The Vols improbable run to the SEC title game came up just short as the LSU Tigers triumphed 21-14.

With 9:54 left in the game, Jonathan Zenon scored a touchdown after intercepting an Erik Ainge pass at the Tennessee 18-yard line.

Zenon's score and Ryan Perriloux's two-point conversion put LSU up 21-14 and was the deciding score in the game.

Tennessee's comeback attempt was thwarted when Ainge was intercepted again, this time in the red zone by Darry Beckwith with just 2:42 left.

The Tigers earned the SEC's automatic bid to the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, or with a number of upsets this weekend, possibly the BCS Championship Game. 

LSU backup quaterback Ryan Perriloux was the star of the game playing in place of the injured Matt Flynn in a game-time decision.  Perriloux finished with 243 yards, one touchdown and just one interception. 

The Tigers spent the week on an emotional roller coaster with reports of head coach Les Miles taking the Michigan job and defensive coordinator Bo Pelini confirmed as Nebraska's next head coach. 

Miles announced in a press conference hours before the game that he would remain the head coach at LSU.

LSU put themselves in good position at the beginning of the third quarter with a 27-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Perriloux to Demetrius Byrd.  The touchdown capped a 76-yard drive for the Tigers.

The Vols bounced back, however, with one of their few strong drives of the game. Ainge found Josh Briscoe in the end zone from six yards out to regain the lead at 14-13. Briscoe was a bright spot for the Vols, finishing with nine catches for 73 yards.

Tennessee opened the game with a six-play, 57-yard drive ending in an 11-yard touchdown grab by Chris Brown but struggled to stay in rhthym the rest of the game. The Vols were set up for the touchdown when freshman receiver Gerald Jones took the snap from the quarterback position and rushed for 20 yards. 

Ainge was just 3 of 10 throwing in the first half after the Vols's first scoring drive and finished the game 20 of 40 for 249 yards, two touchdowns and two costly interceptions. 

The Vols held a slim halftime-lead at 7-6 despite gaining just 93 compared to LSU's 271 yards.

Kicker Daniel Lincoln had a pair of chances to extend the lead in the third quarter, but the freshman missed field goals of 30 and 51 yards, respectively.

With the loss, Tennessee will likely appear in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl in Atlanta on New Year's Eve or make a New Year's Day appearance in the Cotton Bowl or Outback Bowl.

UT sported all-orange uniforms for the first time since 1999.