Tennessee lost a heartbreaker at home to Pittsburgh a year ago and will be looking for revenge on the road against the Panthers on Saturday afternoon.

The game is among the biggest on this week’s college football schedule. Pittsburgh is ranked 17th in the AP poll, while the Volunteers are ranked 24th.

Tennessee coach Josh Heupel was quick to downplay his team’s move into the AP Top 25 this week, but he did acknowledge that Saturday’s game was a great opportunity for his team.

“As far as rankings, those things don’t matter at this point in the year,” Heupel said Wednesday during the SEC’s weekly coaches teleconference. “The challenge for us is to prepare the right way for us to be our best. … We want to be a great competitor for 60 minutes. … The excitement is we understand they’re a really good team. … They’re physical, they’re tough, they’re a smart football team. … This is the next game in this journey for us this year.”

To win Saturday, Tennessee will need a solid showing from Hendon Hooker.

The senior quarterback was 18-of-25 for 221 yards and 2 touchdowns in last week’s 59-10 win over Ball State.

And Heupel liked what he saw.

“Very decisive, was making the right decisions, took care of the football in a really good way. … I think he’s got a really good grasp and understanding of what we’re doing and why we’re doing it,” said Heupel of Hooker’s performance.

The top-25 showdown between the Volunteers and Panthers on Saturday will kick off at 3:30 p.m. (ET) and be televised by ABC.