"It starts with the quarterback," Fulmer said. "He's a special player."

Fulmer is referring to LSU's gigantic QB JaMarcus Russell. Russell has thrown for 238.8 yards per game. He has 15 touchdowns and only 4 interceptions. He's big, but also fast, and does well both in and out of the pocket.

"He's a big guy. He's a load," defensive end Xavier Mitchell said. "But he's a quarterback so it doesn't really matter to me... we're just gonna go back there and try to hit him as hard as we can."

While Russell moves the Tigers offense through the air, it's a healthy stable of running backs - such as Jacob Hester, Charles Scott, and Justin Vincent - that wear out opponents on the ground. The Volunteers we spoke to today indicated that stopping the run would be the most important task. After they do that, it's time to get after the quarterback and force turnovers.

None of that might matter at all if Erik Ainge can't play on Saturday. Ainge is banged up, and Fulmer indicated he wouldn't know much more about the status of his star quarterback until he saw him later in the day.

"He says he's going to be there, and I hope that he is," Fulmer said. Although he added that the team will prepare as if Ainge will be unavailable.

Wide receiver Jayson Swain seemed confident that the junior QB would be ready to roll come Saturday.

"I think Erik's gonna play," Swain said.

UT will need Ainge this weekend against the best defense in the country. Ainge has thrown 16 touchdowns this year and eight interceptions, while averaging 276.6 yards per game. His backup, Jonathan Crompton, has thrown only four passes this season, completing all of them. If Crompton does get the call, his mobility is better than Ainge's, so expect to see the Vols use that to their advantage as often as possible.

LSU's defense, anchored by a deep defensive line and two terrific, ball hawking safeties, allows only 211 yards per game and 8.25 points per game. The Tigers have given up just six TDs in eight games.

"It's gonna be fun to be challenged the way we will be Saturday," Swain said. "They're physical. They're the number one defense in the country for a reason. We've definitely got our work cut out for us."

In each of Tennessee's last three games, the Volunteers have trailed heading into the fourth quarter. Each time, they've erased the deficit and pulled out the victory. The players credit that to preparation in practice. Coach Fulmer credits, among other things, his players' conditioning.

"We really take the fourth quarter to heart," LB Jerod Mayo said.

But while Mayo enjoys the wins, he'd rather not have to rely on another late comeback this weekend.

"I'm getting too old for this. I'm 20 years old."

Tennessee is a great team, but no team is good enough to fall behind against LSU and rely on making up ground late in the game. That would be a perfect scenario for LSU Coach Les Miles and his #1 ranked defense. Obviously, Ainge needs to be healthy for the Volunteers to have a good chance to win. With Ainge in the game, the Vols have one of the best passing attacks in the country. Receivers Robert Meachem, Bret Smith, and Swain are as good as an any trio around. Regardless of whether or not Ainge is in the lineup, it's tough to see the Vols putting up a lot of points against LSU, so Tennessee's defense must rise to the occasion.

It should be a great battle between two future NFL quarterbacks on Saturday. Expect a hard-hitting defensive struggle in front of a loud and optimistic crowd. In Tennessee's dismal season a year ago, they defeated LSU 30-27 in overtime. You can assume the Tigers circled this game on their calendars. You can assume SEC football fans circled it too.