The BCS computers like Tennessee a lot more than the human pollsters, but that apparently serves as little consolation to the Vols.

Tennessee is ranked No. 8 in the Bowl Championship Series standings released Monday on the strength of an average computer ranking of No. 4.

Southern Cal is No. 1, followed by Oklahoma and Auburn.

The Vols are No. 9 in the Associated Press poll, and No. 11 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches poll. Georgia, a team Tennessee beat 19-14 in Athens, is ranked No. 8 in the AP poll and No. 5 in the coaches poll.

"I think we're getting the short end of the stick,'' said UT linebacker Kevin Burnett, one of 12 Butkus Award semifinalists. "I don't know what they're (pollsters) looking at. We beat Georgia pretty decisively.

"But we love it. Call us the Oakland Raiders of college football because nobody likes us, and nobody thinks we can do it.''

Tennessee's players said they were particularly fired up when learning moments before kickoff that South Carolina actually ended up favored in Saturday's contest. The Vols, of course, have now beaten the Gamecocks 12 years in a row.

"You try not to pay attention to that stuff, but for some reason or another, we've lost our respect nationally,'' UT offensive guard Cody Douglas said. "We've had a fairly tough schedule. Playing Notre Dame late in the season and maybe getting a push from a win would help us in the polls.''

The Vols opened as a 7-point favorite over the Fighting Irish, but the betting line has already dropped to 6 1/2 points at some Las Vegas sports books, indicating that the early money being bet is on Notre Dame.

"Guys are feeling we're going to have to go out and take our respect, because no one is going to give it to us,'' said UT safety Jason Allen, who leads the SEC in tackles. "We still have to earn our respect nationally. Guys on the team take that to heart and take it personally."

Allen, Burnett and Douglas all said the Vols are very excited about playing a traditional national power like Notre Dame, even though the Fighting Irish are 5-3 and unranked at this time.

"Growing up, I think every kid wanted to go to Notre Dame at some point and time,'' said Burnett, a senior from Compton, Calif. "It's a big-time program."

Allen said he knows the Irish have produced big-time talent and proceeded to tick off the names of Tim Brown, Jerome Bettis, Ricky Watters, Rick Mirer and Joe Montana.

"They're still a marquee team,'' Allen said. "Any time you're on TV week-in, and week-out, it's big.

"Guys have been talking about this game since we got on the plane (after the South Carolina game). You can't do anything but respect a team like Notre Dame.''

Douglas said he believes a victory againstthe Irish would give some of the pollsters no choice but to give Tennessee it's due.

"Just the name, Notre Dame, commands respect,'' Douglas said. "We're very aware of who Notre Dame has beaten.''

One of the Irish's wins came against a Michigan team that's ranked two spots ahead of UT in the coaches' poll.

Vols' coach Phillip Fulmer is pleased his team has found motivation for what will be their eighth consecutive Saturday game, but he's not interested in getting caught up in the controversy surrounding the BCS and national polls.

"I don't pay attention to that right now,'' Fulmer said. "It will take care of itself at the end of the year if we're good enough to win our football games. I have enough of an understanding of it and been through it enough to know that right now it doesn't matter.''

The Vols' schedule drops off dramatically after Notre Dame with games against Kentucky and Vanderbilt that are sure to hurt UT's computer ranking even if the Vols' win.

Mike Griffith covers University of Tennessee football. He may be reached at 865-342-6289.