"You better run all day and run all night." — Pink Floyd

Peyton Manning really put up some kind of numbers in his last three starts versus Florida.

Passes: 152.

Completions: 89.

Yards: an amazing 1,,171 (that’s 390 per game to you and me).

Touchdowns: 9.

In a word? Gaudy.

Of course, Manning is best remembered for some other Florida numbers ? 0-3 as a starter against the Gators.

Big passing numbers in big games usually don’t amount to big wins.

In big games — tough, slobber-knocker, bang-your-head-into-a-locker, pump-your-fist-and-scream, SEC-type games — it’s running the football that brings wins to the fans and pieces of goalposts to the frat houses.

Teams with 100-yard rushers win a lot more games than teams with 300-yard passers.

And that brings us to tonight’s game at Neyland Stadium.

Most of Vol Nation has been won over by the new and improved Erik Ainge. Still there’s a hint of worry over how Ainge will perform when he’s knocked around a couple of times by the best defense he’s faced so far this year.

I, however, don’t think that Ainge’s successes or failures will be the deciding factor in tonight’s game. Unless he turns the ball over on numerous occasions, Ainge won’t be the difference-maker.

The difference-maker will be the ground game. And questions abound in that area.

"Tramps like us, baby, we were born to run." — Bruce Springsteen

Tennessee rushed for 200 yards against California in the season opener. But half of that came on Montario Hardesty’s one-man highlight run ? and in clock-killing, fourth quarter scrub action.

Last week, the Vols failed to blow a smaller Air Force defense off the line of scrimmage and pound the ball down the Falcons’ beaks. That’s not exactly an encouraging sign heading up against a strong Florida defensive front.

For a "pound the rock" school, the jury is still out on the Vols’ ground attack. But the same can be said for Florida.

"Running on empty, running on. Running blind." — Jackson Browne

The Gators’ offensive line has been completely retooled since last season. In addition, DeShawn Wynn, the most talented Florida back, can’t seem to get out of the doghouse long enough to impress coach Urban Meyer.

The result? Last week’s leading rusher in an orange helmet was true freshman quarterback Tim Tebow. And unless Meyer has eyed the Air Force game tape and put in an option package for Tebow to run, the wonderfrosh probably won’t be the Vols’ main target tonight. (In their opener, Florida’s leading rusher was freshman receiver Percy Harvin.)

Finally, the remarkable decision by Justin Harrell to put off surgery for a week and suit up tonight adds further mystery to Florida’s rushing outlook.

Harrell, depending on how much he plays, will probably be jacked up on pure emotion when he’s on the field. That’s a big plus for Tennessee.

At the same time, don’t be surprised to see the Gators run right at him and his damaged arm. Can he stand the pain and make the tackles when he’s got a bulls-eye on his chest, er, arm? This could go either way.

"Who is gonna make it? We’ll find out in the long run." — The Eagles

So keep an eye on the ground game tonight. If Tennessee can run the ball and push Florida around, they will accomplish two things.

One, the Vols will set the mood. Nothing is more demoralizing to a defense than getting run over, run around and run through. Especially in an opposing stadium.

Florida, last year, didn’t exactly tear it up on the road, so a punch or two to the gut might bring back a lot of bad memories and confidence issues for the Reptiles.

Two, a good ground attack would take the pressure off of Ainge and the passing game. Until now, Ainge’s uniform has been pretty clean in 2006. That probably won’t be the case tonight. He’ll be harassed.

The last thing Tennessee should want is for Ainge to have to throw the ball all over the field. Just check out the Manning numbers again. They’re pretty easy to read.

Tennessee relied on the pass to beat Florida in ’95, ’96 and ’97. It didn’t work.

In ’97, for example, Jamal Lewis was shelved until the week AFTER the Florida loss. At that point, the big loss behind them, the Vol staff unleashed one of the most talented backs to ever come through Knoxville. If only they’d given Manning that type of help a week earlier.

But offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe and coach Phillip Fulmer took a much different approach in 1998, without Manning to fall back on.

Check out these numbers from Tee Martin:

• Passes: 20.

• Completions: 7.

• Yards: 64.

• Touchdowns: 1.

Florida controlled the air on that night with 409 yards passing. But the goalposts wound up in UT’s frat houses.

Passing numbers look great and they certainly help, but it’s the running game that usually decides big games. Who holds the ground advantage in 2006? We’re about to find out.

John Pennington hosts The Hall’s Salvage Sports Source on Sunday at 11 a.m. on WATE. He also writes a blog at govolsxtra.com.