Book It!

[sjt18]

To use stats for this game is foolish on your part. Do you really think the the stats from the 2 sisters of the poor teams you played are a good indicator for your little stat driven drivel?

I think he really does.

It was actually pretty valid last year. UT was coming off a really, really BAD win against a UAB team that also finished 5-6. That team was pretty comparable to the Wyoming (4-7) and La Tech (7-4) teams UF had just beaten.

As I have said several times already, both of the teams UT has beaten would beat both of the teams UF has beaten about as bad as UF beat them. Cal in particular just ran it up against Minnesota who is also better than either of the teams UF has played.

If you give anything more than superficial thought to the quality of the respective wins, you have to recognize that UF has run it up against two very bad teams. UT has played two good teams and one team that might play its way back into national respectability in the Pac10.

Oh, a little research on So Miss' victory over SE Louisianna. They were beaten the weak before by New Mexico St (a very weak team), who was beaten by New Mexico, who was beaten by Portland St.

If No1g8tr ran an algorithm through those scores... he'd probably have to conclude that So Miss is on about the same level as a 1AA Portland St that is about to be unmercifully crushed by a Cal team that UT beat badly.:crazy:

As someone earlier said, an algorithm based on scores without respect to the competitive level of the opponents is not going to be effective.

 

[VolBeef88]

A 'Bit" tougher? Come on gator. You know better than that.

How do you feel about your O line?

 

[sjt18]

Who on this board believes that either UT or UF have seen anything this year like they are going to see on Saturday night?

Exactly like? No.

The better question is which team has seen something more like what they're going to see this Sat... and that is decidedly in favor of UT since they played Cal.

I don't think Cal or AF is anywhere near the level that UT is. Do you?

Cal is a very talented football team. If you want to make a "recruiting" case, they are heads and shoulders above the other three teams in question. They average in the top 25 over the past 4 years in recruiting. I think both UF and UT average in the top 10.

I think UF and UT are pretty close to even. Following that logic, UT hasn't seen a team anywhere near the level that UF is.

Except that your premises are wrong. UT has played a team with top 25 talent. UF has not.

UT's competition to-date has been a bit tougher than UF's, but not enough to draw a lot of conclusions over, imho.

No. UT's competition to date has been alot tougher than UF's. You either haven't looked at it objectively or else are in denial.

I shot down the notion that Cal was "all that" before UT played them. They have good players but those good players had only played one team that could push them like UT did. Their schedule last year was weak.

Honestly, I think their chances of beating SC improved significantly with their loss to UT. UT exposed just about every weakness they had. Many were corrected against Minn and now they get a warm up with Portland St before hitting ASU.

 

[WA_Vol]

There haven't been many blowouts between UT and FL. The game is usually close. Why would this game be different?

 

[VolBeef88]

There haven't been many blowouts between UT and FL. The game is usually close. Why would this game be different?

UF and UT usually both have a good O line. This year UF does not. Leak was hit and sacked by both schools they played. That is not a good sign if your a gator. That my Oklahoma friend is why UT will win big. :salute:

 

[sjt18]

There haven't been many blowouts between UT and FL. The game is usually close. Why would this game be different?

A) UF like Cal looks very overconfident

B) UF has a questionable o-line that hasn't played nearly the quality of d-line they will see Sat while UT's o-line has answered the call against a highly talented and touted Cal d-line. Defenses don't win championships. Whoever said that was a wrong. O-lines win championships.

C) UT's d-line owned Cal's very similar o-line.

D) UF again like Cal apparently expects to be able to put their 5'10"/180lb corners on an island with UT's 6'3"/210lb WR's.

E) The most effective running game UF has managed has been with a freshman WR... and that's been against two weak teams.

F) Cutcliffe is the X factor. He's brought discipline but he's brought some philosophy too. He said during the lead up to his hire that his time with Weis had allowed him to learn some things. This isn't just the UT O from the 90's or the Ole Miss O... It is potentially something much more lethal.

G) UT's O hasn't been stopped yet. UF struggled more with USM's d than UT did with either Cal or AFA... which are both more than likely better than USM on defense. UF will be more difficult without any doubt... but I suspect that Cutcliffe has held back a few tricks of his own that UT will "execute".

 

[tidwell]

I'm having a hard time believing that this game will be a blowout either way... just doesn't fit the nature of this rivalry without Spurrier on the sideline for the Gators. Even in SS's last 4 or 5 years, the games were still close.

Of course, at the same time, I never expected a blowout in the Cal game either.

 

[MesoVol]

Yeah, I don't see a blow out by either team. Two talented teams. UF does have O-line questions but I think a big part of the Meyer offense is predicated on getting the ball to his playmakers out in space. That usually involves quick, short throws, negating the O-lines inexperience.

I really don't expect either team to run very well.

 

[sjt18]

If you are dependent on quick, short throws but have no running game with your RB's... You are inviting blitzes, stunts, and press coverage. That's a death sentence for Leak.

If UF comes with that alone, it will get ugly. If they don't come up with a real running game, they must throw short and deep.

 

[sjt18]

BTW, I expect UT to run relatively well. Not as well as Cal but not as poorly as AFA. They need a second back though. I hope Coker is coming along on whatever caused the coaches not to trust him.

 

[MesoVol]

If you are dependent on quick, short throws but have no running game with your RB's... You are inviting blitzes, stunts, and press coverage. That's a death sentence for Leak.

If UF comes with that alone, it will get ugly. If they don't come up with a real running game, they must throw short and deep.

Those are good points. But it only takes one missed tackle when the field is spread to give up a big play or touchdown. And the Gators have some playmakers. Make no mistake.

But they haven't played a D anywhere near the one they'll see Saturday either. Playing UF won't be about assignment football.

:dance2:

 

[obxvol]

No stats but my college roomate that lives in Maryville and has had season tickets since we graduated more than ten years ago has always been an excellent guage on how the Vols would do. It's actually scary how well he predicts wins and losses. He truly believes that we will handle FL in a big way and forsees much jubilation in Big Orange Country Saturday night. No stats, just saying.

 

[no1g8r]

I'm not going to answer point by point, I don't have time, and you don't really care about my opinion anyway.

But to the point that UT fans believe that UF fans are overconfident, I believe that the UT fans are showing a higher than justified degree of confidence that seems to have grown tremendously since the announcement that an injured Harrell may see some playing time.

I still believe that a close game is the most likely outcome.

 

[Vol-In-Bama]

UT WINS BIG!

I said it against Cal and I say it now. We crush them with our D. I know some will talk about the USAFA game but I watched the game and have re-watched it. Our D was making mistakes on the aggressive nature. That is not so bad; if you have to have your D making mistakes you want it from an aggressive nature. UF cannot run the option anywhere near the way USAFA can. I'm telling you, we will win big. I thought that before JH was announced as a go for the game. I’m telling you all, UT wins big 38-13! :salute:

I am not a big believer in clairvoyance, but man, I hope you are!!!!

GO VOLS!!!!! :rock:

 

[sjt18]

I'm not going to answer point by point, I don't have time, and you don't really care about my opinion anyway.

But to the point that UT fans believe that UF fans are overconfident, I believe that the UT fans are showing a higher than justified degree of confidence that seems to have grown tremendously since the announcement that an injured Harrell may see some playing time.

I still believe that a close game is the most likely outcome.

You haven't heard that from me. I think his return may give them a psychological boost but that Walter Fisher's return plus the improved play of Mapu and others on the d-line will have more of a direct impact. Mapu before leaving for missions was a monster. He started 11 games or so as a Soph competing with all those guys who went pro over the past 2 years.

I love what Harrell is doing for his teammates. His inspirational return and the leadership he's shown are probably more beneficial than his play will be. The bottom line is that games are won by teams not individuals.

 

[volfan2024]

UT WINS BIG!

I said it against Cal and I say it now. We crush them with our D. I know some will talk about the USAFA game but I watched the game and have re-watched it. Our D was making mistakes on the aggressive nature. That is not so bad; if you have to have your D making mistakes you want it from an aggressive nature. UF cannot run the option anywhere near the way USAFA can. I'm telling you, we will win big. I thought that before JH was announced as a go for the game. I’m telling you all, UT wins big 38-13! :salute:

I am beginning to wonder now if Meyer won last year (howbeit he got blown out by Bama) thanks to Zooker's talent,etc.

 

[Vol423]

I am gonna totally agree with VolBeef on this one.....I have been tempted to post something similar but just haven't yet. I also won the closest score contest on the Cal game so these "good feelings" about the game must be right. I can't remember my exact prediction for the Fla game but I believe it was something like 42-17 because I really feel like we can dominate this one too. Just a feeling so no need to throw flames and stats ect.....

Wow. 42-17? I don't see us scoring anywhere close to 42 points on Florida. Their defense is too good, and I don't think that we're going to be able to establish the run against them. Our offensive line isn't getting a consistent push on our opponents' defensive lines. Right now I'm thinking UT over Florida 24-20.

 

[kbutler]

because it's a hard offense to recruit with...hard to lure top qb's and other skill position players running that offense.

This is true. Case in point is a guy by the name of Steve Spurrier who would have been QB at UT a few years back if we wouldn't have been running something along a similar path... the single wing... at the time.

 

[no1g8r]

To use stats for this game is foolish on your part. Do you really think the the stats from the 2 sisters of the poor teams you played are a good indicator for your little stat driven drivel?

As I've said before, everything about this game points to it being a "pick-em" game. I run a mostly stats-based (includes quality of opponent), unbiased algorithm to come up with my picks for a pool that I participate in. It comes out picking UF to win by less than 1 point, which is statistically insignificant.

It looks as if my "stat driven drivel" nailed the final spread. No, it's not for sale