Atlanta ? Clemson coach Tommy Bowden looks at Tennessee and sees the kind of program he’d like to have — one that consistently wins at least 10 games a season, finishes in the top 10 and challenges for the national title.

“Tennessee’s done that,” Bowden said. “That program right now is where we want to go. That’s what Clemson once was, and we want to get it back.”

The Tigers (8-4) can start toward that goal with a victory today over the No. 6 Volunteers in the Peach Bowl.

Bowden is the first coach to take Clemson to bowls in his first five seasons, but he’s 1-3 in the first four, with the only win in the 2001 Humanitarian Bowl.

“They’re the sixth-ranked team in the nation; we’re unranked,” Bowden said. “We’d like to be sixth in the nation, top 10, top 15, top 25. The significant ranking is after the season.”

Tennessee (10-2) is back in this game for the second straight year despite finishing in a tie for the East Division title in the Southeastern Conference with Georgia and Florida. A tiebreaker gave the Bulldogs the berth in the SEC championship game, and the Gators got a bid to the more prestigious Outback Bowl.

The snub left Vols coach Phillip Fulmer fuming about the conference’s role in bowls, although he went to great lengths to thank Peach Bowl officials for their hospitality.

“I think the system didn’t work,” Fulmer said. “The conference didn’t do all it could. If you’re going to have alliances with conferences, and you’re going to have a pecking order, then it should be in place.”

After two straight losses, including a 41-14 rout by Georgia, the Volunteers were 4-2, with games looming at Alabama and Miami. But they won both of those and four others, giving Fulmer his seventh season with at least 10 wins.

The big reason for the upswing was quarterback Casey Clausen. A four-year starter, he threw 14 touchdown passes and only two interceptions in the final six games.

“I don’t think he has gotten his due, quite frankly,” Fulmer said. “But unfortunately, Casey ended up being in a position of not having the supporting cast around him offensively.”

Clemson coach tommy bowden speaks to his team after a recent practice. Clemson will face Tennessee today in the Peach Bowl at Atlanta.