The Tennessee Volunteers needed to make a statement in last night’s opener. They didn’t just talk, they yelled.

They screamed aloud a warning call to the SEC their recent downswing may finally be over and the program that was once the all-time winningest in the conference is on its way back to prominence.

Tennessee’s win over Utah State doesn’t mean it deserves to be in the AP Poll or a favorite to win the national championship, but it’s a start. The battle cry of a roster full of players that has never even experienced a bowl game rang through the Tennessee hills and across the country.

The team in last night’s 38-7 thrashing of Utah State didn’t look like one coming off a 5-7 record and four-straight losing seasons. The fan base didn’t seem as though they’ve been through three coaching searches and masochistically attended rivalry games with their beloved Vols on the short end of a blowout.

Sunday’s nationally televised game looked like a dominant SEC program vs. a mid major, which isn’t to say that Utah State is a pushover by any means. In fact, leading up to the game many believed the Aggies would upset the Vols and quarterback Chuckie Keeton would pad his stats toward a potential Heisman Trophy candidacy. That wasn’t the case. Tennessee dominated Utah State in all aspects and took a giant leap back to legitimacy. This might be the first time in several years that Vol fans should actually feel optimistic of their team’s chances.

The SEC East looks to be wide open. Outside of Georgia, Tennessee was the only team to have a convincing win against a quality opponent this weekend. As it stands, a good Tennessee team could be a potential sleeper contender. The Vols have talent on both sides of the football. Their freshman looked about as good as possible entering their collegiate debut. The players seem to have an unrivaled camaraderie, attending to injured teammates and running together after every single play. When this team gets even more experience and chemistry, they will be a legitimate force in the SEC and could be a surprise team as the season moves forward.