Florida is a Must Win

#1
Unimane

Unimane

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#1
Or, as close to one as we have had under Jones. Whether or not the moral victories are, in fact, some kind of boost or not becomes immaterial this week. "Progress", eventually, is merely a device to excuse unfilled promises or expectations. We, clearly, haven't reached that stage, but we are also very clearly now in a fork in the road for Butch in his tenure here with the Gators coming to town.

Florida is not good and coming to our place. This is a team we need to beat. At some point, we need to start winning these games and this is as good of an opportunity that exists in the past two years to get a big time victory as we've had. Yes, we're young and a little this, but this staff has got to have a point in which they get over the hump, if they are going to be successful here.

I've always thought that this is a staff that has a ceiling of about 9-3 or so every year. Winning this Saturday will mean a lot towards pushing beyond that set of expectations. They need this win, not just a good showing.
 
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#5
#5
I would say that it is a game that we should EXPECT to win considering how Florida's offense is about as effective as teats on a bull. Still doesn't make it a MUST win.
 
#6
#6
I think "must win" is stating it a little too strong, but only slightly. It would be a misstep to lose this game. I don't care what the Vegas line is, most everyone is expecting us to win. Florida is playing not to lose and we're playing to win. Advantage us. Vols win this one big. Can't wait to beat Florida and fulfill that long awaited Kiffin promise of singing Rock Top all night long after we do.
 
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#7
#7
Unimane said:
Or, as close to one as we have had under Jones. Whether or not the moral victories are, in fact, some kind of boost or not becomes immaterial this week. "Progress", eventually, is merely a device to excuse unfilled promises or expectations. We, clearly, haven't reached that stage, but we are also very clearly now in a fork in the road for Butch in his tenure here with the Gators coming to town.

Florida is not good and coming to our place. This is a team we need to beat. At some point, we need to start winning these games and this is as good of an opportunity that exists in the past two years to get a big time victory as we've had. Yes, we're young and a little this, but this staff has got to have a point in which they get over the hump, if they are going to be successful here.

I've always thought that this is a staff that has a ceiling of about 9-3 or so every year. Winning this Saturday will mean a lot towards pushing beyond that set of expectations. They need this win, not just a good showing.
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NOt sure if we will win or not but I feel good that Muschamp will not be able to outcoach bUTch! I remember in days past when Spurrier out coached Fulmer & Urban Crier out coached Lane & Dooley.
 
#8
#8
We are better than Florida. Too many moral victories and that becomes who you are. We need this game. This is equivalent of Alabama 1995 for the Butch Jones Era.
 
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#9
#9
I don't know what the standard is for a "must win", but this is a bad Florida team. Really bad. It would be a bad look to lose to that team at home.
 
#10
#10
bamawriter said:
I don't know what the standard is for a "must win", but this is a bad Florida team. Really bad. It would be a bad look to lose to that team at home.
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I don't think they are that bad.

They still have plenty of athletes on the field, and overall probably have more talent than us.
 
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#11
#11
Aesius said:
I don't think they are that bad.

They still have plenty of athletes on the field, and overall probably have more talent than us.
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We're that ******* bad.

I'll put it this way. I'm not on board with all the mental hurdle stuff people say about the Florida game. I really don't buy it.

However, if Florida wins this year, change my username to KBVol, or I guess KBGator.

And I will never believe Tennessee will beat Florida again. If it were to happen, it would be due to a glitch in the Matrix or something.
 
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#12
#12
Aesius said:
I don't think they are that bad.

They still have plenty of athletes on the field, and overall probably have more talent than us.
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You're right. But that talent has been poorly developed and poorly coached. And UF's secondary is dreadful. If UT's receivers don't abuse UF's DBs, then something went very, very wrong.
 
#13
#13
99gator said:
We're that ******* bad.
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Not really. We need to hope you're in a fragile frame of mind. A backup QB lighting a spark, which is wont to happen in this series, and things could get ugly for us quick. Can't seem to get out of our way versus UF.
 
#14
#14
hopefully Smith and Pearson will be back. I feel good about this game. Do any of you UF fans know if Leon Orr and Mike Taylor are playing?
 
#15
#15
bamawriter said:
You're right. But that talent has been poorly developed and poorly coached. And UF's secondary is dreadful. If UT's receivers don't abuse UF's DBs, then something went very, very wrong.
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Perhaps. It's also worth noting that our OL is basically Swiss cheese and Florida's defensive front is, well, good.
 
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#16
#16
GoBigOrange86 said:
Not really. We need to hope you're in a fragile frame of mind. A backup QB lighting a spark, which is wont to happen in this series, and things could get ugly for us quick. Can't seem to get out of our way versus UF.
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I'll ignore the Florida offense a second.

The Florida defense....you know the part of the team that's good (wink, wink) has given up 5.9 yards per play since Dominic Easley was injured in 2013. That's terrible.

They're bad.

I'd take (gulp), the Tennessee defense right now over the Florida defense.

not kidding.
 
#18
#18
Thing is, if you can't beat a Florida program on its way down, you'd have a really hard time arguing that this program is on its way up.
 
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#19
#19
Unimane said:
Or, as close to one as we have had under Jones. Whether or not the moral victories are, in fact, some kind of boost or not becomes immaterial this week. "Progress", eventually, is merely a device to excuse unfilled promises or expectations. We, clearly, haven't reached that stage, but we are also very clearly now in a fork in the road for Butch in his tenure here with the Gators coming to town.

Florida is not good and coming to our place. This is a team we need to beat. At some point, we need to start winning these games and this is as good of an opportunity that exists in the past two years to get a big time victory as we've had. Yes, we're young and a little this, but this staff has got to have a point in which they get over the hump, if they are going to be successful here.

I've always thought that this is a staff that has a ceiling of about 9-3 or so every year. Winning this Saturday will mean a lot towards pushing beyond that set of expectations. They need this win, not just a good showing.
Click to expand...

Nope on virtually your whole approach to what winning in the SEC is about. Beating Florida on a down year will only be ... beating a normally good team ON A DOWN YEAR.

The "fork" you're talking about is Missouri if we haven't found that 5th win before Vanderbilt.

That said, as we had so pointedly driven home against Georgia, only a few injuries, serious or not, can change the face of the game, and the season.
 
#20
#20
We saw Florida get abused by Alabama. Not Kentucky -- Alabama. Kentucky played very well, but they're still a question mark. They didn't look very impressive against Vandy, but Vandy has been playing significantly better since losing to Ole Miss.

I think we should win. I've said that elsewhere. I'm just not sure we will. I really hope we do. I just want this monkey off our backs.
 
#22
#22
norrislakevol said:
I would say that it is a game that we should EXPECT to win considering how Florida's offense is about as effective as teats on a bull. Still doesn't make it a MUST win.
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It's a must win or I think fans will get a bit dismayed. All the progress we have shown with moral victories with OU and UGA will be seen as only moral victories. A win and those 'moral victories' will be viewed as evidence of real progress and that this team knows what it takes to win.

Current 2-2
UF 3-2
UTC 4-2 (maybe be ranked by then)
*Miss 4-3
ALA 4-4
*USCjr 4-5
UK 5-5
Missouri 6-5
Vandy 7-5

Two monkeys Tennessee needs to get off their back. Florida and a road win against an SEC team.

I think we actually finish 8-4 and we either beat USC or Ole Miss. But at this point while I think a 6-6 season is still a real possibility it will also be a real disappointment.

6-6 Disappointed but expected. Will hear constant ridicule from opposing fans about how we keep saying 'this is the year we turn it around'. Will show we only did what was expected, nothing more. Plus it puts us with the possibility of another losing season if we lose our bowl game.
7-5 Happy with where the program is heading.
8-4 Elated fan base, Top 5 recruiting class. End of year Top 25 ranking, Preseason 2015 Top 25 ranking.
9-4 And Win the Bowl Game.. Can't even imagine.

Putting it in perspective we need to win Saturday.


2014 We break our losing streak against UF (Home Game)

2015 We break our losing streak against UGA (Home Game)

2016 We break our losing streak against ALABUBBA (Home Game)
 
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#24
#24
fade route said:
The only thing that makes me nervous is that it is a must win for Florida too.
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It's certainly a must win for Muschamp.

But you have to wonder if the team is 100% onboard with him at this point.

We saw the Vols quit on Dooley numerous times. I think part of that had to due with the fact that they no longer believed in him or wanted him as their head coach.

We may see the same thing happen on Saturday to the Gators.
 
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#25
#25
florida's talent is down and their program is in disarray---this is the year that UT should get an easy win! Vols roll over that bad defense--38 - 16! Worley lights it up for big plays all day!!
 
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