Humbling is a word many Tennessee players have used to describe last season's 5-6 season.

It's a word receiver Jayson Swain used last week --along with angry and focused -- to describe the way the Vols would prepare for the rest of the season.

After a nail-biting 31-30 victory over Air Force, that's how the Vols (2-0) feel heading into Saturday's SEC opener against No. 7 Florida.

Only Xavier Mitchell's stellar play on a two-point conversion try in the final minutes prevented the Vols from an upset at the hands of Air Force, a team picked in the preseason to finish eighth in the Mountain West.

The Falcons used a tricky flexbone offense to rack up 281 rushing yards, the most Tennessee has surrendered since a 2001 loss to Kansas State in the Cotton Bowl.

Giving up that many yards on the ground was a blow to a defense that finished 2005 ranked No. 2 in the country against the run.

"We're humbled tonight," junior linebacker Ryan Karl said Saturday. "I think it's good for us. If we came in here and blew them out, we might be a little cocky going into Florida. I think this is a good test for us tonight, letting us know we might not be as good as we think."

UT's close call cost it two spots in the Associated Press poll, dropping from 11 to No. 13 in the latest rankings. The Vols did not move from their No. 17 ranking a week ago in the USA Today coaches poll.

Stats Watch: Quarterback Erik Ainge is the NCAA's top-rated passer in Division I-A through Saturday's games.

The junior's 226.6 passing efficiency rating is 12.6 points better than Pittsburgh's Tyler Palko.

LSU's JaMarcus Russell (211.4) is third and Florida's Chris Leak (185.6) is sixth.

Ainge's 624 yards passing are third best in the country, just ahead of Leak's 600.

Receiver Robert Meachem's 148.5 yards per game ranks second in the nation, behind Miami (Ohio)'s Ryne Robinson.

Meachem's four touchdown catches are tied with three other receivers for tops in the nation.

More for Hardesty, Coker: Redshirt freshman tailback back Montario Hardesty earned more carries after rushing for 72 yards on 19 carries against Air Force.

"He ran hard, protected well, did a nice job on a couple routes," UT coach Phillip Fulmer said Sunday. "Montario is doing real well, actually, right now."

Redshirt freshman LaMarcus Coker did not carry the ball Saturday after rushing for 53 yards against Cal.

"We've got to get LaMarcus Coker in the game as well," Fulmer said. "I was a little disappointed that we didn't do that. He had a nice first ballgame."

Paging Dr. Freud: After the game Saturday, center Michael Frogg had a slip of the tongue when asked if the Vols might have looked past Air Force to this week's game against SEC East rival Florida.

"I was completely focused on Florida," he said. "Florida was the game at hand right now. If you don't win this one, there is no tomorrow for us right now. We're playing one game at a time."

Did Frogg mean he was completely focused on Air Force?

"Did I say Florida?" Frogg answered.

No GameDay: Boo birds will have to wait for their shot at ESPN analyst Lee Corso.

ESPN's College Football Gameday won't be in Knoxville this weekend, instead opting for a trip to Los Angeles for USC's game against Nebraska.

Early Odds: Florida was listed as a 3A 1/2-point favorite Sunday by one online sports book.

Quick Hits: Tennessee has won three of its last five games against Florida entering Saturday's meeting. ... The last time Tennessee did not punt in a game was a 37-13 victory over UAB in 1998. The Vols did not put against Air Force. ... Tennessee last stopped a potential game-winning two-point conversion in a 28-27 win over Kansas in 1973. ... Of Ainge's 15 consecutive completions Saturday, five were third-down conversions.