KNOXVILLE, TENN. ? As a freshman from Mississippi, defensive end Parys Haralson didn’t know much about Tennessee’s rivalry with Florida.

He knew something was different the first day of practice.

“I couldn’t believe how excited guys were. I didn’t know Tennessee-Florida was so intense,” said Haralson, now a junior with the No. 13 Volunteers. “Now I’ve got a taste of it, and now I see how we have to approach this week every year.”

The No. 11 Gators (1-0) visit tonight, and the game week atmosphere started up in full swing Monday.

Arguably, the rivalry isn’t as big since Steve Spurrier left Florida, and Georgia became the top dog in the Southeastern Conference East. But the game is sold out again this year, and Tennessee fans are hoping the Vols can end their dry spell at home.

After losing five straight to the Gators, Tennessee broke the streak in 1998, but that is the Vols’ last win over Florida at home. Meanwhile, Tennessee has won the past two at The Swamp.

Tennessee will be introducing its two freshmen quarterbacks — Brent Schaeffer and Erik Ainge — to the rivalry. They both played in the Vols’ opening win over UNLV on Sept. 5.

Schaeffer, of Deerfield Beach, Fla., is a little more familiar with the seriousness of the game. He grew up a Gators fan because his aunt went to Florida.

The Gators recruited Schaeffer as an athlete instead of strictly a quarterback.

“I canceled them out after that. I knew I wanted to be a quarterback so I was not really interested. If I had to go out of state to play quarterback that’s what I had to do,” he said.

Schaeffer says he doesn’t have anything to prove in the game.

“I have nothing against Florida,” he said.

Ainge, of Hillsboro, Ore., said he doesn’t remember watching Tennessee-Florida games, but he saw plenty of each team on television while living on the West Coast.

“When I was a kid, I remember Florida and Florida State and Miami. When you’re growing up everybody likes those schools,” he said.

Junior receiver C. J. Fayton said the quarterbacks and other newcomers have figured out Florida is a big game.

“I think they definitely get it, especially Schaeffer being from Florida,” he said.

“They notice it. When Florida comes to town, you’ve got older guys talking about it,” he said.

With an open date last weekend, the Vols have had an extra week to think about the Gators.

“It starts as soon as the last game is played and the first Monday comes and you’re watching film,” Fayton said. “You just know there’s something in the air that’s just different. The students act different, the coaches, everybody. It’s just time to concentrate and focus.”