Florida at #14 Utah - 8:00 PM ESPN

#26
#26
Lawrence Wright said:
Because UF beating a ranked opponent and P5 conference favorite on the road helps UT’s strength of schedule, which becomes even more important with a 12-team playoff on the horizon.

You‘re confusing logic with emotion.
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Lawrence Wright said:
Because UF beating a ranked opponent and P5 conference favorite on the road helps UT’s strength of schedule, which becomes even more important with a 12-team playoff on the horizon.

You‘re confusing logic with emotion.
Click to expand...
This would be well and good if there were no logic on the other side of the argument, but there is.

Florida losing a game like this has a potentially massive impact. If Florida drops this game they could be 3-4 heading into a bye week where they will come out facing Georgia, Arkansas, LSU consecutively.

When the state of the Florida program is poor, it helps Tennessee in recruiting. And it does so in a state that has a massive amount of talent.

Again take this year for example. What occurs on the recruiting side to this class if the scenario above happens?

It also helps us head to head if Florida isn’t good. Rooting for the program to succeed means rooting for a tough game against you guys. Why? It would be perfectly good for Tennessee if your team was not good, didn’t recruit well, and were a Vandy like win for us annually.
 
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#33
#33
norrislakevol said:
Let's put it this way: If Florida doesn't win with their superior talent (at least on paper), and with Utah playing a 3rd string QB, then they have even bigger problems then I originally thought.
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So if UF wins you dismiss it as "of course, so who cares" and if they lose you get to say "they're worse than we thought."

Convenient. And transparent.
 
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#34
#34
Lawrence Wright said:
Because UF beating a ranked opponent and P5 conference favorite on the road helps UT’s strength of schedule, which becomes even more important with a 12-team playoff on the horizon.

You‘re confusing logic with emotion.
Click to expand...
except if yall have a crap season, and that continues to snow ball, you might stay down longer, that makes our future path easier than a strong Florida. Florida has historically been the biggest thorn in our side.

Our SoS will be just fine even with if Florida has another loss. We will play three better teams, and some might argue an additional 2.

Your "logic" wears jorts.
 
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#35
#35
lawgator1 said:
So if UF wins you dismiss it as "of course, so who cares" and if they lose you get to say "they're worse than we thought."

Convenient. And transparent.
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If UF wins, then they are better than everyone thought. Utah is a tough place for a visiting team to win. I could see 7 or 8 wins if the gators leave SLC with the W.
 
#36
#36
Jaws said:
One of those rare years where I have absolutely no idea what to expect from a Florida team. New QB, new starters all over the place in the front 7 on defense, something like 50 new players on the team. I have no feel at all.

There are some known products on Florida’s team; the two RB’s Montrell Johnson and Etienne, WR Pearsall is a baller, CB Jason Marshall is probably a 1st rounder, a couple of the DT transfers are monsters.

But does that translate to a better than expected team - I have no idea. We should see some answers beginning tonight.
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It’s all about the QB. I have low expectations for Mertz.

He’s the difference between 4-8 and an early December bowl game.
 
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#37
#37
LouderVol said:
except if yall have a crap season, and that continues to snow ball, you might stay down longer, that makes our future path easier than a strong Florida. Florida has historically been the biggest thorn in our side.

Our SoS will be just fine even with if Florida has another loss. We will play three better teams, and some might argue an additional 2.

Your "logic" wears jorts.
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That’s where we differ…I want all of our rivals to be “up” instead of down when we play.

That’s what made the 90s so fun when we played you guys and FSU. The stakes were always high.
 
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#38
#38
Lawrence Wright said:
That’s where we differ…I want all of our rivals to be “up” instead of down when we play.

That’s what made the 90s so fun when we played you guys and FSU. The stakes were always high.
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yeah, you haven't suffered the same as us the last 15 years. We aren't far enough removed from sucking for me to be comfortable with a strong Florida. We already have a strong Bama and Georgia on the plate, plus our eternal luck of drawing the second best team from the west each year. Even when the divisions go away I don't see things getting boring with a bad Florida around.
 
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#39
#39
LouderVol said:
yeah, you haven't suffered the same as us the last 15 years. We aren't far enough removed from sucking for me to be comfortable with a strong Florida. We already have a strong Bama and Georgia on the plate, plus our eternal luck of drawing the second best team from the west each year. Even when the divisions go away I don't see things getting boring with a bad Florida around.
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Understandable perspective, UF isn’t far removed from a couple 4-win seasons.

That said, when UF is contending for conference titles or the playoff, I’d prefer our rivals be competitive and not “down”.
 
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#40
#40
This is a steal game for UF.

Zero benefit for us in a Utah W while a L opens a T10 spot. I would be pulling for the other guy tonight regardless, just so happen it's a SEC team. But tonight I will just an interested observer, no damn cheering.
 
#41
#41
Issue with Tennessee's down period is we had no good years.

Alabama had issues from 1997-2007 but in that run they had the 1999 SEC Championship year and 10-win seasons in 2002 and 2005.

Florida had a three good seasons with Dan Mullen and had a single 11-win season with Muschamp and a 9 and 10 win seasons with McElwain.

Florida also didn't have long losing streaks against rivals.


Tennessee literally lost 17 straight to Alabama, beat Florida only once during down period, and beat Georgia only 3 times. Their best seasons were 2015 9-4; 2016 9-4, and 2018 8-5.

Tennessee didn't have as many rock bottom seasons though. Alabama had a 3-8 season (2000) and a 4-9 season (2003). Florida has had some very low points in their 4 win seasons as well.

Tennessee only had one G5 loss (Georgia State) while Alabama had multiple: Southern Miss, UCF, UL Monroe, Northern Illinois, Louisiana Tech.

Florida only had the 2013 loss to Georgia Southern.
 
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#43
#43
I look for a close game. Problem for Utah is they are starting the #3 QB, problem for Florida is that they are playing at 4700 ft elevation. Utah doesn't lose many home games and Florida rarely plays west of the Mississippi. Long trip for the gators
 
#44
#44
GoDucks349 said:
I look for a close game. Problem for Utah is they are starting the #3 QB, problem for Florida is that they are playing at 4700 ft elevation. Utah doesn't lose many home games and Florida rarely plays west of the Mississippi. Long trip for the gators
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The plan originally was for the team to fly out yesterday because the physiology people were saying the less time at altitude before the game, the better. But then the storm got involved and they went out the day before, Tuesday.

I prefer it that way. I always sleep poorly the first night in a hotel, but sleep well the next. So hoping its a net positive.
 
#45
#45
Jaws said:
One of those rare years where I have absolutely no idea what to expect from a Florida team. New QB, new starters all over the place in the front 7 on defense, something like 50 new players on the team. I have no feel at all.

There are some known products on Florida’s team; the two RB’s Montrell Johnson and Etienne, WR Pearsall is a baller, CB Jason Marshall is probably a 1st rounder, a couple of the DT transfers are monsters.

But does that translate to a better than expected team - I have no idea. We should see some answers beginning tonight.
Click to expand...

I’m in complete agreement here. We could be anywhere from a team that ends the season ranked to a team that is 4-8 and I wouldn’t be shocked either way
 
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#46
#46
I hear some people saying Florida has "Superior" talent. I am not sure right now if that is a true statement. Napier is recruiting well this cycle but those players are not on campus yet.
 
#47
#47
volbound1700 said:
I hear some people saying Florida has "Superior" talent. I am not sure right now if that is a true statement. Napier is recruiting well this cycle but those players are not on campus yet.
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People who say that are basing it off the roster having blue chip recruiting rankings and projected NFL draft pick talent. When you go by that, FL not only looks superior to Utah, but they’re in the top 10 in the entire country. But none of that accounts for the talent being young or undeveloped, or in a bad system, etc.

I don’t have the answers, we’ll all form some opinions beginning in about 5 hours.
 
#48
#48
I will say one thing. I do think you will see a bunch of true freshman for Florida who will “flash”.

There is talent in this freshman class
 
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#50
#50
volbound1700 said:
I hear some people saying Florida has "Superior" talent. I am not sure right now if that is a true statement. Napier is recruiting well this cycle but those players are not on campus yet.
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Dey tryna say "Spurrier."
Dey dum.
 
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