Vols favored by 8.5 @ Florida

#76
#76
Jaws said:
Last year was a very close game in Knoxville. I haven’t watched a ton TN so far, but I have seen good chunks of both games, and of course followed along here as much as I can. It seems to me, TN is not near as good on offense as last year, and about the same on defense as last year? Florida appears to be better on defense, but not as explosive on offense because Mertz is a much different QB than AR was. TN probably gets a pretty good idea on how to affect FL based on a pitiful performance vs Utah. I do think FL will play inspired and motivated by being in the Swamp at night. So overall, no reason to think this won’t be a reasonably close game again. I will not trust FL until they’ve earned my trust, so I think TN is the 6-7 range is a reasonable bet.
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Tennessee is better on defense, in my estimation. Competition has been poor, but we have 11 sacks already, which leads the SEC. Best UT defense I’ve seen since I’ve been watching (2010). Maybe 2015 was better, but that’s definitely it. 2015 might have had a few better individual players with Barnett, Sutton and Reeves-Maybin, but this defense has a lot more talent and depth in total than that one imo. Now watch Florida drop 40 on us after I said that, but going into this game, I feel good about the defense. The offense is proving to be one dimensional so far, but Jaylen Wright is one hell of a RB.
 
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#77
#77
jasonvol18 said:
They also played in Utah, not the swamp.We haven't won there in 20 years. I'd be nervous regardless of how AP went. When you haven't won somewhere in 20 yrs and had the better team several of those years, it's hard to see us winning there until we actually do it. Just like the ones saying we will beat Ala is Tusc this year. Haven't won there in forever and not won 2 in a row in 2 decades. How did Texas beat them? Beat them with chunk plays, same as us last year. I haven't seen a passing chunk play from Milton yet this year.

I'm honestly shocked we are favored by 7.5- 8.5. Hopefully we break out Sat, but so far nothing says we will.
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We’ve lost 9 games in a row in the Swamp and I think we’ve had the better team once, maybe twice, if I’m being honest. Let’s go through the years.

2005: No
2007: No
2009: Heck no
2011: No
2013: No, Florida was good early and tanked late.
2015: Yes, that UT team was really good and we absolutely should’ve won that game.
2017: Maybe, the teams were pretty equal that year.
2019: Heck no
2021: No, we hadn’t hit our stride yet.

This is the first year I can ever remember UT being considered clearly better than Florida heading into the game. 2015, I remember it being a coin flip heading into it and we lost by 1.
 
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#80
#80
we can win this game big
we can also lose this game

unfortunately, after this AP performance, I don't know how to predict this now (sadly)
 
#81
#81
Kylo said:
I didn't say they wouldn't win. But they won't cover.
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Okay, sorry I misread that. Still never say no chance. There is no doubt a chance. Better than you probably realize. I just hate when folks throw down absolutes. GBO
 
#82
#82
THEONLYTENISEE said:
AP showed the blueprint, it’s all about controlling the clock. I look for Florida to stick to the run and stack the box on defense.
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Uh...what blue print? How to hold every play and get away with it? How to try to injure players and get away with it?

Get real.
 
#85
#85
I’d say say Gators by 3 scores. Napier is coaching for his job and this would be a signature win. UT won a nailbiter last year. In the Swamp, i think Gators win comfortably.
 
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#86
#86
May be just BVS, but I’ve seen this play out too many previous trips down there. This could be the Napier era launching point and a career game for whoever they trot out at QB.
 
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#87
#87
NeverWe'llSever said:
This is the first year I can ever remember UT being considered clearly better than Florida heading into the game. 2015, I remember it being a coin flip heading into it and we lost by 1.
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I was at that 2015 game in the swamp. Should have been a Vols win. Dobbs absolutely owned the gators that day. That was a team that had it 90% figured out, and just couldn’t close out games.

This game is going to be a very strong indicator of where we are as a program. We had a great year last year, and there is some obvious improvement from last year in several areas, especially defense. This game will show us whether we have a winning system, or did we just have winning players last year? There is no doubt that we have taken a step back on offensive talent. Can we win anyway? I would argue that a win in the swamp would be CJH’s best win as a Vol. It’s at least second. The LSU win was big, but it’s just not the history we have with Florida and Bama.

Regardless, Saturday night we’re going to know a lot more about our Vols…..and I think we’re going to be very happy.
 
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#88
#88
A lot of our boys were not alive the last time we won down there.

I can feel the ghosts of Travis Stephens and the Prowler Defense coming alive…….

VOLS by Fiddy .
 
#89
#89
17Vols said:
Yup. This is one of those weird matchups that seems to have more to do with the teams psyche than talent level. We need to get over the mental hurdle of losing for so long in Gainesville first. I think this is the year, despite what I saw yesterday, but it‘s probably going to be a gut wrenching struggle. Might even require a late comeback. if we win it’ll be close
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This has all the makings of what I think to be the ugliest game we play all year. I have absolutely 0 confidence, and actually picked us to lose this game before the season even started. I don’t care how crappy UF is, it’s still Florida, we’re still TN, and it’s in the swamp. I don’t like our odds.
 
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#92
#92
TeacherVol007 said:
This has all the makings of what I think to be the ugliest game we play all year. I have absolutely 0 confidence, and actually picked us to lose this game before the season even started. I don’t care how crappy UF is, it’s still Florida, we’re still TN, and it’s in the swamp. I don’t like our odds.
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#96
#96
Other_Guy said:
Utah almost lost to a Baylor team that lost to Texas state. They never had any worry of losing to Florida. I was feeling really good about this one. Then Austin Peay happened. Now I'm not sure Tenn wins.
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You can do the well they beat so and so and they beat so and so.....all day long by circular games. We did that one year having ETSU as National champions by virtue of them beating I think was NC state who beat Clemson who beat I for get but it went all way to the Natty winner had lost to one of the teams earlier in a chain of wins. Unfortunately it doesn't work that way every game takes on its own dynamics. It can be turnovers, it can be reffing, it can be injury to key player, bad coaching , a key player getting in a zone and on and on but every game takes on its own dynamic, what makes Football so interesting.
 
#100
#100
I’m betting big on UT on this one. 8.5 is too low. I’m expecting a 20+ point win. APeay was about lack of focus. You think our guys won’t be focused for uf? Uf is a really bad team.
 
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