Last season, Tennessee defeated Florida at Neyland Stadium, ending a five-game losing streak to the Gators. On Saturday the No. 11 Volunteers are trying to end two decades of misery at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium by going for back-to-back wins against their SEC East rival. The Vols last beat the Gators on the road in 2003, and UF will look to continue its home winning streak in this series and secure what would be a record win early in coach Billy Napier’s second season.
Florida got back on track in Week 2 with a 49-7 victory over FCS foe McNeese State, but the memory of the opening 24-11 loss at Utah is still fresh as the Gators look to go from 5-7 to… establishing their identity debut campaign for Napier. Beating a division rival like Tennessee, which is coming off its first 11-win season since 2001, would change the narrative surrounding the Gators as conference play begins.
The Volunteers began the season with an easy 49-13 win over Virginia, but that was followed by an ugly 30-13 win over Austin Peay that raised concerns about whether the program was regressing given the loss of star quarterback Hendon Hooker . Veteran signal caller Joe Milton has taken over the position in third-year coach Josh Heupel’s high-powered offense, but has yet to demonstrate the passing touch that made Hooker a star for the Volunteers.
Follow along LIVE updates from The Swamp as Tennessee takes on Florida
Here’s how to watch Tennessee vs. Florida live
Date: Saturday, September 16 | Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium – Gainesville, Florida
TV: ESPN | Live broadcast: fubo (Try for free)
Florida vs. Tennessee: What you need to know
Offensive questions: According to TruMedia, Milton is just 2 of 11 passes that go more than 15 yards beyond the line of scrimmage this season. Of his 42 shots, 28 came at or behind the finish line. If the Vols want to be at their best offensively, they need to make their opponents respect their downfield passing game. Florida also has quarterback questions of its own as Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz makes his third start with the program after four seasons with the Badgers. He was more successful than Milton when it came to downfield throws, completing seven of 12 throws more than 15 yards beyond the line of scrimmage in two games. But Florida struggled to control the football in the loss to Utah, and Mertz isn’t a world-class playmaker who can single-handedly lead the Gators to victories over top-tier SEC opponents.
Centers could play: Both teams were without their starting players in the first two games due to injuries. Both could be back this week, however, as Florida’s Kingsley Eguakun and Tennessee’s Cooper Mays were both scheduled to practice this week. Neither coach has revealed whether their center will play, but the presence of either of them on the field would be a significant boost. Eguakun, in his fifth year with the program, started 26 games at center for the Gators over the last two seasons. Mays has recorded 21 starts at center for the Vols over the past two years and earned a spot on the 2023 All-SEC Preseason Third Team.
Players only meeting: When word gets out from a team about having a players-only meeting, it’s usually a sign that things aren’t going well. Tennessee had one such meeting after its disappointing performance against Austin Peay. Senior defensive lineman Omari Thomas said the Vols hold player-only meetings “whenever we feel like something comes up or you see guys just slacking off or missing a little bit.” There must have been a lot to discuss , considering last week the Vols only led Austin Peay 13-6 at halftime before using a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter to finally pull away from their FCS in-state opponent. Austin Peay outscored the Vols 19-17 on first downs during the game, while Tennessee committed 10 penalties in the game.
Florida vs. Tennessee prediction, tips
SportsLine consensus odds
Those teams combined for 71 points last season as the Volunteers cruised to a 38-33 victory in a game that featured nearly 1,200 yards of offense. But both teams have since downgraded at quarterback and have questions to answer offensively. Tennessee’s crucial downfield passing game is a work in progress, and Florida needs to prove it can run the football better than it did during its Week 1 loss to Utah. With neither unit anywhere near maximum offensive capacity, the players will likely have more to do this year. Selection: Under 59
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