Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer is tired of all the talk. So is Cal coach Jeff Tedford.

It’s time for Tennessee and California to walk the walk and forget the talk.

"As long as we’re giving our best effort, I think we’ll be singing in the locker room after the game — if we play our best," Fulmer said following Friday afternoon’s final walkthrough in preparation for today’s 5:30 p.m. season opener.

Fulmer made a trip downtown earlier Friday and got a quick glimpse of the anticipation growing around Knoxville.

"I saw all the cars with the flags, and saw the Vol navy coming up the river," he said. "What a beautiful scene. We’re so blessed here in East Tennessee to have that. I told our guys we want to represent well."

Tedford brings his ninth-ranked Golden Bears into what he expects will be one of the biggest games of the weekend.

"I don’t think there’s any doubt this is one of the premiere games on opening week of college football," he said. "We’re really excited about it. It’s going to be a great environment and it’s what college football is all about."

Weather Watch: Tedford let it be known he was grateful for Mother Nature’s expected heat relief today.

"I can’t say I was disappointed when they said it was going to be 78 degrees and 50 percent humidity," he said. "We really have a hard time simulating humidity at our place."

Lynch Watch: Fulmer continued to sing the praises of Cal running back Marshawn Lynch — an early Heisman hopeful.

"Our biggest challenge might be tackling that darn running back," Fulmer said. "We’ve been a good defensive team against running teams and running backs, but that’s going to be one heck of a challenge not giving up something big to him."

One Injury Away: Backup quarterback Jonathan Crompton will dress for his first game as a Vol. The redshirt freshman missed last season after undergoing shoulder surgery.

He said he’s ready and prepared to play in case he’s needed to replace junior starter Erik Ainge.

"Coach (David) Cutcliffe has everybody on the whole offense ready to go in case something happens to somebody," Crompton said, referring to UT’s offensive coordinator.

Redshirt freshman Josh McNeil is another player looking forward to Saturday. He was also sidelined after shoulder surgery. McNeil is expected to play Saturday despite losing the staring center job to senior Michael Frogg last week.

"I have to be ready," McNeil said. "I’m one play away. That’s how I look at it. I expect to get in the game some. They’ve (UT’s coaches) told me that I’m going to play."

Clearinghouse: Fulmer confirmed Gerald Williams, Cody Pope and Stephaun Raines would not be on the UT campus this semester after failing to earn NCAA Clearinghouse approval.

"We’re looking at prep schools," Fulmer said. "They won’t be here.

"Cody will probably sit out and keep taking the test. He was really, really close."

Beacon Blasted: Fulmer responded negatively to a controversial cartoon run in the football section of UT’s student newspaper The Daily Beacon.

In the drawing, Fulmer is shown carrying a Power T apparently meant to represent a cross. He also has a crown of thorns on his head and the headline implied he’s searching for "redemption" after a 5-6 season.

"Yeah, I thought that was very inappropriate, absolutely inappropriate," Fulmer said. "Somebody chose to do that, I’m not even sure who. I just gave it to our public-relations people and said have at it."

If he’s feeling pressure, he’s not showing it.

"Pressure is those guys over in Iraq dealing with bombs, or a father trying to feed his family," Fulmer said. "This is a game. It’s fun and that’s exactly the way we’re approaching it."

Check Presentation: The UT athletics department will present a check for $1.375 million to UT Chancellor Loren Crabtree at today’s game.

"A key goal of athletics is to be a good citizen — to the university, the city of Knoxville and the state of Tennessee," said athletic director Mike Hamilton. "This is just one of the ways we can give back to the university and UT students."

Davis On TV: Former UT defensive back Charles Davis has been selected as an analyst for Fox’s broadcast of the Fiesta Bowl and the BCS National Championship Game on Jan. 8.

Davis, who played for the Vols 1983-86, is in his fifth season as the lead analyst on TBS’ Saturday games.

Dave Hooker contributed to this report.