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Salute to Service Game
Saturday will serve as Tennessee's "Salute to Service" game. There will be a C-17 flyover for the Vol Walk. During halftime, there will be a Joint Contracting Ceremony with Army and Air Force ROTC Cadets and the Pride of the Southland Band will perform a Salute to Service patriotic themed halftime show, which will include a live performance by country music singer-songwriter Lee Greenwood.
Points Aplenty
With 361 points, Tennessee has already eclipsed its final point total from the four previous seasons. That tally is the most through the first 10 games of a season at UT since the 1995 team (26 years ago) scored 399 through its first 10 games.
The Vols' 344 points rank 17th in the FBS and third in the SEC. UT is averaging 36.1 points per game, good for 17th in the FBS and fourth in the SEC. In SEC-only games, the Vols are putting up 33.3 ppg, which is second in the SEC. Josh Heupel coached teams have scored at least 14 points in every game (46 games) and scored at least 20 points in 44 of 46 games.
Tillman on a Tear
Redshirt junior wideout Cedric Tillman has emerged as one of the SEC's top receivers this season, ranking fifth in the conference with a team-high 725 receiving yards, tied for seventh with six touchdown catches and tied for ninth with 46 receptions. In conference-only games, Tillman ranks second in the SEC in receiving yards per game (93.9), second in TD catches (5) and second in receiving yards (657). He is tied for the SEC lead in SEC-only games in 20+ yard catches (10), 30+ yard catches (5), 40+ yard catches (3) and 50+ yard catches (3).
In last week's loss to top-ranked Georgia, Tillman set career highs with 10 catches for 200 yards and a touchdown. It was the ninth 200-yard receiving game in Tennessee history and the first since Cordarrelle Patterson had 219 vs. Troy on Nov. 3, 2012. It was the first 200-yard receiving game by a Vol in an SEC game since Denarius Moore had 205 vs. Kentucky on Nov. 27, 2010.
Tillman has recorded at least six catches in five straight games, becoming the first Vol to achieve that feat since Cedrick Wilson did it the first five games of the 1999 season. The Las Vegas native has thrived in games against ranked teams, as well. Against current Top 25 teams, he is third in the nation in yards (456), ninth in the nation in catches (25) and fourth in the nation in TD catches (3).
Banks a Tackling Machine
Redshirt junior linebacker Jeremy Banks is having a breakout season for the Big Orange. The Cordova, Tennessee, native leads the team and ranks third in the SEC with a career-high 89 tackles and has posted double-digit stops in four straight games, including a career-best tying 15 last Saturday against No. 1 Georgia. Banks is also tied for seventh in the SEC with 9.0 tackles for loss and is tied for the team lead in sacks with 4.5.