John Chavis had the usual, expected post-game sweat dripping from his forehead.

A reporter would ask a question, Chavis would wipe away a drip and answer in his trademark deep, gravely voice.

But this was different.

Chavis was sweating through a lot of games in 2005.

No sweat this time — at least until postgame.

Tennessee's offense, a no-show through much of 2005, did its part and UT's defensive coordinator got to watch his defense do its usual thing en route to a 35-18 victory against ninth-ranked Cal. It wasn't really that close.

It also wasn't anything like last season.

UT's defense got used to keeping the Vols in games then.

This time they helped the blowout develop early as Tennessee raced to a 35-0 third-quarter lead.

"Our guys just did a great job," Chavis said. "They played so hard.

"I'm amazed. From the sideline, it looked like we were as fast as we've been."

Fast, unrelenting and maybe just a little ticked off by all of the pre-game hype surrounding the Golden Bears.

Junior Ryan Karl, the team's leading tackler with six solo stops and three assists, had something to say to the people who doubted UT's trio of new linebackers.

"It says we're back," Karl said. "It's a feeling we haven't had in a while and it's so nice.

"We won the last game of last year against Kentucky, but this was a lot different. This is a new season and we were just pumped up to get a win."

UT's defense hounded Cal's starting quarterback Nate Longshore to the point where he was pulled from the game in the third quarter. He finished 11-for-20 for 85 yards, was picked off once and sacked twice.

Sophomore linebacker Jerod Mayo, hampered by a sore ankle all week, hustled his way to three sacks for 20 yards and a total of seven tackles.

"I didn't really know how much he could play," Chavis said. "Tonight's the first time he put a load on that ankle and he did a good job.

"I'm pleased where he's at, but we just need to get him well."

Mayo limped off the field after the game, and had a boot on his ankle in the locker room, but adrenaline took care of the pain.

"The defense came to play and the offense surprised the nation today," he said as what remained of a 106,009 crowd serenaded the Vols.

What's ESPN analyst Lee Corso thinking today, 24 hours after predicting Cal would win the national championship?

"Jumping on them early like we did definitely helped us out," UT defensive tackle Justin Harrell said. "Getting a big lead on them kind of took their wind from them."

"We just wanted to dominate the line of scrimmage, hit the running backs as much as we could and show them Tennessee's not going to be an easy place to come and get a 'W.' "

The Vols made a believer of Marshawn Lynch.

Cal's preseason Heisman hopeful, was held to 74 yards on 12 carries and basically became a non-factor after UT jumped out to the big lead.

Senior linebacker Marvin Mitchell was in Lynch's face all night with seven stops and two tackles for a loss.

It was typical Chavis and typical UT defense. The Vols finished second in the nation against the run last season allowing 82.5 yards a game. Cal finished with 64 yards.

"Chief (Chavis) just gets us in the right places to make the right plays," Karl said. "They (Cal) aren't over-hyped. They're a great team.

"We just came out fired up like we had to prove a point and we were the better team today."

Tennessee's secondary had its moments as well, despite giving up 272 yards through the air when Cal tried to rally late.

Cornerback Inky Johnson had six tackles and an interception. Safety Antwan Stewart intercepted Longshore late in the second quarter to set up UT's second touchdown and a 14-0 halftime lead.

"It could have been any team and we would have had that passion," Stewart said. "It could have been Florida or anybody, but we just wanted to get 5-6 behind us. It just so happened it was Cal."

For Mayo, it was like he took an eraser and wiped away the memories of 2005.

"It feels so good," he said as he walked off the field. "Coming off that 5-6 season, I just feel blessed to be out here."

Blessed and holding onto a 1-0 record — Chavis and UT's defense couldn't have asked for much more.