By Jimmy Hyams

Prior to Tennessee’s opener against Ball State, Tamarion McDonald predicted he would get an interception.

Roommate Jalin Hyatt boasted he would score the Vols’ first touchdown of the season.

Were there any witnesses to these far-fetched forecasts?

Yes, they insisted.

“You think I’m crazy,’’ Hyatt said, “but I’m telling the truth.’’

Truth, at times, is stranger than fiction.

McDonald, a special teams demon last year who rarely played a snap on defense, intercepted the Cardinals first pass of the season, a reverse flea-flicker.

On the next play, Hyatt caught a 23-yard touchdown pass from Hendon Hooker.

And before David Letterman could give you his top 10 reasons while his alma mater would upset a 36-point favorite, Tennessee was up 7-0 after 23 seconds and McDonald and Hyatt looked like Nostradamus.

The early fireworks sparked Tennessee to a 59-10 season-opening victory over an outmanned team that won the Mid-American Conference just two years ago.

Both early plays were a great sign for the Vols.

When last we saw Tennessee’s secondary, it was being torched for 534 yards and five touchdowns by Purdue in the Music City Bowl. But McDonald, starting at the star position, recorded the first of two interceptions by a beleaguered secondary in what surely will boost the unit’s psyche.

“This gives us a lot of confidence,’’ McDonald said. “We’ve got to go get the ball if it’s in the air.’’

Hyatt needed a shot of confidence, Last season, he went from starter to afterthought. A few early-season drops hand him hanging his head and dipping on the depth chart.

He vowed this season would be different.

The early returns are favorable.

Hyatt’s first catch of the season was a short route to the right against cover three.

“I knew when Hendon threw it,’’ Hyatt said, “I was thinking, `I gotta get in the end zone.’ That’s the first thing that went through my head.’’

Hyatt dedicated himself in the offseason to becoming a better receiver. It started with putting weight on his roughly 165-pound frame. He now weighs 180.

“Once I seen my weight on the scales go up,’’ Hyatt said when asked when he started to see a change in his play. “I had to gain weight to be in the SEC.’’

Hyatt caught just two passes, one of seven wide receivers with at least two grabs. Cedric Tillman led the way with seven while Jimmy Holiday and Ramel Keyton had four each, Bru McCoy, Walker Merrill and Squirrel White two each.

That’s the kind of balance UT’s receiving corps didn’t have last year, when it relied on a trio of guys after the Florida game. UT had just two receivers that caught 20 or more passes during the regular season in 2021.

“Guys have proven they have the right to get more opportunities,’’ UT coach Josh Heupel said.

Quarterback Hendon Hooker said it was “wonderful’’ to have so many wideouts involved.

Hooker was another bright spot. He accounted for four touchdowns and passed for 211 first-half yards as Tennessee took a commanding 38-0 halftime lead.

“He was really efficient,’’ Heupel said. “He was in complete control of the football game.’’

Perhaps of equal importance was the play of backup quarterback Joe Milton, who hit 8 of 9 passes for 113 yards and fired laser dart to Holiday that resulted in a 53-yard score. Milton was poised, accurate, comfortable, made sound decisions and reeled off a 21-yard run.

After the way Milton’s season went south last year, his play, albeit against Ball State, was encouraging.

“We felt like he has grown since January,’’ Heupel said. “He showed some things we had seen during training camp.’’

Hooker praised his best friend on the team.

“Joe played awesome,’’ Hooker said. “He showed theirs not going to be a dropoff (when he’s in the game).’’

Tennessee gained 570 total yards (218 rushing), forced two turnovers and didn’t allow Ball State to score until seven minutes into the second half.

It was a solid performance for a season’s debut.

“There was a lot to be excited about as we get ready for a big one next week,’’ Heupel said.

That big one is Sept. 10 at Pitt, the defending ACC champ which beat West Virginia 38-31 Thursday night, thanks to a pick six with less than three minutes left in the game.

It will be the second edition of the Johnny Majors Classic.

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