game to #8 Georgia by a score of 41–14. The Vols won their next six games, including a 5OT 51–43 victory over Alabama to finish with a 10–2 record. In the 2004 Peach Bowl against Clemson, the Vols fell 27–14 to finish 10–3 and #15 in the final AP Poll. 2004 season Fulmer's Vols started the 2004 season #14 in the country. The Vols started off 3–0, including a 30–28 victory over the #11 Florida Gators in the last matchup with Gator head coach Ron Zook. The Vols lost the next game against the #8 Auburn Tigers by a score of 34–10 before winning four straight, including a 19–14 over #3 Georgia. On November 6, the Vols lost to Notre Dame by a score of 17–13 before winning out to finish 9–2. In a rematch with the #3 Auburn Tigers in the SEC Championship, the Vols fell 38–28. In the 2005 Cotton Bowl against #22 Texas A&M, Fulmer led the Vols to a 38–7 victory to finish 10–3 and 13th in the final AP Poll. 2005 season In 2005, Fulmer's pre-season #3 Volunteers had very high expectations. However, for the first time in his tenure, Fulmer's Volunteers struggled mightily by the standards that were established. After a close 17–10 victory over UAB, the Vols fell to the #6 Florida by a score of 16–7. After a 30–27 victory over #3 LSU and a 27–10 victory over Ole Miss, the Vols lost four straight games to stand at 3–5. The Vols ended up 5–6, losing to in-state SEC rival Vanderbilt for the first time in his 14-year tenure. The losing season also kept Tennessee out of a bowl game for the first time since 1988, a streak of 16 years, which was the third-longest in the NCAA. 2006 season Despite their abysmal finish to the 2005 season, Fulmer's Vols started the 2006 season ranked #23. The team started with two straight wins over #9 California and Air Force before dropping a game to #7 Florida Gators by score of 21–20. The Vols reeled off five straight wins before dropping two games to #13 LSU and #11 Arkansas. The Vols won their last two regular season games to finish 9–3 and face Penn State in the 2007 Outback Bowl. The Vols fell to the Nittany Lions by a score of 20–10 to finish 9–4 and #25 in the final poll. 2007 season