Everyone in the football program is well aware of the streak, but it doesn't affect the players, coaches, or support staff.
The media and fans are the ones who let things like that get to them. I played ball for a Power 5 team that hadn't won a bowl game since '49. I was a part of the program when that streak was broken. That kind of stuff does not change your preparation OR the way you play as an athlete. You treat it like any other game. Our guys will be a little more juiced because it's a rivalry, but other than that it's business as usual.
I believed that about our squad two years ago, when we played so many freshmen and sophomores. Could see them all thinking that, "sure, the program had a problem with Florida in the past, but we're the solution to that problem."
I still somewhat believed it to be true last year, when the "center of mass" of the team were still the sophomore class.
But this year, I have to say, it would be very unusual for our junior-heavy team
not to have one corner of the brain focused on the two teams that they haven't been able to beat, two years running.
Sure, they'll be coached to forget the past, focus on who we are now, this is Our Time, Team 120 forges its own destiny, etc. That's just good coaching.
But it's human nature to remember the past, to see patterns. And so I think there is an element of that in our collective psyche. Players and coaches as well, not just fans.
No matter, though, let's just whup dey azz and start a new direction for both series. Go Vols!