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FACTS & STATS: Site: Neyland Stadium (104,079) -- Knoxville, Tennessee. Television: ESPN2. Home Record: Cincinnati 1-0, Tennessee 1-0. Away Record: Cincinnati 0-0, Tennessee 0-0. Neutral Record: Cincinnati 0-0, Tennessee 0-0. Conference Record: Cincinnati 0-0, Tennessee 0-0. Series Record: Tennessee leads, 4-1.

GAME NOTES: The Cincinnati Bearcats of the Big East Conference invade Knoxville for what promises to be a hard-fought battle with the Tennessee Volunteers of the SEC.

Cincinnati began the 2011 campaign against Austin Peay, an FCS opponent, and cruised to a staggering 72-10 triumph. That effort was a welcomed sight for second-year head coach Butch Jones, who expects a significant improvement over 2010. Year one of the Jones era brought inconsistent results for Cincinnati, a program which had visited BCS bowls the previous two years under former head coach Brian Kelly. The Bearcats finished 4-8, their worst campaign since 1999, and tasted their first losing season since 2005.

As for Tennessee, it is also under the guidance of a second-year head coach, as Derek Dooley is back in place. Like his counterpart in Saturday's tilt, Dooley has to be proud of his team's opening weekend performance, as the Vols cruised past Montana by a 42-16 final. Considering the fact that Tennessee finished 6-7 in 2010, the loyal fan base will take any excuse to be optimistic, even a victory over a lesser team.

Tennessee owns a 4-1 series lead over Cincinnati, and the teams last met in 1992.

Zach Callaros returns for his senior season as a multi-dimensional threat at quarterback for the Bearcats. He accounted for over 3,100 yards last year through the air and on the ground, and despite throwing 14 picks, was the second-most efficient quarterback in the league with a rating of 137.5.

The signal caller led his offense to 561 total yards against Austin Peay last week, most of which came on the ground. Collaros threw for 134 yards and four touchdowns, but his squad eventually became content to repeatedly hammer the ball down the throats of the overmatches Governors. Six different Bearcats rushed for at least 30 yards, as the team finished with 387 rushing yards on 49 attempts. Six touchdowns were scored on the ground, and Isaiah Pead led the charge with 87 rushing yards and two touchdowns on just seven carries.

Anthony McClung also deserves mention, as the wideout found the end zone on two of his three receptions.

Up front, many of the linemen on Cincinnati's two deep are back from last season. While it probably isn't wise to put too much stock into last week's performance against Austin Peay, it is hard to discount how dominant the Bearcats were.

The lone touchdown scored by the Govs came in the fourth quarter, long after the outcome had been decided. Austin Peay finished with 277 total yards, but just 127 yards on 35 rushing attempts. The Bearcats came up with five takeaways, including three fumble recoveries, and posted a pair of sacks as well.

Heading into this season, Tennessee fans had high expectations for both tailback Tauren Poole and quarterback Tyler Bray. Poole eclipsed the 1,000- yard rushing barrier on his 204 carries while posting 12 total touchdowns a year ago, while Bray was thrown into the SEC fire as a freshman and performed admirably, finishing up with 1,849 yards and 18 touchdowns with 10 interceptions.

Against Montana in week one, Bray was simply sensational, completing 17-of-24 passes for 293 yards and three touchdowns. Two of his receivers hit the century mark, as Justin Hunter hauled in six receptions for 146 yards and a score, while Da'Rick Rogers made five grabs for 100 yards and a touchdown. As for Poole, he carried the ball 24 times for 98 yards and a score, proving to be far more steady than spectacular.

Give the Tennessee defense credit for taking care of business against Montana. Of the two touchdowns scored by the Grizzlies, one came late in the fourth quarter against Vols' reserves. The other was an 80-yard touchdown pass, but that was the only major mistake all day by the defense. Dooley's troops held Montana to 111 rushing yards on 30 attempts, a solid performance by any standards.

The Vols have the advantage of playing this game at home, but they will have their hands full with the Bearcats. Give a slight edge to Tennessee, especially considering how well Bray played last week, but don't be surprised if Collaros and company pull off the upset.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Tennessee 24, Cincinnati 23