College football

Vols manhandle Wildcats

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Erik Ainge passed for 221 yards and two touchdowns Saturday in Tennessee's 27-8 win over Kentucky.

The Vols avoided finishing last in the East and extended the second-longest active win streak in a Division I-A uninterrupted series to 21, 21 fewer than Notre Dame over Navy.

Kentucky had been competitive against Tennessee the past two seasons, losing 20-7 and 37-31. But it squandered chances, reaching the Vols 10 three times but getting only two field goals.

Ainge's first-half touchdowns of 50 yards to Robert Meachem and 32 to Chris Hannon were his longest completions of the season and helped give the Vols a 17-6 halftime lead. The lead could have been larger. But two touchdowns by Arian Foster, a 55-yard run and 78-yard catch, were negated by penalties. Foster finished with 114 yards on 26 carries.

Kentucky lost starting quarterback Andre Woodson in the second quarter to a shoulder injury, and his backup, freshman Curtis Pulley, fumbled three times and threw three interceptions.

Kentucky reached the Vols 9 to start the second half, but Pulley lost a fumble. Two series later, Justin Harrell returned an interception 7 yards to make it 24-7.

Clarence McDougal partially blocked a punt, and Norwood's 33-yard run on the next play tied it at 7. Jeramie Johnson, who had three interceptions, returned his first to the Ole Miss 11, setting up Norwood's 2-yard touchdown run.

Norwood, who briefly left the game in the third quarter with leg cramps, put the Bulldogs up 21-14 with 46 seconds left in the first half, capping an 11-play drive with a 1-yard score. Then he and Bryson Davis combined for 72 yards on 12 consecutive carries before Mike Henig's 1-yard pass to Davis made it 28-14 with 8:43 left.

[Last modified November 27, 2005, 01:18:21]