Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer is intrigued with the idea of playing Virginia Tech at Bristol Motor Speedway.

"A one-game special, yeah, you look at it,'' Fulmer said Sunday. "There's a lot of people that would be there.''

Fulmer said he finds the thought of playing a football game in front of the largest crowd in history "appealing.''

Bruton Smith, chairman and CEO of Speedway Motorsports Inc., has offered the schools $20 million each to play the game.

UT nets about $3.25 million per home game while Virginia Tech makes $1.5 million.

Smith said the game would need to be scheduled in November because of the logistics of transforming the BMS infield into a football field. BMS has NASCAR races in April and August each year.

UT's schedule is filled until 2009, but athletic director Mike Hamilton hasn't ruled out buying out a previously scheduled game.

Virginia Tech athletic director Jim Weaver said the Hokies schedule is booked through 2011, but indicated Tech could buy out a game before then.

"Oh, we'll find a way (to get an opening)," Weaver told the Roanoke Times. "We could probably pay off two people.''

Weaver, who has indicated Tech will play the game, said profits could go for the Hokies to cover the construction costs for a new indoor football fieldhouse and a new practice court for their basketball programs.

Fulmer said such issues are why the game is a possibility.

"Anyone would consider it with that kind of money involved because of the financial pressures athletic programs are under,'' Fulmer said.

Fulmer said he's not intimidated by the thought of playing Virginia Tech, a team UT handled 45-23 in the 1994 Gator Bowl, but he recognizes the challenge.

"With our conference schedule the way it is,'' Fulmer said, "you'd otherwise look at playing someone easier.''

But with $20 million on the line, anything's possible.