No. Florida is not more talented than Tennessee. I would say the talent is about even. They're decidedly more talented on defense while we're more talented on offense.
I had us projected to go 10-2 this season. While I had Florida going 7-5. Hence my comment on us being more talented. I never imagined Florida could go 10-1. I don't chalk all that credit up to McElwain. Its obvious he inherited a talented roster that underacheived under Muschamp.
With Florida being 10-1, I vastly underrated their talent. Especially on defense. I knew they were good defensively. But I didn't think this good. Like I said. Mel Kiper said their top 5 DBs will be 1st or 2nd round picks. We all know Jonathan Bullard will be a high draft pick. And then add the emergence of Caleb Brantley and you have a defense filled with NFL studs.
I'm fine with admitting I vastly underrated them. And 10-1 proves it.
So, if I understand correctly....Florida, who you had going 7-5 before the season, is not considerably better due to anything CJM or his staff have done, it's because they're vastly more talented than EVEN YOU knew. Well, they haven't looked very talented at all the last 2 games I've seen them play vs Vandy and Fla Atlantic....yet they found a way to win....with, at best, a very inexperienced, patchwork OL that had 10 career starts (all from one guy), a pedestrian soph QB, a true freshman and true soph and converted soph RB at WR. Also had some injuries to that defense at linebacker and in the secondary, yet they've continued to win under a first year coach.
You had a very talented Tennessee team (I agree with you there) going 10-2 (I was almost with you, thought 9-3 was a fair projection).....what reason(s) do you attribute to their falling short this year?