BERRY CONTINUES ASSAULT ON RECORD BOOKS

Sophomore safety Eric Berry snagged his FBS-best sixth interception of the season in the third quarter of the South Carolina game and added a 45 yard return to it. The pick was the 11th of his career, which ties him for 11th in school history in that category. The return gave him 442 career interception return yards, which extended his SEC record and moved him within 59 yards of the NCAA record held by Terrell Buckley of Florida State (501 yards).

He now has 220 interception return yards this season, which is just two yards shy of his school-record total from 2007 and only 24 yards from the SEC season record set by Florida's Joe Brodsky in 1956. Southern California's Charles Phillips set the major college season record in 1974 with 302 interception return yards.

The Tennessee record for interceptions in a season is 10, but Berry is just one pick from tying for seventh on that list (7) and three picks from tying for second (9).

Berry is tied atop the FBS this season with his six interceptions, but he is the only player with more than 200 return yards. Only seven players have more than 100 return yards and just one other player has more than 175 yards.

VOLS TIED FOR FOURTH NATIONALLY WITH 15 INTERCEPTIONS

Through 10 weeks of NCAA play, Tennessee ranks tied for fourth nationally among FBS teams and first in the SEC with 15 interceptions. The Vols are averaging 1.67 interceptions per game and an average of 24.2 yards per return.

Seven different Vols have recorded picks thus far, but sophomore safety Eric Berry and senior cornerback DeAngelo Willingham lead the way with six and three interceptions, respectively.

FOSTER TIED FOR THIRD ON CAREER RUSHING LIST

Senior tailback Arian Foster moved into a third-place tie Saturday night on the Tennessee career rushing chart. Foster carried 14 times for 56 yards at South Carolina to improve his career rushing total to 2,852 yards, tying him with Johnnie Jones (1982-84) on the school's all-time list. Foster needs 38 yards to tie James Stewart (1991-94) for second place at 2,890 yards, and would need another 188 yards to pull even with Travis Henry (1997-2000) at 3,078 yards.

AYERS AMONG VOLS' ALL-TIME BEST BACKFIELD CRASHERS

Senior defensive end Robert Ayers led the Vols last season with 12 TFL, and his 10 TFL this year lead the team and give him 26 for his career for a net loss of 102 yards. His 10 TFL thus far this season is just four shy of the school record for single-season TFL (not including sacks). His 26 career TFL (sacks not included) is third in school history.

After a slow start, he has come on strong for the UT defense in the second half of the season. He was named a permanent team captain before the Mississippi State game and responded with his first sack of the season. He logged a career-high nine tackles against Georgia, including a career-high 3.5 TFL. That marked the most TFL in a single-game since current San Francisco 49ers linebacker Parys Haralson recorded four against Kentucky in 2005. Ayers also nabbed his first career interception at Georgia, stopping a Bulldogs drive in the red zone.

PASSING DEFENSE ON PACE TO BE ONE OF BEST IN FULMER ERA

Tennessee's secondary, touted throughout the preseason, has lived up to the hype. The Vols are allowing 171. 2 passing yards per game through nine contests this season. Should the defense finish the season with a similar statistic, it would rate as the third-best passing defense in the Phillip Fulmer era. The 2002 and 1996 defenses would be the only units to surrender fewer passing yards per game.

VOLUNTEERS APPROACHING 775th ALL-TIME VICTORY

One of the winningest college football teams in America, Tennessee is just one win shy of notching its 775th all-time victory.

Since the program's inception in 1891, UT has recorded 774 total victories. The Volunteers will become the ninth team ever (and second SEC team) to reach the 775-win milestone.

Through games of Oct. 25, Michigan leads the nation with 871 wins. Notre Dame, Texas, Nebraska and Ohio State all have more than 800 win in their history.

ROGAN CLIMBING KICK RETURN CHARTS

Sophomore defensive back Dennis Rogan returned two kickoffs for 46 yards at South Carolina and now stands in sixth place on UT's career kickoff return list with 922 total yards. Rogan's career average of 26.34 yards per kickoff return ranks ninth among all active FBS players.

For his career, the Knoxville native has 1,142 combined kick and punt return yards and that mark puts him in 10th place on the Tennessee career list.

DEFENSE AMONG NATIONS BEST STATISTICALLY

Through nine games, the Tennessee defense ranks among the nation's best in several statistical categories. The Vols are in the top 30 nationally in five categories.