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California's DeSean Jackson returns a punt 77 yards for a touchdown against Tennessee on Saturday. The No. 12 Golden Bears beat the No. 15 Volunteers 45-31.

updated 1:37 a.m. ET Sept. 2, 2007

BERKELEY, Calif. - The California fans ensnared DeSean Jackson with a lot more success than the Tennessee defense, wrapping up the Golden Bears’ electrifying star in a postgame mesh of hugs and cheers — even trying to rip off his signature stocking cap.

This celebration was a full year in the making the 12th-ranked Golden Bears, who scored one for the whole West Coast when they simply outscored the Volunteers in a redemptive win.

Jackson scampered 77 yards for his sixth career punt return for a touchdown, and Golden Bears avenged last season’s humiliating loss at No. 15 Tennessee with a 45-31 victory Saturday night.

Justin Forsett rushed for 156 yards and a score, and Nate Longshore passed for 241 yards and two TDs as the Bears racked up the most points scored against the Volunteers in 12 years to win the opening weekend’s only matchup between ranked schools.

Though both teams struggled on defense, Cal’s offensive creativity and athleticism were too much for its SEC foes. Once Jackson recovered his cap, he declared the Bears ready for a spot in the national title race in coach Jeff Tedford’s sixth season.

“A lot of people underlook us,” Jackson said. “They don’t think we’re as good as we are. They don’t know we can beat anybody when all eyes are on us.”

The win also should quiet some of those Pac-10 detractors who cited Cal’s 35-18 blowout loss in Knoxville last year as a prime example of the conference’s shortcomings outside top-ranked Southern California.

As the clock wound down in the final minutes, the sellout crowd at Memorial Stadium jubilantly chanted “Pac-10 football!” at the departing Tennessee fans.

“I’ve heard comments that they’re a more physical team than us in a more physical conference than us,” Tedford said. “So I hope that answered some questions that people might have had about us.”

Tedford insisted the win wasn’t a geographical statement, but his players respectfully disagreed.

“We came out and hit them and showed them what Pac-10 football is really about,” linebacker Zack Follett said. “This should show everybody how we play football in California. I think it’s just about the biggest win in the history of the program.”

Erik Ainge had 271 yards passing and three TD throws despite playing with an injured finger, but Tennessee’s first trip to the West Coast since 1997 was hardly encouraging for coach Phillip Fulmer’s defense, which hadn’t given up this many points since a 62-37 loss to Florida in 1995.

Since then, the Vols even played a six-overtime game and five-OT game without giving up 45 points.

“There were a number of occasions when we just looked bad trying to tackle those guys,” said Fulmer, who lost the Vols’ opener for just the second time since 1993. “Their front did a good job moving us more than we would have liked. They definitely have a lot of speed, and in our league we play a lot of teams with speed, but they definitely made us look not very good.”

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