to season-ending wins against Vanderbilt and Kentucky. During the season, Ainge set career highs in most statistical categories and break the Tennessee single-season record for completion percentage. The 2007 Outback Bowl was the first bowl appearance for Ainge, as he had missed the 2005 Cotton Bowl Classic due to injury, and the Vols did not qualify for a bowl game following his sophomore season. In the game, the Vols fell to Penn State. For the year, Ainge completed 233 of 348 passes for 2,989 yards, 19 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. 2007 season In March 2007, Ainge underwent surgery for a torn meniscus. He stated that the injury occurred during weightlifting exercises. However, he was able to recover in time for the 2007 season. As a senior in 2007, Ainge completed 325-of-519 passes for 3,522 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Despite 519 pass attempts, he was only sacked three times. He completed 62.6% of his passes and had a 135.48 QB rating. Ainge was able to achieve this success despite nagging injuries which hampered him all season, including a broken pinky finger on his throwing hand and a shoulder injury on his throwing arm. In the season opener against the #12 California Golden Bears, he had 271 passing yards and three passing touchdowns in the 45–31 defeat. On September 22, against Arkansas State, he had 334 passing yards, four passing touchdowns, and one interception in the 48–27 victory to pull Tennessee to a 2–2 record. In the next game, a 35–14 victory over #12 rival Georgia, he was 17-of-22 for 165 passing yards. Over the course of the season, Ainge helped lead the Vols to an 8–3 record going into the regular season finale. The strongest statistical game for Ainge was a 52-50 triple-overtime win over Kentucky in which he threw for 397 yards and an SEC-record seven touchdowns. The Vols finished with a 9–3 record and won the SEC East to earn an appearance in the SEC Championship Game. In the 21–14 loss to LSU, he had 249 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, and two interceptions, including a pick-six in the fourth quarter. Despite the loss, the Vols qualified for the Outback Bowl. In the Vols' win over Wisconsin in the 2008 Outback Bowl, Ainge threw for 365 yards and two touchdowns, and was named the game's MVP. During his four years at Tennessee, Ainge completed 733-of-1,210 passes for