Reeling after dropping two of their first three games of the season, Tennessee and their faithful appeared to be dead in the water.

Speculation in and around Rocky Top feared that the program was on a downward spiral and coach Phillip Fulmer was on his way out.

Expect Georgia coach Mark Richt and his family to get a glittery Christmas card from Fulmer and the Volunteer staff as the 35-14 beating the Bulldogs took on Saturday breathed new life into Tennessee.

Experts predicted 12th-ranked Georgia to run all over the Vols behind the dynamic duo of Thomas Brown and Knowshon Moreno. But, it was the tandem of Arian Foster and Montario Hardesty that stole the show for UT, outgaining the Athens boys 190-69.

Erik Ainge played a safe-and-sound quarterback and the postgame press conference had more smiles and laughs than it's had in a long time.

Suddenly that 3:35 minute drive home from Knoxville doesn't seem so dreaded anymore.