Northern Illinois coming to Neyland Stadium was scheduled as a cupcake game. A mid-major breather in the midst of a tremendously competitive SEC schedule. That was supposed to be the case in a normal Tennessee football season.

This is no normal football season.

Off to their worst record in 14 years at 1-3, the Tennessee coaching staff decided to open up the quarterback position during the week of practice and name a starter before Friday's walk through. They did just that, and to the avail of Vol Nation, Nick Stephens was going to get the start, and if he played well he would get the majority of the snaps.

The news of a QB competition stirred some excitement in a rather somber Knoxville. After four games the people of our fair town had finally figured out their Vols just aren't a very good football team. They beckoned for change and got it, at the most important position on the field.

And just like that, there was a bit of excitement surrounding the stadium for maybe the first time all year. It could be excitement knowing that a new quarterback would be under center and the Vols' grounded offense could find new life. Or it could of been the fact that scalped tickets outside the stadium were going for less, on average, than high school games. You be the judge.

Either way, here we were; taking on a team from a decent 'non-BCS' Mid-American Conference that came in with a better record (2-2) than the home-standing Vols did from the high and mighty Southeastern Conference.

True to their word the Tennessee coaching staff stuck with the quarterback finding success, and that quarterback proved to be Stephens, although it was mild success.

Stephens completed 10-of-17 passes on the night for one touchdown and no interceptions in a game that was controlled by the visiting Huskies of Northern Illinois. And you have to give credit to the Huskies coaching staff for a magnificently managed football game.

UT only had 50 offensive plays on the night and only 20 in the entire first half. The game was controlled by NIU in all aspects. They controlled the line of scrimmage, the clock and ultimately the game minus one or two plays.

The game was tied at three at halftime and a 10-point burst from the Vols offense early in the third quarter helped ease the tension in a anxious Neyland Stadium.

Tennessee survived the game with a 13-9 victory on the game plan that has failed them in three of their four previous games. "Bend-don't-break" defense and really no offense to speak of - this time, though, the other team was held to less points than the Vols. Quite a concept, I might add.

Where does this leave Tennessee? Really in the same rut they've been stuck in all year.

Nick Stephens may prove to be the answer at the quarterback position for some time to come, but more of an answer is needed if they want to become bowl eligible (meaning win six games) this season.

I don't try to question the football fundamentals of the Vols offense because I know that the combined 'football-IQ' of Dave Clawson and Phillip Fulmer are higher than mine will ever be. But doesn't it seem that an Urban Meyer or Rich Rodriguez offense would get more productive touches from the likes of Lennon Creer and Gerald Jones? Once again, I'll let you be the judge.

Once again, though, the Vols hit the road today for a battle with another solid SEC opponent in what might be a telling game of how far the Fulmer-era reaches in Knoxville. Find a win between the hedges and the Vols may be able to somehow salvage the 2008 season. Get blown out or lose another 14-12 heart breaker and the Fulmer boo birds will be louder than ever.

The game is scheduled for another CBS national television broadcast, the third in four weeks for the Vols on the network's 3:30 time slot.

Is it just me or are the kind folks at CBS just rubbing salt in the wound by displaying the Vols' downfalls in front of the ENTIRE country?

It's become a cliche' this year, but Phillip Fulmer is supposedly best when his back is against the wall. Consider Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga., the deepest, darkest corner he has found himself in yet.