Jarrett Lee threw a pair of touchdown passes, Spencer Ware scored twice and No. 2 LSU handed Tennessee a 38-7 defeat, the Vols' third straight loss to open SEC play.

For once, LSU (7-0, 4-0 SEC) didn't need to survive a close call to beat the Vols. After the last three meetings — all LSU wins — were decided by seven points or less, the Tigers pulled away in the second half Saturday to win by double digits for the eighth consecutive game dating to last season.

The Vols (3-3, 0-3 SEC) didn't get much going on offense without regular starting quarterback Tyler Bray, who is expected to miss about six weeks with a broken right thumb suffered last week against Georgia.

Matt Simms started in place of Bray and struggled, completing only six of 20 passes for 128 yards with two interceptions.

One of those interceptions turned a scoreless game in LSU's favor late in the first quarter. Morris Claiborne intercepted a deep pass from Simms at the LSU 6 and returned it to the Tennessee 5 to set up the Tigers' first score two plays later.

LSU has swept the SEC East opponents on its regular-season schedule in back-to-back seasons for the first time in school history. The Tigers have won six straight against the SEC East, matching a school record.