LOS ANGELES - If you're looking for something positive to glean from Tennessee's 27-24 loss to UCLA in overtime Monday night, you don't have to look further than last year. The Vols played dreadfully in a 45-31 opening-season loss to Cal last year and they still won the SEC East.

That's not the first time coach Phillip Fulmer's teams have shown great resilience. When the Vols repeatedly lost big games to Florida in the mid-1990s, they invariably bounced back to have successful seasons, even finishing in the top 10 in 1996 and 1997.

So UT fans have an encouraging track record to remember as they mull over one of the worst defeats of the Fulmer era. But the hangover from this loss will last longer than usual.

And that, too, is based in part on what happened last year.

This is the kind of game UT won in 2007. It beat Kentucky and Vanderbilt because opposing kickers missed field goals. It beat South Carolina because the Gamecocks couldn't pick up a fumble that went through a defender's hands.

This time, the game went the other way. UT lost to an inferior opponent that was more resourceful, better under pressure and better coached.

Now, for opening-weekend reviews on the rest of the SEC:

Alabama: The Tide struck the most surprising blow on the first weekend of college football by dominating ninth-ranked Clemson, which usually doesn't go belly-up until later in the season. The Tide's offensive line was supposed to be strong, but its defensive front - led by 365-pound Terrence Cody, who actually made a play on a wide receiver screen - was just as dominant.

Freshman wide receiver Julio Jones was double-teamed in his first college game. What does that tell you?

And quarterback John Parker Wilson hasn't made so many good decisions since last year's Tennessee game.

Florida: The Gators keep getting faster on offense (see freshman running backs Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps for details), but their much-improved secondary stole the show in a rout of Hawaii. Safety Ahmad Black and cornerback Joe Haden looked like All-SEC players.

You still have to wonder how Florida's defensive tackles will hold up against a strong running team.

Georgia: Matthew Stafford lived up to his NFL reviews in a rout of Georgia Southern. Just as important, Georgia's receiving corps looked exceptional. Freshman A.J. Green might do for the Bulldogs what Jones does for the Tide.

LSU: Scary thought for the rest of the SEC: the Tigers' defense could be better than last year based on the performance against Appalachian State, whose players seemed shocked at how much faster the Tigers were than Michigan.

Welcome to the SEC, Mountaineers.

Auburn: Never mind the newfangled spread offense. They looked like the same old Tigers in shutting out Louisiana-Monroe. They ran great, threw poorly and dominated on defense.

But how do they expect to beat LSU's defense with 85 yards passing?

South Carolina: Its defense looked nasty in shutting out offensively challenged N.C. State, but the Gamecocks have the same old problems that have been prevalent in Steve Spurrier's tenure as head coach.

Their quarterback play is erratic and their offensive line can't block.

Key stat: Quarterback Tommy Beecher is on pace to throw 48 interceptions.

Ole Miss: New coach Houston Nutt introduced the Wild Rebel formation, which, thanks to the running of Dexter McCluster, was a huge hit in a 41-24 victory over Memphis. But the wildest Rebel was the fan who chest-bumped Nutt as he walked through The Grove in pregame.

No, the fan wasn't Ed Orgeron.

Kentucky: Wildcats fans should be enthused about their defense, which held Louisville to two points. They should be less than enthused about their offense, which was Bill Curry-bad.

You expected the quarterbacking to be shaky, but this was supposed to be coach Rich Brooks' best offensive line. Fooled me.

Vanderbilt: Quarterback Chris Nickson, who rushed for 166 yards in a victory against Miami of Ohio, looked more like he did in 2006 than last year when he lost his starting job. But if the Commodores have to rely on him to carry the rushing load, how long will he hold up?

Mississippi State: The Bulldogs the SEC's biggest losers on the first weekend. Not only did they lose to Louisiana Tech, they lost one of their best players, linebacker Jamar Chaney, to a season-ending leg injury.

Arkansas: The Razorbacks lived up to their preseason hype, which made them out to be the worst team in the SEC, by having to come from behind to defeat I-AA Western Illinois.

And new coach Bobby Petrino lived up to his hype as a quarterback guru by making Casey Dick look like a star - for at least one game.

Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com

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