Tampa Bay Football History Network

2008 Outback Bowl

The game pitted teams with similar records. Tennessee came in at number 16 with a 9-4 mark, while Wisconsin was 9-3 and ranked 18th. For the Wisconsin Badgers, under second year coach Bret Bielema, it was the schools 19th bowl

appearance and fourth trip to the Outback Bowl. Tennessee was making their third trip to Tampa and 47th bowl bid overall. Phil Fulmer was in his 15th season coaching the Volunteers. The only previous meeting between the teams was a 28-21 Tennessee victory in the 1981 Garden State Bowl.

It turned out to be a tight game with Wisconsin's PJ Hill rushing for 132 yards and Tennessee's Josh Briscoe catching 7 passes for 101 yards with a TD. Volunteers QB Erik Ainge (25 of 43 for 365 yards) garnered MVP honors with a pair of TD passes. The game would not be decided until Tennessee defensive back Antonio Wardlow intercepted Tyler Donovan (14 of 24 for 155 yards with a TD) at the Volunteers 1 yard line with 28 seconds left. After a 21-17 victory, Phil Fulmer held up the Outback Bowl trophy and said, "We've been waiting a couple of years to get one of these."

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