Vols for Wesley, a group of University of Tennessee, Knoxville students, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover the cost of a field trip for the entire youth program of 100+ students at Wesley House Community Center. After volunteering at Wesley House, the group couldn’t unsee what they’d witnessed: kids who light up the moment they walk through the door and a staff that gives them everything they have.

For more than a century, Wesley House Community Center has been a steady presence in Knoxville. Since 1907, this Christian-centered nonprofit has supported neighbors facing financial
hardship, and its K-12 afterschool and summer youth program carries that mission to the next generation by nurturing students’ academic and spiritual growth. Through the program, students
earn trips to local Knoxville attractions as a reward for exceptional academic performance.

The average field trip cost is just $10 per child, but that can still be out of reach for many WesleyHouse families. With more than 100 children enrolled, Wesley House cannot cover these costs
alone. “Before we started going on field trips, we had fewer than one in four students making allA’s on their report card,” Denarius Ross, Chief Program Officer at Wesley House, shared. “After
going on field trips for one semester, we saw this number rise to nearly half of the youth program.”

Every donation to Vols for Wesley helps keep these trips going so that money never stands between a child and the experiences proven to help them thrive.

As UT students, Vols for Wesley see the campaign as a chance to give back to a community that has given them so much.

“We’ve seen Wesley House’s impact firsthand through our volunteer work, and we understand the financial barriers some of these students face on a daily basis,” saidCarson DeLozier, the campaign organizer. “No student should miss out on a reward they earned, especially not because of a $10 price tag.”

The campaign runs through December 2nd. Donations are tax-deductible and go directly toWesley House. To donate or learn more, visit: https://gofund.me/ba4a6255b

WHEN: October 31, 2026 @ 10:00 – 3:00
WHERE: East Tennessee History Center, 601 S. Gay St., Knoxville, TN 37902

Enjoy Halloween fun at Monsters at the Museum! This family-friendly event features Halloween-themed children’s crafts and activities, trick-or-treating throughout the Museum of East Tennessee History, Appalachian legends and lore, and more. While this year we will not host a costume contest, we encourage you to come dressed in your Halloween costume and enjoy the fun!

To view all activities and for more information about this program, visit https://www.easttnhistory.org/event/monsters-at-the-museum-2/.

Monsters at the Museum is organized by the East Tennessee Historical Society in partnership with the Calvin M. McClung Historical Collection (Knox County Library), with support from the Downtown Knoxville Alliance and Mast General Stores.

Breast cancer survivors, health advocates, fitness professionals, and community members will gather for the third annual Let’s Beat Breast Cancer rally from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31, at Marble City Market, 333 W. Depot Ave. in Knoxville. The free event will feature personal stories from local breast cancer survivors, who will discuss lifestyle changes that have helped them, along with drumming, dancing, and entertainment.

Knoxville residents Teresa Porter, Sue Carney and Ronni Chandler, all breast cancer survivors, will share their experiences and discuss the lifestyle changes they have made in support of their health.

“We are celebrating survival while highlighting prevention,” said rally organizer Lacresha Mckinney, a wellness coach, personal trainer, and owner of Coach Cre’s Just Juice in Knoxville. “Plant-based wellness plays a vital role in prevention by nourishing our bodies and supporting overall health. When we focus on prevention, we reduce the need for intervention.”

The event will also feature Hip Hop Line Dancing with Greg “Krucial” Carney, African drummer Corey Legend, and The KTown Zombies’ Thriller Performance. The performers will help attendees “beat” the drums for breast cancer prevention during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Led by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a health advocacy nonprofit of 17,000 doctors, free Let’s Beat Breast Cancer events are being held in dozens of locations around the world throughout September and October. The Physicians Committee encourages people to reduce breast cancer risk by following a research-backed four-pronged approach:

• Eat a whole food, plant-based diet.
• Exercise regularly.
• Limit alcohol.
• Maintain a healthy weight.

According to the American Cancer Society an estimated 6,920 women in Tennessee will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2026, and 1,040 women are expected to die from the disease. Nationwide, approximately one in eight women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer during her lifetime.

“Breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women worldwide, yet many people do not receive enough information about the role lifestyle can play in reducing their risk,” said Stephanie McBurnett, RD, a registered dietitian with the Physicians Committee. “We want people to leave this rally knowing that there are meaningful steps they can take every day to support their health.”

The rally is free and open to the public. For more information about the Let’s Beat Breast Cancer campaign and breast cancer prevention, visit LetsBeatBreastCancer.org.

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) is reminding high school seniors that less than a week remains to apply for the TN Promise scholarship. Students must complete their application by Monday, November 2, 2026 to remain eligible for tuition-free college through TN Promise and receive personalized college admission offers through TN Direct Admissions.

TN Promise is a last-dollar scholarship that covers tuition and mandatory fees not already paid by the Pell Grant, HOPE Scholarship, or the Tennessee Student Assistance Award. Students may use the scholarship at Tennessee’s community colleges, Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCATs), and other eligible institutions.

This year, completing the TN Promise application also connects students to an expanded  TN Direct Admissions initiative, which provides automatic admission offers and estimated state and institutional financial aid from participating Tennessee colleges and universities.

Now in its second year, TN Direct Admissions has expanded statewide to include 63 institutions, serving eligible public, private, and homeschooled seniors.

Tennessee is the first state in the nation to pair proactive college admission offers with personalized financial aid estimates, giving students and families a clearer picture of their opportunities and the cost of pursuing education or training after high school.

Nearly 44,000 students in the Class of 2027 have already received personalized letters from Governor Bill Lee, with approximately 26,000 additional letters expected following the November 2 deadline. The number of students claiming their admission offers has already surpassed the total from the program’s inaugural year.

“Tennessee continues to lead the way in making higher education more accessible and affordable,” said Dr. Steven Gentile, THEC Executive Director. “With TN Promise and TN Direct Admissions working together, students have more opportunities than ever to explore their options, understand the financial support available, and take the next step toward a credential that leads to lifelong success.”

Students can apply for TN Promise through the THEC Student Portal. To create an account, students will need their name as it appears on their Social Security card, Social Security number, date of birth, and personal email address.

Students who receive a TN Direct Admissions letter have until June 1, 2027, to claim their spots at participating institutions.

For more information about TN Promise, TN Direct Admissions, and other financial aid opportunities, visit CollegeforTN.org.

Six area high school girls soccer teams played for the right to advance to the grand stage, and three were able to punch their ticket to the 2026 state championships and both Bearden and West High will begin their quest for a state title in Chattanooga on Tuesday. Webb School of Knoxville will play in Division II-AA state semifinals on Wednesday.

The Lady Bulldogs (16-3-1) had a relatively easy time advancing as they shut out Morristown West, 6-0, early Saturday afternoon in the friendly confines of Turner-Allender Field.

Landree Horner, a Webb School of Knoxville transfer, tallied a pair of goals in the match against the Lady Trojans, who finished the 2026 campaign with a 15-4 record.

Avery Stevens, Madi Bowlin, Leighton Corum and Baylor Kohlbusch also found the back of the net for Bearden, which has qualified for the state tournament for the seventh consecutive season, and the ninth time in 10 years. The Lady Bulldogs have also won four of the last five Class 3A state championships.

Things, however, weren’t quite easy for the Lady Rebels (11-6-2), who outlasted Science Hill, 2-1, in Johnson City. West got goals from Charleigh Freeman and Reed Townsend scored in the match for the Lady Rebels.

In the Division II-AA, the Lady Spartans have reached the state semifinals for the third straight year as they posted a 5-2 victory over Lipscomb Academy. Webb has reached the championship match in each of the last seasons. It is, however, in search of that elusive title, having lost twice in the finals to region rival Chattanooga Baylor.

In the Division II-AA state quarterfinals. Christian Academy of Knoxville and Concord Christian School both saw their respective seasons come to an end on Saturday.

The Lady Warriors lost to University School of Jackson, 3-0, while the Lady Lions lost to Lausanne Collegiate, 2-0, in West Tennessee.

In Class 2A, Gibbs lost a state sectional match in Greeneville, 3-0, bringing its season to an end.

We shall nobly save or meanly (submissively) lose the last best hope of earth.

Abraham Lincoln

By Dr. Jim Ferguson

In the dark days of the American Civil War, Abraham Lincoln concluded his 1862 State of the Union address by exhorting his fellow citizens to persevere in the war and save the country.

I am not being dramatic, but we face that same challenge today. During the Civil War, the southern Democrats of the Confederacy threatened the Union. Remember, the Republican Party was founded in 1854 to stop Democrats from spreading slavery across the United States. Today, it is the Democrats controlled by socialists, together with anarchists and Islamists, who again threaten “the last best hope of earth.”

Western civilization is under attack across Europe (France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, etc.) and also in America. Open-border policies in Europe without assimilation and failing economies have triggered revolt, fueled by more than 50 far-left groups and anarchists, including ANTIFA.  President Trump and Vice President JD Vance have said that we are at similar risk.

If America votes to return Democrats to power, expect a resumption of open borders policy, tax dollars in support of illegal aliens, blanket citizenship for illegals and Main Street to become like the streets of Paris. In recent years, we have seen riots, looting and destruction in America with so-called “mostly peaceful protests.” It can happen again as it did in, for example, Minneapolis.

I am certainly not prescient or clairvoyant like Madame Renee who once held shop on Alcoa Highway in Blount County. Like many Knoxvillians, I used to drive by her parlor on the way to the airport and wondered what it would be like to predict the future. But I’m a realist and never ventured to have my palm read or gaze into a soothsayer’s crystal ball. Even Jesus avoided predicting when the “end times” would happen (Mathew 24).

When I practiced medicine, I often had to explain to patients the difference between associative phenomena and cause-and-effect relationships. As an example, some people with Covid were sickened by the China virus and died. Others were hospitalized for car wrecks, heart attacks, etc. However, during the pandemic, everyone entering the hospital was tested for Covid and some tested positive. The car wreck was not caused by Covid even if the screening test was positive. The two were associative phenomena, but there was no “cause and effect” relationship.

Another relationship conundrum is possibility and probability. It is possible our sun went nova five minutes before you began this essay. And since it takes light from the sun eight minutes to reach the Earth, your destruction is imminent. But relax. Our sun is in its midlife and does not possess sufficient mass to go nova. Therefore, the probability of exploding is virtually zero.

I preferentially operate with reason and avoid fortune tellers. And since I order my decision making based on probability rather than possibility, I’m not worried about the sun. But the riots in France, Belgium and Italy worry me as a portent (sign) of what may happen in America if socialists in the Democrat Party are elected.

As Paris and France burn, it’s decision time in America. You don’t need to go to a betting agency for odds of street chaos returning to Main Street. You just have to look at the pictures of chaos in Europe that arose after lax borders and economic mismanagement. Vote Democrat and you can expect a return to the disastrous Biden policies of open borders and you can predict government paralysis in 2027 with nonstop impeachments, blanket citizenship for aliens and packing the Supreme Court.

This is not hyperbole. It is a high probability because the Democrat Socialists who now control the Democrat Party have said this is what they will do if Democrats regain power. France is the example of what happens with European-style socialism, years of open borders and failed assimilation and a failing economy. The anarchists wave Palestinian flags, burn churches and are calling the French riots the European Intifada. This is America’s future if Democrats are again given control of the government.

The Democrat Party has learned nothing since 2024. Their post-election analysis of that defeat was never published, and the party just doubled down on their failed policies. Actually, the Democrat Party has become even more radical. The current party is not the party of John Kennedy or even Bill Clinton. There are old-school Democrats still in existence. An example might be Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman, but there is already a move to primary him in 2028 and boot him out of the party. There is no room for tolerance among the most intolerant group of people in America. And voting for candidates representing the 2026 Democrat party has become suicidal. You worry about affordability and gas prices? I worry about mullahs with nuclear weapons and anti-American socialists/communists.

With their refusal to change and no policies other than hatred of President Trump in particular and Republicans in general (recent example: Michigan Senator Slotkin), the Democrats have made hatred of Trump their theme. As a result, Trump is on the campaign trail one last time even though he’s not on any ballot. Seventy-seven million voted for Trump in 2024, and the Pew Research Center reported his approval among his supporters is 67%. Therefore, if Trump’s supporters go to the polls and vote against the radical Democrats, we can avoid very hard times and perhaps save “the last best hope of earth.”

By Mike Steely

Senior Writer

steelym@knoxfocus.com

On October 23, 1863, Col. William Sanders was promoted to brigadier general, and would shortly play a vital role in assisting General Ambrose Burnside and the defense of Knoxville. Less than three weeks later, the Union occupied Knoxville after forcing out Rebels who for two years had controlled the city and, from there, East Tennessee.

Sanders was ordered by Burnside to dismount his cavalry and hold a hillside against attacking Rebels so fortifications at several points could be completed. General Sanders stationed his remaining cavalrymen, now only about a thousand strong because of losses, along a hill about one-half mile west of Third Street on an earthen fort built and abandoned by the enemy. William Marvel, in his novel “Burnside,” wrote that Sanders sent out part of his men to guard the Clinton Road and quickly modified the breastwork on the hill.

There, despite heavy shelling and constant gunfire, Sanders held his men and his position by sheer personal example. He stood upright just behind the rails, where both his men and the enemy could see him directing the battle. Several times he rallied his men, who wanted to retreat to safety toward the city.

Then came a round of fire from two South Carolina Rebel regiments, and Sanders was hit. He fell to the ground, and his men carried him away on a makeshift stretcher, giving up their position to the enemy. Badly wounded, he was carried to the Lamar House, now the Bijou Theatre, where he was treated in the Wedding Room.

Sanders died on November 16 and was quickly buried in a wordless ceremony between battles in the Second Presbyterian Cemetery on Market Street.

Burnside noted later that General Sanders gave his life to save Knoxville from capture, holding off the enemy and maintaining his position longer than was required for the defense works to be completed. He was an authentic Union hero.

The Union fort where Sanders was killed was renamed Fort Sanders, and the neighborhood that grew up around the old fort site has that name today. The body of Col. William P. Sanders was later unearthed and reburied in the National Cemetery in Chattanooga.

The Bijou Theatre, then the Lamar House, was built as an upscale hotel in 1817 and hosted many state and national figures, including President Andrew Jackson. When the Union army captured Knoxville, the large hotel was used as a hospital to treat wounded soldiers.

Converted to a theater and entertainment venue in 1909, the Bijou presented many national acts, including Will Rogers. It was one of the first theaters to open its doors to whites and Blacks, although the African Americans were restricted to the balcony.

After that, it was used to store cars, sell food, and show second-run movies and adult movies. It is said the second floor was once used as a flophouse and a brothel. Eventually the building was left to deteriorate.

It was almost demolished in 1975 but was saved and placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The theater reopened in 2006 and operates as a non-profit venue for community events such as concerts, shows and comedy acts.

Local lore has the Bijou haunted by Civil War soldiers and General Sanders. The theater, at 803 Gay Street, has much information on the internet at www.KnoxBijou.org.

By Joe Rector

It’s no secret that I work at a golf course part-time. My job is mowing tee boxes, and I begin each working day about 5:30 a.m. It’s turned a little too cold for my liking by now, but I’m trying to keep warm on the days I work.

Big things took place at the clubhouse the other evening. A meeting was held to discuss turning the course into a sports complex with a nine-hole course and bunches of soccer fields. By the time the meeting began, seats were filled, and several folks circled the back of the room.

For the most part, the session was one where authorities listened to comments from those in attendance. Several folks were there to express their support for the new development; however, most people in the audience were gray-headed or balding and ready for war.  Soccer supporters stated that the growth of the sport was causing problems with available facilities. Some complained about having to travel to a separate destination for their children’s practices.  Others talked about the big money that a sports complex could bring to Knoxville.

The golfers claimed that taking the course for a development wasn’t necessary. The terrible traffic conditions on Schaad Road presented a major drawback. Another man pointed out that the course hosted approximately 150 rounds of golf each day and that its loss would cause the other eight courses in the Knoxville area to absorb close to 1000 rounds. He said that other courses couldn’t handle the load and that would lead to many golfers being unable to play rounds.

One man stated he’d worked for the department of recreation for 35 years before retiring. He asserted that at least eight sports sites have been abandoned and could be used to serve soccer. A man who was involved with higher-level soccer teams dared the man to name those places, and the elder individual pulled out a piece of paper and read them.  One person suggested developing the site at Victor Ashe Park since a large piece of land is already there and could more easily be developed.

One person who lives in a condominium development located along the 12th hole fairway had several objections. She declared that she didn’t want her property values to suffer because of its proximity to a sports complex. She also objected to lighted fields that invaded her privacy and worried about the environmental impact on the land.

Perhaps the best thing that the pro-golf crowd offered dealt with age. As one man said, “Soccer is a sport for the young. A small child might begin playing golf and carry his participation all the way into his elder years. When you take that into account, golf offers much more to its participants than soccer does.”

In the end, the development of a sports complex at the golf course site comes down to one group being left out. Officially, more than 40 fields are available for soccer practice, but additional unofficial fields are located throughout the community. Nine public courses are available to Knoxville golfers. Some say it’s a case of old versus young. With so many other sites as possible locations, the wise decision seems to be one that might be easier to develop and easier to get to than the golf course. Of course, I am a bit biased. My children played soccer, but I hack away at golf.  Most of us who attended the meeting tonight don’t have that many years left, so it’s possible that the new development can just wait us old codgers out.

For years … well, for decades, the Tennessee/Kentucky football rivalry hasn’t been much of a rivalry.

Since 1985, Tennessee and Kentucky have played 41 times, and the Vols have won 38 of those games. That includes a 26-year winning streak in this annual matchup.

Losses to Kentucky are so rare that they typically lead to the firing of Tennessee’s football coach. The 10-7 loss in Lexington in 2011 should have meant Derek Dooley would be dismissed before the bus even left the stadium, but new Tennessee AD Dave Hart didn’t feel like he had enough time on campus to make that move. Dooley would be fired late in the 2012 season.

Butch Jones’s 29-26 loss to Kentucky in October 2017 was a precursor to his firing a couple of weeks later. Jeremy Pruitt’s 34-7 loss to Kentucky during the 2020 Covid season was so ugly it made the decision to can him early in 2021 once NCAA violations became known that much easier.

Tennessee doesn’t lose to Kentucky. That’s the belief in the UT football complex, and absolutely among the Tennessee fan base. Jose Heupel is 5-0 against Kentucky.

But next Saturday, November 7, a different Kentucky team is coming to Neyland Stadium. As of the writing of this article, the Cats were 6-1.

This isn’t your father’s Kentucky team.

In the modern era of college football, a team can turn over their roster immediately. There are no more honeymoon periods, expecting a team to gradually improve over time.

And that’s where Will Stein steps in. Stein, at 37 years old, is one of the youngest head coaches in the sport and has done an incredible job with this program. It’s only his first season at UK, but he’s already shown gumption by going for two and the win in overtime twice… in back-to-back weeks no less. Wins at South Carolina and at home against LSU opened a lot of eyes nationally. He also led Kentucky to a win at Oklahoma.

Stein might be young, but he’s already been a fixture on the offensive coaching staffs at Louisville, Texas, UTSA, and Oregon. Stein found a hidden gem at QB, getting Kenny Minchey to transfer to Kentucky after three years as a backup at Notre Dame. Through his first seven games, Minchey threw for 1552 yards, 13 scores, and only 1 interception, while completing 68.4% of his passes.

He was a championship-winning QB at Trinity High School in Louisville. His Dad played at Kentucky, and he wanted to follow in those footsteps. But they never gave him a look, so he walked on at Louisville. He might have played college football at Louisville, but he is now Big Blue’s favorite son.

Kentucky football is on an upward trajectory under Stein. Now, not only can they seriously damage Tennessee’s playoff hopes, but the Cats can also bolster their own.

Times change. Empires rise and fall. If Indiana can come out of nowhere and win a national championship, any team in a Power 4 conference in college football can. All it takes is a good coach, some smart decisions on how to build your roster, and a little luck along the way. Curt Cignetti built Indiana up immediately. Will Stein is aiming to do the same thing at Kentucky.

So is this indeed a new Kentucky? The Vols will have had two weeks to prepare to prove that this is the same old Kentucky.

A win over the Cats would usher in basketball season in Lexington. A win for the Cats would push that off perhaps until January.

Georgia is off the Vols’ football schedule this season for the first time since 1991, but memories from the series still linger from across the years.

For perspective, fans can go back to Nov. 1, 1969, the first time the Vols had been to Athens since 1936. The trip over the Smoky Mountains was the “direct route,” an often-harrowing trip through Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia that was never anybody’s favorite.

The Vols were riding high going in, No. 3 in the nation (AP). The game had everyone in Big Orange Country concerned. The team had defeated Alabama two weeks earlier in Birmingham and had an open date the next week. No one knew exactly what was in store for the Vols, but they proved ready for the contest.

The team’s flight to Athens could have been a portent, something to further worry an often-skittish fan base.

A major “crisis” occurred when the Vols had flown to Commerce, Ga., just outside Athens, on the afternoon of October 31. Sandy Treadwell wrote what happened in Sports Illustrated’s issue of November 10, 1969.

“One of the two engines of the Martin 404 Southern Airways charter that was to carry the Volunteer defense to Athens for the critical game with Georgia lost power on its trip down the runway, and the plane had to return to the shop. The delay caused the defensive unit to miss practice.”

The game was a memorable one. The Vols, adorned in their orange jerseys against Georgia’s red, won 17-3 on a rainy afternoon at Sanford Stadium. The Vols survived an early fumble that yielded a Bulldog field goal, cranked up the ground game, and earned a satisfying victory.

The Georgia game proved to be Doug Dickey’s final “Signature Win” as he left for Gainesville, Fla., in early January 1970 and the apparently greener pastures. The impact of that game will hopefully be discussed in some detail in Dickey’s forthcoming memoir from U.T. Press. The Vols won the SEC that season, even with an apparently crushing 38-0 loss to Ole Miss on Nov. 15 and a loss to Florida in the Gator Bowl on Dec. 29.

This 1969 group of starters was an interesting blend of experience and youth, numbering 10 seniors, 9 juniors, and 5 sophomores.

The Vols up front, center Mike Bevans, guards Chip Kell and Don Denbo, tackles Steve Robinson and Joe Balthrop, joined by tight end Ken DeLong, dominated the game.

Quarterback Bobby Scott was in his first year as a starter, amassing a 20-3 record in his two years under center. Curt Watson ran for a school-record 197 yards in that game, with Don McLeary adding 100.

Vol broadcaster John Ward nicknamed Watson the “Crossville Comet.” McLeary didn’t have a nickname, but he and Watson were a solid 1-2 punch.

All-American linebackers Steve Kiner, Jack “Hacksaw” Reynolds, and Jackie Walker led the defensive effort. During their careers, each was an All-American selection – Kiner in 1968-69, Reynolds in 1969, and Walker in 1970-71.

Vic Dingus and James Woody were the ends, Frank Yanossy and Steve Carroll were the tackles, and Mike Jones, Tim Priest, Bobby Majors, and team captain Bill Young comprised the secondary.

Lester McClain and Gary Kreis were the wide receivers. McClain had made his varsity debut as the school’s first African-American player against Georgia in 1968. Kreis had made a controversial touchdown catch against the Bulldogs a year earlier in Knoxville that helped the Vols steal a 17-17 tie. He had been warned by letter from at least one Georgia supporter not to show up for the 1969 game.

Herman Weaver was the punter and George Hunt the placekicker. ABC’s Don Meredith nicknamed Weaver “Thunderfoot” for the height of his punts. Hunt was named the placekicker on the SEC’s Quarter Century All-Star Team, covering 1950-1974.

The 1969 Georgia game set the stage for a heated rivalry that saw each team have a dominant winning streak. Tennessee had an 8-game streak from 1992 to 1999 and Georgia a 9-game win streak from 2017 through 2025.

One thing was certain in analyzing the history of the series to date. Getting to Athens pre-game and out of Athens post-game has proven problematic.

As Georgia began appearing on Vol schedules on a regular basis, the team would fly to Atlanta via Delta charter, practice at a local high school field, and then make their way to the hotel away from the frenzied atmosphere in Athens.

After the game, team buses would fight the post-game traffic along with everybody else down the back roads to I-20 and on to the airport.

In 2004, the Vols bused to Atlanta, again practicing at a high school field, and the next day, making the trek to the stadium, winning 19-14.

Then came a welcome sight. There were three commuter-type jets waiting at the Athens airport for the trip home.

That quickened the process of getting home and was a marked improvement.

Winning at Georgia added to the ambience surrounding that particular game and to the overall series.