Tennessee's offense could wind up costing Erik Ainge a little bit of coin.

In each of the Vols' first two games this season, the junior quarterback hasn't been sacked.

He can count the number of times he's been hit on one hand with fingers to spare.

Receiver Jayson Swain even joked after Saturday's victory over Air Force in which Ainge completed 24 of 29 passes for a career-high 333 yards whether his quarterback even needed to take a shower.

But all that good protection from his offensive line comes at a price for Ainge.

For the second consecutive week, Ainge was stuck with the dinner check for a bunch of 300-pounders.

"Keep playing like they're playing, I'll take them out every week," Ainge joked Monday.

By all accounts, the Vols' front five will get their biggest test of the season Saturday night when No. 7 Florida comes to Neyland Stadium (TV: WVLT, 8 p.m.).

California brought a couple of highly touted defensive linemen and linebackers.

Florida will bring the best overall defense Tennessee's seen in its three games.

It might be the best one Tennessee will see all year.

"Instead of having one or two guys who are really good players, they're all really good players," senior guard David Ligon said. "Florida has as good of talent as anybody in the country. It's certainly no different on their defensive line or linebackers."

Ends Ray McDonald and Jarvis Moss are pass-rush specialists. Defensive tackle Marcus Thomas is on the Outland Trophy watch list. Brandon Siler is the top returning linebacker.

There will be pressure.

"This is SEC football," offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe said. "This will be a big test for everybody, certainly at quarterback. They'll make you perform.

"It helps any coverage to have the pass rush they've got. And they've got an outstanding pass rush."

Part of the reason UT allowed its quarterbacks to get hit in the offseason was to prepare them for games like this one, in which they will get hit.

And while Ainge leads the nation in passing efficiency after two games, he knows his protection is a big part of that.

"I'm still yet to get sacked," Ainge said. "Anytime you can not get sacked, it's basically like playing 7-on-7. Then it gets real easy to use your eyes and make guys open with your choices."

Against the Vols in 2005, Tennessee's only choice was to challenge man coverage on the outside.

The result was 147 yards passing and just 66 yards rushing for the Vols.

For Tennessee to help diffuse some of Florida's defensive pressure, it will need some help from the run game.

There's the well-publicized statistic about the team with more rushing yards having won the last 14 of 16 games between the two.

But there's also something to be said for everyone executing well on offense, center Michael Frogg said.

"I think everybody's really saying, 'It's the offensive line's play; they're really protecting well,' " he said. "I don't see it that way. Erik's really getting rid of the ball quick; he's making really good decisions right now. Our backs are blocking really well. Our receivers are really getting open quickly. It makes everybody look good."

While his biggest test of the young season comes Saturday, the Vols' offensive production isn't a bunch of hot air just because Ainge hasn't been pressured.

"I don't think it's a false sense (of confidence) at all," Ainge said. "We're very confident and very prepared. They (Robert Meachem) and (Swain) are making it look real easy, running routes and catching the football. When I have time to throw, we're doing some great things on offense.

"Unless a team comes in and is going to be putting pressure on me every single play, I would expect to be doing the same things we've been doing."