw by Ainge intercepted. The season is over.

4:47 - Here comes a 35-yard field goal to send us to Nashville or Shreveport.

4:49 - BLOOOOOOOOOOOOCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKEEEEEEEDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m gonna die. A facemask by Kentucky on a SURE Eric Berry touchdown. Wow. Dan Williams bull rushed and blocked that kick. Third overtime.

4:54 - Touchdown Burton on the same play Woodson has burned us on all day. And it was third-and-7. Man, this defense is struggling, especially since Vinson’s shoulder popped out. Woodson, I love that guy. But not right now.

4:55 - Two-point conversion is NO GOOD.

4:57 - Well, we’ve abandoned the run. Gerald Jones - a true freshman - fights for the first down. Huge. He’s made two amazing plays in crunch time.

4:58 - TOUCHDOWN AUSTIN ROGERS!!!! Going for TWO and the win.

5:00 - Foster can’t turn the corner. And he gets an unsportsmanlike call for throwing the ball in frustration??? Really??? No way! That’s horsecrap. So, let me get this straight: A penalty on UK can’t end the second overtime, but a penalty AFTER THE PLAY on UT can be assessed on UT on the next overtime. That’s unreal. Not questioning the rule. Just the call. And they should change the rule if it is one.
5:03 - On the first play, a 40-yard touchdown pass to Hancock. This is a classic. I mean a classic. Forget everybody. These Vols want Atlanta.

5:04 - Huge two-point conversion: TWO-POINT CONVERSION AUSTIN ROGERS!! I hate the referees! In their faces anyway! 52-44 Vols.

5:07 - They’re just coming right back. Unreal game.

5:11 - Touchdown Locke. Here’s the game. Vols stop the two-point conversion, we’re going to Atlanta. If we don’t, we keep playing one of the greatest games in conference history.

5:15 - Woodson flushed out of the pocket, flushed, flushed, running. BROUGHT DOWN BY ANTONIO REYNOLDS!!!! Win 52-50!! WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN!!!!!!! Atlanta, baby! Atlanta!!!!!!! A-T-L!!!!!!!! Maybe the greatest game I’ve ever seen. Unreal. I’m hugging everybody in the room. 23 in a row against UK! What a game!