AMY SMOTHERMAN-BURGESS/NEWS SENTINELAs if the University of Tennessee football program didn't have enough going for it, here comes UAB.

The Vols are experienced and talented. They're ranked No. 3 in both preseason polls.

And they've got a good omen, too.

The Vols won the only other meeting between the teams, 37-13 Nov. 7, 1998 -- the same date on which Michigan State upset No. 1-ranked Ohio State. UT then ascended to No. 1 in the polls on its way to an unbeaten, national-championship season.

UAB might think it has run into another national championship juggernaut this afternoon. It's a classic case of wrong place, wrong time for the Blazers.

The Vols are 10-0 under coach Phillip Fulmer in season openers at Neyland Stadium. Only a 19-16 victory over Southern Mississippi was close. In the other nine openers, UT averaged 41.1 points, compared to 8.3 points for its opponents.

Tennessee 52, UAB 13: The Blazers might be good enough to make a bowl this year. But remember what UT did to its last bowl opponent: Vols 38, Aggies 7:

You get the feeling the Vols can't wait to show how good they are. And after a troublesome off-season, they should be eager to hit someone without fear of legal reprisal.

Georgia 34, Boise State 27: Bulldogs fans might think they're watching one of coach Ray Goff's teams this afternoon. Boise State's offense is that good.

In Goff's last three years as head coach (1993-95), the Bulldogs gave up more than 28 points 14 times. Under coach Mark Richt, the Bulldogs have given up more than 28 points only once in four years.

Twenty-eight points is a good half for the Broncos, who averaged 56.4 points in their last five games. They didn't score under 28 points in any game last season, including a 44-40 loss to Louisville in the Liberty Bowl.

Southern heat might not slow the Broncos down as much as you would think. The temperature has registered up to 117 degrees on their blue AstroPlay field.

Auburn 20, Georgia Tech 13: Auburn-Georgia has been such a big deal for so long, it's easy to forget that Auburn-Georgia Tech was once a great rivalry, too. When these teams played every year, Auburn students would march around in their pajamas, shouting, "Wreck Tech."

In fact, Tech wrecked itself when it withdrew from the SEC after the 1963 season.

Florida 45, Wyoming 22: For openers, new Florida coach Urban Meyer has a tough act to follow.

His predecessor, Ron Zook, lost 15 games in three years, but he never had any problems in season openers, averaging 55 points per game. A big opening act was about all Zook had in common with his predecessor, Steve Spurrier, whose teams scored under 40 points only twice in 12 openers.

Amidst those high expectations, Wyoming must be a welcome sight for Meyer. The Cowboys gave up 45 points to Meyer's Utah team last year.

Memphis 27, Ole Miss 24: These rivals made off-season news in cars.

Memphis sent media-types a model race car as part of its Heisman Trophy campaign for running back DeAngelo Williams. Ole Miss linebackers coach Charles Camp resigned after a DUI arrest.

But don't get the wrong idea if Ole Miss linebackers have trouble maintaining their balance in pursuit of Williams, who rushed for 1,948 yards last season. He can make sober tacklers look drunk.

Louisville 48, Kentucky 17: You couldn't ask for a better in-state rivalry -- in basketball.

In football, it's just another opening-season mismatch. Louisville is the best team in the Big East. Kentucky is the worst team in the SEC East (And no, I have forgotten about Vanderbilt).

The Wildcats can't win; they can only hope to avoid an embarrassment as they did last season in a 28-0 defeat. No other team, including Miami, held the Cardinals to so few points last season.

Arkansas 38, Missouri State 3: This marks the renewal of one of college football's great non-conference rivalries, which began in 1911 when Missouri State was known as Fourth District (Mo.) Normal, and the University of Arkansas was known as the University of Arkansas.

Don't judge the series by the opening game, which Arkansas won 100-0. In the other three games, the Razorbacks only have a 97-6 advantage.

In case you're wondering, Arkansas never played Missouri State when it was known as Southwest Missouri State. The school didn't officially become Missouri State until last Sunday.

Mississippi State 27, Murray State 7: Mississippi State coach Sylvester Croom should conclude his pregame pep talk with the historical battle cry: "Remember the Maine."

How could the Bulldogs forget? In their last game against a Division I-AA opponent, they lost to Maine last September.

Alabama 37, Middle Tennessee State 10: When you're struggling to make ends meet as a Division I-A hanger-on, you have to make sacrifices like this. So the Blue Raiders will open the season in Tuscaloosa the week before their Sun Belt Conference showdown with North Texas.

Top 25: Southern Cal 44, Hawaii 13; Texas 55, Louisiana-Lafayette 6; Michigan 40, Northern Illinois 14; Ohio State 37, Miami (Ohio) 16; Miami 20, Florida State 13; Oklahoma 42, TCU 17; Virginia Tech 23, N.C. State 10; Iowa 45, Ball State 7; Texas A&M 27, Clemson 20; Cal 48, Sacramento State 7; Boston College 34, BYU 17; Virginia 45, Western Michigan 14; Pittsburgh 23, Notre Dame 20.

Last Year's Record: 222-56 (.796) overall, 158-120 (.568) against the spread.