Five SEC Games With The Highest Stakes In 2017

#1
BeardedVol

BeardedVol

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#1
4. Tennessee at Florida, Sept. 16

The Gators could actually get some divisional love this year, while Tennessee is kind of on the periphery. That doesn't mean that Tennessee coach Butch Jones will sneak by in 2017.

After failing to win the SEC East as the division's overwhelming favorite in 2016, Jones is hearing all sorts of hot-seat fodder. He also has a new boss to answer to, so a mediocre season could be disastrous. Losing this rivalry game will only add to the uncertainty around Jones.

As for Florida, losing this game at home would put the Gators behind in a division that should be a two-team race between the Gators and Georgia. Florida fans have been fickle with coach Jim McElwain, and a loss to this Vols team wouldn't help this relationship at all.
 
#2
#2
You forgot to include the all-important by-line:

Aschoff.png
 
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#4
#4
If he's going to say UT-UF is one of the top five games, he needs to add UT-UGA to that list as well. Stars could align to where you have that weird three way tie for first in the SEC East if UGA, UF and UT split wins and records.
 
#5
#5
VFL-82-JP said:
You forgot to include the all-important by-line:

Aschoff.png
Click to expand...

Wasn't exactly spreading much love toward UF either. Their coach has won the division twice and answers are still hard to find. If he drops 2 in a row to UT I'm sure they will turn up the heat on him even more. Especially if it eventually costs him the one thing he has accomplished.

It's not just Vol fans.
 
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#6
#6
Grand Vol said:
If he's going to say UT-UF is one of the top five games, he needs to add UT-UGA to that list as well. Stars could align to where you have that weird three way tie for first in the SEC East if UGA, UF and UT split wins and records.
Click to expand...

On paper UGA should be the favorite, similar to UT last year. The coaching at the top 3 schools in this division is what will keep it interesting.
 
#7
#7
BeecherVol said:
Wasn't exactly spreading much love toward UF either. Their coach has won the division twice and answers still remain. If he drops 2 in a row to UT I'm sure they will turn up the heat on him even more. Especially if it eventually costs him the one thing he has accomplished.

It's not just Vol fans.
Click to expand...

It's kind of funny that one of the sentences he wrote is almost 180 degrees out from your first sentence. He wrote: "The Gators could actually get some divisional love this year...."

That interesting counter-point aside, I agree that he certainly didn't sound gushy over McElwain. But he did show Florida significant love, simply by including it in 2 of the 5 high-stakes games on his list. Keeping them in the conversation while Tennessee is, in his words, "on the periphery."

I personally think the East is a 3-horse race again this season; the fact that he says just 2 teams could realistically compete is a bit of a 'homer reveal'.

As for the "five highest-stakes games in the SEC this year," if you're talking about games that help decide who will win the conference, probably all five of those games should include Bama on one side of the ball. But only two teams in the conference get included more than once. Bama (just twice) and, yep, Florida.

Homer credentials: established.
 
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#8
#8
VFL-82-JP said:
It's kind of funny that one of the sentences he wrote is almost 180 degrees out from your first sentence. He wrote: "The Gators could actually get some divisional love this year...."

That interesting counter-point aside, I agree that he certainly didn't sound gushy over McElwain. But he did show Florida significant love, simply by including it in 2 of the 5 high-stakes games on his list. Keeping them in the conversation while Tennessee is, in his words, "on the periphery."

I personally think the East is a 3-horse race again this season; the fact that he says just 2 teams could realistically compete is a bit of a 'homer reveal'.

As for the "five highest-stakes games in the SEC this year," if you're talking about games that help decide who will win the conference, probably all five of those games should include Bama on one side of the ball. But only two teams in the conference get included more than once. Bama (just twice) and, yep, Florida.

Homer credentials: established.
Click to expand...

Is it Gator homer writing or Tennessee homer reading?
 
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#12
#12
99gator said:
Is it Gator homer writing or Tennessee homer reading?
Click to expand...

I know right?

UF fans are lukewarm to McElwain right now, primary because the gap between us and FSU is growing, and for a supposed QB whisperer, he's having trouble recruiting decent QBs.

Winning the East in spite of losing to UT is the least of his worries.
 
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#13
#13
VFL-82-JP said:
It's kind of funny that one of the sentences he wrote is almost 180 degrees out from your first sentence. He wrote: "The Gators could actually get some divisional love this year...."

That interesting counter-point aside, I agree that he certainly didn't sound gushy over McElwain. But he did show Florida significant love, simply by including it in 2 of the 5 high-stakes games on his list. Keeping them in the conversation while Tennessee is, in his words, "on the periphery."

I personally think the East is a 3-horse race again this season; the fact that he says just 2 teams could realistically compete is a bit of a 'homer reveal'.

As for the "five highest-stakes games in the SEC this year," if you're talking about games that help decide who will win the conference, probably all five of those games should include Bama on one side of the ball. But only two teams in the conference get included more than once. Bama (just twice) and, yep, Florida.

Homer credentials: established.
Click to expand...

Yeah he's falling all over his Gator swag to type that. "Could"? Never mind the fact they have won it the last 2 years with one of them being when UT was a pretty clear favorite.

Reaching.
 
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#14
#14
Lawrence Wright said:
I know right?

UF fans are lukewarm to McElwain right now, primary because the gap between us and FSU is growing, and for a supposed QB whisperer, he's having trouble recruiting decent QBs.

Winning the East in spite of losing to UT is the least of his worries.
Click to expand...

Honest question for you Gator fans:

What are your expectations for this upcoming season? The pundits have been rather high on UF in the east, but I see a ton of question marks. Thought you had your QB finally in Franks, but y'all are trying to get Zaire into school. You've also lost the majority of the defensive players that were key in the impenetrable defense UF has fielded since Muschamp left. The offensive skill positions look solid.
 
#15
#15
BeecherVol said:
Yeah he's falling all over his Gator swag to type that. "Could"? Never mind the fact they have won it the last 2 years with one of them being when UT was a pretty clear favorite.

Reaching.
Click to expand...

Exactly

He was making a joke of the fact that NO ONE picked Florida to win the East the last two years and that someone might actually give them some love this year and actually pick them.

There really wasn't anything homer about the comment
 
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#16
#16
MockingVol said:
Honest question for you Gator fans:

What are your expectations for this upcoming season? The pundits have been rather high on UF in the east, but I see a ton of question marks. Thought you had your QB finally in Franks, but y'all are trying to get Zaire into school. You've also lost the majority of the defensive players that were key in the impenetrable defense UF has fielded since Muschamp left. The offensive skill positions look solid.
Click to expand...

I expect to see signs that the future is going to look different and that the cycle of Florida struggling to cross midfield will soon be a thing of the past.

I have said before and will stick with it.....if Florida has a QB they will win the East. If Florida doesn't, it will be the same **** show we've seen the last few years with a defense that isn't quite as good
 
#17
#17
99gator said:
I expect to see signs that the future is going to look different and that the cycle of Florida struggling to cross midfield will soon be a thing of the past.

I have said before and will stick with it.....if Florida has a QB they will win the East. If Florida doesn't, it will be the same **** show we've seen the last few years with a defense that isn't quite as good
Click to expand...

I haven't looked in UFs QB recruiting much, is he just not hit on a talent yet? Or for some reason just hasn't been able to develop one.
 
#18
#18
BeecherVol said:
I haven't looked in UFs QB recruiting much, is he just not hit on a talent yet? Or for some reason just hasn't been able to develop one.
Click to expand...

He hasn't had one survive through an entire season yet has he?

Probably why he wants Zaire so badly.
 
#19
#19
BeecherVol said:
I haven't looked in UFs QB recruiting much, is he just not hit on a talent yet? Or for some reason just hasn't been able to develop one.
Click to expand...

They had the QB of the future with the guy who got suspended for a yr then transferred to WV.

Flipped a highly rated QB last season, but I think he was a project and was redshirted.

I don't think they have anyone on their roster as good as the Grier kid was.
 
#20
#20
Either of Auburn's games against UGA and Bama could have made that list since Malzahn also has a seat that is getting warm and he is putting all his marbles on a QB transfer. Granted, a very talented QB transfer, but still, he has to come in and develop a chemistry quickly with his teammates on the O. I saw an Auburn beat writer state earlier this week that he is not sure Auburn cannot go 0-2 again this season against UGA and Bama and Malzahn survive.
 
#21
#21
99gator said:
I expect to see signs that the future is going to look different and that the cycle of Florida struggling to cross midfield will soon be a thing of the past.

I have said before and will stick with it.....if Florida has a QB they will win the East. If Florida doesn't, it will be the same **** show we've seen the last few years with a defense that isn't quite as good
Click to expand...

Spot on.
 
#22
#22
Usually I have a pretty good idea where we are and where the Gators are, this season I have no idea.
 
#23
#23
Lawrence Wright said:
I know right?

UF fans are lukewarm to McElwain right now, primary because the gap between us and FSU is growing, and for a supposed QB whisperer, he's having trouble recruiting decent QBs.

Winning the East in spite of losing to UT is the least of his worries.
Click to expand...

Well this and he got busted popping one off in a dead shark
 
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