Six days from now, the Tennessee football team gets its first crack at redemption.

The longest offseason of Phillip Fulmer's UT coaching career is almost in the history books.

"I am fired up," Fulmer said on Saturday after a two-hour kicking scrimmage. "I want our team to be that way."

It's not hard to get pumped up when you're facing a season opener against ninth-ranked California.

The Golden Bears visit Neyland Stadium at 5:30 p.m. Saturday to take on No. 23-ranked UT in one of the marquee games of college football's opening weekend.

Fulmer understands a lot of Tennessee fans are still in an emotional "wait-and-see" mode of residual frustration from last year's 5-6 season.

He just wants to quiet the skeptics and ignite the fans as early as possible against a high-powered Cal team out of the Pac 10.

"I can't control the crowd," Fulmer said. "I'm just really hopeful we give them a lot to cheer about.

"I hope we play with great excitement and emotion and I think we will. We're going to have to."

California brings an offense to town that ranked in the top 30 of three national categories a year ago.

The Bears averaged 235.2 yards rushing (ranked No. 9), 32.92 points (ranked No. 25) and 427.9 yards in total offense (ranked 26th).

Tailback Marshawn Lynch is a Heisman hopeful after he finished with 1,246 yards in 10 games as a sophomore last season.

Justin Forsett, another running back, had 999 yards rushing as a sophomore.

That's the challenge awaiting Tennessee defensive coordinator John Chavis.

In the interesting matchup category, the Vols ranked No. 2 nationally in rushing defense (82.5 yards per game) and sixth in total defense (298.18 yards per game).

Something has to give.

"That tailback has to be our first priority, to stop Lynch," Fulmer said. "People are describing him as a top 5 draft pick, a Jamal Lewis type of running back.

"That will be a real challenge for our football team."

Cal will bring the highest ranked team into Knoxville for a UT season opener at home since UCLA was ranked No. 9 in 1978. Tennessee lost that one, 13-0.

The Vols haven't played a ranked opponent in a season opener since beating No. 22 Southern Miss 19-16 in 2000.

Fulmer is 13-1 in home openers and he's hoping the homefield advantage pays off for a young Vols' team still trying to add depth at several positions.

"We've been a good home team," Fulmer said. "The last couple of years haven't been what we wanted, certainly, but we need to defend our field.

"That has been brought up and pointed out. That's something we've definitely talked about a lot."

Fulmer's not overlooking Cal's defense, either. The Golden Bears have defensive tackle Brandon Mebane, middle linebacker Desmond Bishop and cornerback Daymeion Hughes all earning preseason All-America honors from various publications.

"They're just an outstanding football team," Fulmer said. "They're very deserving of their ranking.

"Supposedly, they have three of the top 50 defensive players that will be drafted next year on the same defensive team. That's pretty good stuff. It's like when we had Leonard (Little) and Al (Wilson) and Shaun (Ellis) - those kinds of guys. They're a very talented football team."

As for the Vols, Fulmer continued to urge some of his second- and third-team players to step up -- and quickly.

"We've got 12, 13, 15 -- whatever the number is - on each side of the ball who are ready to play football in the Southeastern Conference," Fulmer said. "And then you've got some other guys who are somewhat immature."

Most of the growing up has to occur in the defensive line and offensive line.

"Until we get more of those guys in the boat, we're not going to be the kind of football team we need to be," Fulmer said. "That's the point we continue to make here -- young and talented, but also young and immature in some places."

Six days.

That's all that remains.