How much of the Florida "curse" is because its usually the first SEC game of the year?

#1
Dobbs 4 Heisman

Dobbs 4 Heisman

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#1
So I've been a bit perplexed by this fanbase's bizarre fear of the Florida game. Admittedly as a fairweather fan I tend to not follow Tennessee when we suck and only really invest myself in the team when we're good. So from my perspective there is no "curse" cause almost anytime Tennessee has been any good in the last 2 decades (i.e. 2016 and 2022) we've beaten Florida. Outside of 2015 where we lost on the road I can't think of a really good Tennessee team that lost to Florida.

I think because it used to be the first SEC game of the year more loyal fans talked themselves into thinking this would finally be the year Tennessee returns to prominence. Then when a not so good Tennessee team loses to Florida yall chalk it up as a curse rather than simply accepting the reality that Tennessee has been a terrible program since 2004 (outside of a few decent years). If we played Florida at the end of the year every season and both teams were 5-6 heading into the game I doubt many would care that Florida keeps winning a matchup of two bad teams.
 
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#2
#2
Spurrier was a superior coach to Fulmer. He wasn’t better. He was on a completely different level and owned him.

UM was a better coach than CPF and Kiffin didn’t have the horses to win.

We then hired Dooley, Jones and Pruitt and pretty much lost to everyone including Vandy and KY and Mizz.

Since CJH we are one for one now.

Basically we hired 3 idiot coaches in a row and had a low ass buyout for Kiffin because our AD was a total moron.
 
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#4
#4
Carl Pickens said:
I remember during the Fulmer years thinking the Vols would have fared much better later in the season ….. no lie
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Spurrier being the better offensive mastermind has the advantage early in the year because there isn't much game tape to study. Later in the year talent wins out more than x's and o's.
 
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#5
#5
NEO said:
Spurrier was a superior coach to Fulmer. He wasn’t better. He was on a completely different level and owned him.

UM was a better coach than CPF and Kiffin didn’t have the horses to win.

We then hired Dooley, Jones and Pruitt and pretty much lost to everyone including Vandy and KY and Mizz.

Since CJH we are one for one now.

Basically we hired 3 idiot coaches in a row and had a low ass buyout for Kiffin because our AD was a total moron.
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I went to the Swamp when Kiffin was coach. Even wore a Kiffin shirt after he accused UM of recruiting malpractice. Got more than a few jeers from the home team crowd.

You are right that we didn’t have the horses but the team played very hard. We left thinking Kiffin was going to do alright for us (same feeling when he lost to Saban in the Mt Cody game).

What a wild ride that year was.
 
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#6
#6
Nico ee-ah-MAH-LAY-ah-va said:
I went to the Swamp when Kiffin was coach. Even wore a Kiffin shirt after he accused UM of recruiting malpractice. Got more than a few jeers from the home team crowd.

You are right that we didn’t have the horses but the team played very hard. We left thinking Kiffin was going to do alright for us (same feeling when he lost to Saban in the Mt Cody game).

What a wild ride that year was.
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I believe that was the year EB hit Tebow and it was like a wall hitting a wall. I had a ton of hope too. Kiffin would have been amazing with Bray.
 
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#7
#7
NEO said:
Spurrier was a superior coach to Fulmer. He wasn’t better. He was on a completely different level and owned him.

UM was a better coach than CPF and Kiffin didn’t have the horses to win.

We then hired Dooley, Jones and Pruitt and pretty much lost to everyone including Vandy and KY and Mizz.

Since CJH we are one for one now.

Basically we hired 3 idiot coaches in a row and had a low ass buyout for Kiffin because our AD was a total moron.
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Good post. I think it’s more than just mental. UF had better coaching in the 90s and early 2000s. Probably a better roster after UM. We had some bad coaches and empty roster during DD, BJ, and JP.
 
#10
#10
When Fulmer was coach, he seemed to call the game not to lose rather than pull out all the stops and go against trends against the Gators. The players always seemed to play tight, to play not to make a mistake.
 
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#11
#11
NEO said:
Spurrier was a superior coach to Fulmer. He wasn’t better. He was on a completely different level and owned him.

UM was a better coach than CPF and Kiffin didn’t have the horses to win.

We then hired Dooley, Jones and Pruitt and pretty much lost to everyone including Vandy and KY and Mizz.

Since CJH we are one for one now.

Basically we hired 3 idiot coaches in a row and had a low ass buyout for Kiffin because our AD was a total moron.
Click to expand...

Teams have played 31 times since 1993 (first full year of Fulmer)

Florida has had the better coach 25 times and has won 23 of those games

Tennessee has had the better coach 6 times and has won 3 of those games
 
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#12
#12
It's because Florida has typically had more talent and better coaching. We'll see how things go tomorrow. Hopefully our O-line can withstand the pressure, keep the penalties at a minimum, and Nico takes off to make the defense respect the run game and open things up downfield.
 
#13
#13
Dobbs 4 Heisman said:
So I've been a bit perplexed by this fanbase's bizarre fear of the Florida game. Admittedly as a fairweather fan I tend to not follow Tennessee when we suck and only really invest myself in the team when we're good. So from my perspective there is no "curse" cause almost anytime Tennessee has been any good in the last 2 decades (i.e. 2016 and 2022) we've beaten Florida. Outside of 2015 where we lost on the road I can't think of a really good Tennessee team that lost to Florida.

I think because it used to be the first SEC game of the year more loyal fans talked themselves into thinking this would finally be the year Tennessee returns to prominence. Then when a not so good Tennessee team loses to Florida yall chalk it up as a curse rather than simply accepting the reality that Tennessee has been a terrible program since 2004 (outside of a few decent years). If we played Florida at the end of the year every season and both teams were 5-6 heading into the game I doubt many would care that Florida keeps winning a matchup of two bad teams.
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So Florida is better at being prepared earlier in the year before injuries and everything set in? Yeah, that's a real big comforting thought there. :rolleyes:
 
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#14
#14
Dobbs 4 Heisman said:
Admittedly as a fairweather fan I tend to not follow Tennessee when we suck and only really invest myself in the team when we're good. So
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Can't believe someone who takes as much **** on here as you would actually come out and post this. We've had like 3 or 4 good teams in the last 20 years.....why are you even here? I'm surprised you aren't a Bama or UGA fan by now....
 
#15
#15
I’ve seen enough games against UF that I will never count them as an automatic win. It seems like UT always find a new creative way to lose to them. Even in 2022 they almost pulled it off at the last second.
 
#16
#16
NEO said:
Spurrier was a superior coach to Fulmer. He wasn’t better. He was on a completely different level and owned him.

UM was a better coach than CPF and Kiffin didn’t have the horses to win.

We then hired Dooley, Jones and Pruitt and pretty much lost to everyone including Vandy and KY and Mizz.

Since CJH we are one for one now.

Basically we hired 3 idiot coaches in a row and had a low ass buyout for Kiffin because our AD was a total moron.
Click to expand...
Agree, Spurrier was much better than Fulmer
 
#19
#19
Berry4Heisman14 said:
He’s always been a fair weather fan and has never hidden it. It’s more likely honestly he’s just a troll and a fan of another team.
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It's funny how after all these years there's still a handful of you guys that say things like that several times a year, every year, but still let him get to you.

honey-you-have-to-let-go-let-it-go.gif
 
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#21
#21
Berry4Heisman14 said:
He’s always been a fair weather fan and has never hidden it. It’s more likely honestly he’s just a troll and a fan of another team.
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No... he's a fair weather fan.

Why would he be a fan of someone else when he can't be a real fan of his own team?
 
#22
#22
NEO said:
I believe that was the year EB hit Tebow and it was like a wall hitting a wall. I had a ton of hope too. Kiffin would have been amazing with Bray.
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It was! I remember that hit as we were sitting pretty close to it. The whole stadium erupted like Tebow crushed him, but EB was way smaller and totally killed Tebow's momentum on that hit. Even though Tebow fell forward, you could tell EB left his mark on him. Damn I miss EB.
 
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