Austin Peay @ Tennessee preview

Tennessee begins the Butch Jones era on Saturday when the Volunteers host Austin Peay, which was picked to finish last in the Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll. Jones, who won two Big East titles in three years at Cincinnati, replaced Derek Dooley as Tennessee’s head coach after the Volunteers finished 1-7 in the SEC East last season. At Austin Peay, first-year coach Kirby Cannon takes over a massive rebuilding project with the Governors, who have won a total of 13 games in the last five seasons.

Junior quarterback Justin Worley gets the start for Tennessee, which owns one of the toughest schedules in the nation. After playing Austin Peay and Western Kentucky, the Volunteers play Oregon, Florida and Alabama on the road and host Georgia and South Carolina all before the end of October. Tennessee, an overwhelming favorite to win its fifth consecutive season opener, should dominate the line of scrimmage against Austin Peay with 6-foot-6, 327-pound junior offensive tackle Antonio Richardson leading the way.

TV: 6 p.m. ET, ESPN3. LINE: None

ABOUT AUSTIN PEAY (2012: 2-9, 1-7 OVC): The Governors’ rebuilding efforts took a step back during the summer when a pair of star players - senior defensive end Earnest Smith and senior guard Chris Hartman - suffered season-ending injuries. The team’s spread offense features junior quarterback Andrew Spivey and senior running back Tim Phillips, a Central Michigan transfer looking to build on a strong fall camp. The defense, which allowed 36.5 points per game last season, needs continued improvement from players such as senior defensive end Iosua Siliva, who had 28 tackles a year ago.

ABOUT TENNESSEE (2012: 5-7, 1-7 SEC): The Volunteers could play up to 16 freshmen against Austin Peay, including highly touted 6-foot-4 wide receiver Marquez North. Tennessee allowed 37 or more points in eight of its 12 games last season, but new defensive coordinator John Jancek has eight returning starters, including Bronko Nagurski Trophy candidate Daniel McCullers at defensive end. While the Volunteers’ defensive line should be improved, the young secondary remains a concern after giving up 13 touchdowns of at least 40 yards last season.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. Tennessee is one victory away from becoming the eighth school in college football history to reach the 800-win mark.

2. Austin Peay is 2-17 all-time against teams from the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).

3. Jones coached Cincinnati to a 72-10 win over Austin Peay in 2011.

PREDICTION: Tennessee 45, Austin Peay 10