We Beat Bama in 2014

[KBVol]

Which logically has absolutely nothing to do with the outcome of this years game...



If you had to bet your retirement savings on the outcome of the Tennessee-Florida game, you're going to pick a disfunctional, poorly-coached team on the road coming off of a 4-7 season solely on the basis of a prior winning streak? Sorry, that's just stupid.

You go ahead and bet your money on the team that has 4 consecutive losing seasons and has lost the last 9 consecutive games to Florida.

I'll take the team that will get a ton of injured players back, their QB back, who won 11 games 2 years ago when they were healthy, and who generally owns UT.

Who's making the stupid bet??

 

[KBVol]

The matchup looks somewhat even on paper, but that doesn't account for the fact that (1) the game will be played at Neyland Stadium - UT's first SEC home game of the year; and (2) Tennessee has far better coaching. An underrated aspect of "coaching" is year-to-year continuity, and the fact that we have the exact same assistant coaching staff we did last year should give us an advantage over a team trying to implement a new offense.

Personnel wise, I don't think Florida can keep up with our big-play offense. Our defense is still pretty lousy, but the infusion of speed arriving later this summer should limit the amount of broken plays and special teams touchdowns we gave up last year.

If you were an objective Las Vegas odds maker, woudn't you pick UT to win this game by about 7-10 points? I don't think it'll be close.

Delusional.

 

[bamawriter]

The matchup looks somewhat even on paper, but that doesn't account for the fact that... (2) Tennessee has far better coaching.

What are you basing this assessment on? I'm not suggesting that Jones isn't a better coach than Muschamp, but how can you say that he's "far better" at this point in time?

An underrated aspect of "coaching" is year-to-year continuity, and the fact that we have the exact same assistant coaching staff we did last year should give us an advantage over a team trying to implement a new offense.

Continuity is a good thing. But change does not always equal a step back. UT had the exact same staff that coached a 5-7 season. UF made changes after going 4-8. Is there not logic behind both approaches?

Personnel wise, I don't think Florida can keep up with our big-play offense.

Where did this big play offense come from? The spring game? It is really, really dangerous to rest your hopes (or fears) on what you saw during a scrimmage.

If you were an objective Las Vegas odds maker, woudn't you pick UT to win this game by about 7-10 points? I don't think it'll be close.

Absolutely not. If I were an oddsmaker, I might be inclined to favor UT since the game is in Knoxville. But there is no way I'm giving Florida a touchdown or more. Not until I see both teams actually play a real game.

 

[VOLnMiami]

if we are healthy and start dobbs and have all of are starters on offense playing.

It's ok kid, I remember my first beer too.:givemebeer: Give it some time and the effects will wear off.

 

[KBVol]

You call kb irrational then indicate Florida will be an "easy" win.

Tennessee has beaten Florida by double digits once in the last 20 years.

I can't remember the last time Tennessee had an "easy" win over an sec team with a pulse.

There are big problems with both clubs right now.

Don't forget that I'm also stupid 99. Stupid for thinking that the team who's won the last 9 games vs UT, who won 11 games 2 years ago, who had an unbelievable rash of injuries last year leading to their 4 win season..... I'm stupid for thinking they're gonna beat a team with less talent, a brand new OL and DL, a team that has exactly one SEC win of note the last 4 years. Yeah, where's the logic in that?

 

[KBVol]

What are you basing this assessment on? I'm not suggesting that Jones isn't a better coach than Muschamp, but how can you say that he's "far better" at this point in time?



Continuity is a good thing. But change does not always equal a step back. UT had the exact same staff that coached a 5-7 season. UF made changes after going 4-8. Is there not logic behind both approaches?



Where did this big play offense come from? The spring game? It is really, really dangerous to rest your hopes (or fears) on what you saw during a scrimmage.



Absolutely not. If I were an oddsmaker, I might be inclined to favor UT since the game is in Knoxville. But there is no way I'm giving Florida a touchdown or more. Not until I see both teams actually play a real game.

Logical, well thought out. Any chance AboveAll sees any of it? Would like to see the Vegas odds on that.

 

[VOLnMiami]

The matchup looks somewhat even on paper, but that doesn't account for the fact that (1) the game will be played at Neyland Stadium - UT's first SEC home game of the year; and (2) Tennessee has far better coaching. An underrated aspect of "coaching" is year-to-year continuity, and the fact that we have the exact same assistant coaching staff we did last year should give us an advantage over a team trying to implement a new offense.

Personnel wise, I don't think Florida can keep up with our big-play offense. Our defense is still pretty lousy, but the infusion of speed arriving later this summer should limit the amount of broken plays and special teams touchdowns we gave up last year.

If you were an objective Las Vegas odds maker, woudn't you pick UT to win this game by about 7-10 points? I don't think it'll be close.

(1) Since when has home field advantage ever helped UT against Alabama?...They beat us just as bad at Neyland as at their home...Plus they bring as many fans to our house as we do which is sad but true...(2)You must be stoned out of your damned mind to think our coaching staff is even on par with Saban and crew..You are quickly becoming the laughing stock of the year poster on VN...(3) What big play offense are you talking about?...UT doesn't have a big play offense...If you are going by what you saw the other day then you are more delusional than otherwise thought...(4) We have not beaten Florida in 9 years...99% of those games were not even close and even with crappy teams they beat us...Not sure what world you are living in to think we suddenly are going to just destroy them but damn man come back own to earth.

 

[AboveAllNations]

Don't forget that I'm also stupid 99. Stupid for thinking that the team who's won the last 9 games vs UT, who won 11 games 2 years ago, who had an unbelievable rash of injuries last year leading to their 4 win season..... I'm stupid for thinking they're gonna beat a team with less talent, a brand new OL and DL, a team that has exactly one SEC win of note the last 4 years. Yeah, where's the logic in that?

Winning streaks that have nothing to do with current players or coaching staffs have ZERO relevance in determining the outcome of a football game. You can ask Derek Dooley how Kentucky just rolled over and forfeited against us in 2011 given how we'd won 26 games in row before then. Will Muschamp has cultivated that same stench of failure and incompetence that Dooley had marinating at UT by late 2011.

Two years ago is ancient in college football. Almost every starter from Florida's 2012 team is gone, and I doubt any non-Florida fan could name you one non-QB player on their offense.

Tennessee is a program clearly on an upward trajectory. Whoever emerges at QB should be just fine handing off to Jalen Hurd and throwing it up to one of the best WR corps in the country, regardless of who we plug in at OL. Our defense admittedly still sucks, but I'm banking on it being good enough to contain a crappy Florida offense in a hostile environment.

 

[99gator]

the basic problem that i have in having confidence in tennessee is the areas where florida has been bad, make that BAD, have flourished against tennessee.

generally speaking, the gators are going to play good defense.

they have had bad qb play.....not against tennessee.

they have had bad o-line play.....not against tennessee.

they have struggled to generate big plays.....not against tennessee.

florida qb's have gone 53-86 for 766 6 td's and 1 int in the last 4 years. they have rushed 22 times for 174 yards. we're talking john brantley, jeff driskel and tyler murphy here.

 

[VolFan4Life87]

This "momentum" you're talking about was more a reflection of the fact that Florida was always the best opponent on our schedule every year, while we always looked good finishing up with back-to-back cupcake wins over Vanderbilt and Kentucky.

And, yes, we host Florida this year on October 4th - after we play two better teams (Oklahoma and Georgia) on the road. I think Florida will be an easy win for us, notwithstanding the irrational defeatism of cowardly Negavols like KBVOL.

Yes, how dare that Negavol draw conclusions from the past 20 years of games played between the two respective teams. Let us sing rocky top until our vocal chords ache whilst we tar and feather this VFL imposter!

 

[bullet20]

The matchup looks somewhat even on paper, but that doesn't account for the fact that (1) the game will be played at Neyland Stadium - UT's first SEC home game of the year; and (2) Tennessee has far better coaching. An underrated aspect of "coaching" is year-to-year continuity, and the fact that we have the exact same assistant coaching staff we did last year should give us an advantage over a team trying to implement a new offense.

Personnel wise, I don't think Florida can keep up with our big-play offense. Our defense is still pretty lousy, but the infusion of speed arriving later this summer should limit the amount of broken plays and special teams touchdowns we gave up last year.

If you were an objective Las Vegas odds maker, woudn't you pick UT to win this game by about 7-10 points? I don't think it'll be close.

:jawdrop:

 

[AboveAllNations]

What are you basing this assessment on? I'm not suggesting that Jones isn't a better coach than Muschamp, but how can you say that he's "far better" at this point in time?.

Butch Jones overachieved with a slow, inexperienced team in 2013, and he's proven he can win conference championships at each of his previous head coaching gigs. By contrast, Will Muschamp's team flat quit on him last year. I don't care what he's done as an assistant coach elsewhere; last year is all the evidence you need to give UT a big advantage here.

Continuity is a good thing. But change does not always equal a step back. UT had the exact same staff that coached a 5-7 season. UF made changes after going 4-8. Is there not logic behind both approaches?

I think Jones and his staff did a solid job with a terrible roster, so that 5-7 record (including a win over South Carolina and a loss to Georgia on a fluke play) isn't anything to be embarrassed about. You're also right that Florida needed to clean house, but, short of replaicing Muschamp, they're simply rearranging the deck chairs on the Titantic at this point.

Where did this big play offense come from? The spring game? It is really, really dangerous to rest your hopes (or fears) on what you saw during a scrimmage.

Last year, Butch Jones had our QBs on training wheels since we had a strong offensive line and had to play ball control to stay close in games we had no business being in (South Carolina, Georgia). This year, the script is flipped; we're green and undersized at OL, but our skill positions are going to be talented. Yes, I'm basing this partially on the Orange and White game, but we've got no choice but to air it out more this year.

Absolutely not. If I were an oddsmaker, I might be inclined to favor UT since the game is in Knoxville. But there is no way I'm giving Florida a touchdown or more. Not until I see both teams actually play a real game.

Just wait. We're going to curb-stomp Utah State on national television, then play closer-than-expected in shootout losses to Oklahoma and Georgia. We're going to be playing our first home SEC game with a tremendous amount of confidence, and, yes, we will exercise a lot of pent-up demons in beating down Florida by double digits. MARK IT!!!

 

[VolFan4Life87]

Winning streaks that have nothing to do with current players or coaching staffs have ZERO relevance in determining the outcome of a football game. You can ask Derek Dooley how Kentucky just rolled over and forfeited against us in 2011 given how we'd won 26 games in row before then. Will Muschamp has cultivated that same stench of failure and incompetence that Dooley had marinating at UT by late 2011.

Two years ago is ancient in college football. Almost every starter from Florida's 2012 team is gone, and I doubt any non-Florida fan could name you one non-QB player on their offense.

Tennessee is a program clearly on an upward trajectory. Whoever emerges at QB should be just fine handing off to Jalen Hurd and throwing it up to one of the best WR corps in the country, regardless of who we plug in at OL. Our defense admittedly still sucks, but I'm banking on it being good enough to contain a crappy Florida offense in a hostile environment.

Exactly - but we are still far away from reaching the "stationary" trend of our trajectory. I will say this - I feel better about our chances vs Florida this year than I did about last year.

Also, some people take it the wrong way and a little too personally when fellow VOL fans do not predict a victory for their team. We all WANT that victory, but we each predict different outcomes for all different sorts of things because we're all different people. It shouldn't be interpreted as being a "fake fan" or "defeatist." The lone exception is when a fan says something to the effect of "We're going to lose to them, so I'm not even going to watch it." - THAT is crap, and I think 99% of people still on this message board after the abysmal years we've had do not have that mentality. JMHO:hi:

 

[VOLnMiami]

the basic problem that i have in having confidence in tennessee is the areas where florida has been bad, make that BAD, have flourished against tennessee.

generally speaking, the gators are going to play good defense.

they have had bad qb play.....not against tennessee.

they have had bad o-line play.....not against tennessee.

they have struggled to generate big plays.....not against tennessee.

florida qb's have gone 53-86 for 766 6 td's and 1 int in the last 4 years. they have rushed 22 times for 174 yards. we're talking john brantley, jeff driskel and tyler murphy here.

Thanks for the reminder....God I hate you guys :finger3:

 

[MWAVolfan]

The matchup looks somewhat even on paper, but that doesn't account for the fact that (1) the game will be played at Neyland Stadium - UT's first SEC home game of the year; and (2) Tennessee has far better coaching. An underrated aspect of "coaching" is year-to-year continuity, and the fact that we have the exact same assistant coaching staff we did last year should give us an advantage over a team trying to implement a new offense.

Personnel wise, I don't think Florida can keep up with our big-play offense. Our defense is still pretty lousy, but the infusion of speed arriving later this summer should limit the amount of broken plays and special teams touchdowns we gave up last year.

If you were an objective Las Vegas odds maker, woudn't you pick UT to win this game by about 7-10 points? I don't think it'll be close.

I'm just guessing this "prediction" is based on the spring game?

"Big play offense"? Really? You mean the same offense in which Butch Jones cant decide which of his four crappy QBs will be the starter?

If you're going to use the spring game as a reference, just look at how many points the D gave up.

In 2012, I thought if we dont beat Florida this year, we never will. We had a gunslinger for a QB (although he was also a degenerate turd) and a serious group of offensive threats. We held off the beating until the second half, but in the end were once again embarrassed on national TV.

when Tennessee is up and Florida is up, Florida wins. when Tennessee is down and Florida is down, Florida still wins. I will never ever ever predict a victory over Florida until it actually happens on a consistent basis.

You also cant point to a single thing that UT has done on the field to back up that UT's coaching staff is "far better" than Florida's. At best, it's to-be-determined.

 

[AboveAllNations]

(1) Since when has home field advantage ever helped UT against Alabama?...They beat us just as bad at Neyland as at their home...Plus they bring as many fans to our house as we do which is sad but true...(2)You must be stoned out of your damned mind to think our coaching staff is even on par with Saban and crew..You are quickly becoming the laughing stock of the year poster on VN...(3) What big play offense are you talking about?...UT doesn't have a big play offense...If you are going by what you saw the other day then you are more delusional than otherwise thought...(4) We have not beaten Florida in 9 years...99% of those games were not even close and even with crappy teams they beat us...Not sure what world you are living in to think we suddenly are going to just destroy them but damn man come back own to earth.

I'm talking about the Florida game, genius. I'm trying to argue some sense into cowards and masochists who think games from a decade ago have any effect on the outcome of a football game in 2014.

 

[MWAVolfan]

I'm talking about the Florida game, genius. I'm trying to argue some sense into cowards and masochists who think games from a decade ago have any effect on the outcome of a football game in 2014.

Well then as a reference point, lets just use games played while Muschamp was coach. Or maybe games played while CBJ was coach. Or maybe that's not relevant either?

 

[MWAVolfan]

I'm talking about the Florida game, genius. I'm trying to argue some sense into cowards and masochists who think games from a decade ago have any effect on the outcome of a football game in 2014.

Exactly how many years in a row have you predicted a UT victory over Florida?
#boywhocriedvictory

 

[AboveAllNations]

Exactly - but we are still far away from reaching the "stationary" trend of our trajectory. I will say this - I feel better about our chances vs Florida this year than I did about last year.

Also, some people take it the wrong way and a little too personally when fellow VOL fans do not predict a victory for their team. We all WANT that victory, but we each predict different outcomes for all different sorts of things because we're all different people. It shouldn't be interpreted as being a "fake fan" or "defeatist." The lone exception is when a fan says something to the effect of "We're going to lose to them, so I'm not even going to watch it." - THAT is crap, and I think 99% of people still on this message board after the abysmal years we've had do not have that mentality. JMHO:hi:

I agree with you completely, VolFan4Life. People are entitled to be realistic and cautious when it's warranted (e.g., with our chances against Alabama, Oklahoma, or any other ranked team in 2014). But when a UT "fan" claims that a game against a 4-8 opponent is "as close to [a] 100% [loss] as you can get in 2014," and that he has to "assume Florida continues to be an annual loss" on the basis of a winning streak that began under completely different coaching regimes, that's just dumb. There's no need for civility when you confront such assinine, susperstitious defeatism from somebody claiming to be a UT fan.

 

[bamawriter]

Butch Jones overachieved with a slow, inexperienced team in 2013,

Beating USCe was certainly a big deal. But other than that, where was the over achievement? Playing a beat up UGA close? That's kind of a low bar.

and he's proven he can win conference championships at each of his previous head coaching gigs.

Yes, Jones has proven that he can win or tie for conference titles when he takes over teams built by Brian Kelly. I'm not sure that's the same as taking over a team built by Derek Dooley, but I suppose we'll find out soon enough.

By contrast, Will Muschamp's team flat quit on him last year. I don't care what he's done as an assistant coach elsewhere; last year is all the evidence you need to give UT a big advantage here.

Muschamp's team was so beat up that I'm not sure how you can quantify "quitting". They may have, I don't know.

I think Jones and his staff did a solid job with a terrible roster, so that 5-7 record (including a win over South Carolina and a loss to Georgia on a fluke play) isn't anything to be embarrassed about. You're also right that Florida needed to clean house, but, short of replaicing Muschamp, they're simply rearranging the deck chairs on the Titantic at this point.

They are two years removed from an 11 win season. I'm not sold on Muschamp by any stretch, but I think the rumors of his demise may be a tad exaggerated.

Last year, Butch Jones had our QBs on training wheels since we had a strong offensive line and had to play ball control to stay close in games we had no business being in (South Carolina, Georgia). This year, the script is flipped; we're green and undersized at OL, but our skill positions are going to be talented. Yes, I'm basing this partially on the Orange and White game, but we've got no choice but to air it out more this year.

Having a solid offensive line is generally key for explosive plays in the passing game. But UT's line may be pretty solid, and you may wind up being correct. But I think you're jumping to conclusions at the moment.

Just wait. We're going to curb-stomp Utah State on national television, then play closer-than-expected in shootout losses to Oklahoma and Georgia. We're going to be playing our first home SEC game with a tremendous amount of confidence, and, yes, we will exercise a lot of pent-up demons in beating down Florida by double digits. MARK IT!!!

None of those things have happened yet. You made the assumption that a objective bookmaker would spot UF 7-10 points against UT, and I said that there is no way in the world anyone would do that at the moment. If all of the things you just mentioned wind up happening, and UF continues to look mediocre, then sure, the line might wind up pretty big. But no one in his right mind would offer that kind of line at the moment.

 

[volsof09]

MY mindset has any bearing on how UT is gonna play? You serious?

I'll be pulling for them no matter what, like I have for every single game over the last few decades. If you're all emotional like this and embarrassed by a post from a guy you don't even know then that's on you.

After our record vs Florida the last generation, I'm gonna have to see them actually win a few games and be competitive before I'm gonna actually predict a win vs Florida. I'll be hoping they win, pulling like hell they win.... but I won't believe they're gonna win VS FLORIDA, until I actually see it....and it won't matter even a little bit on the outcome either way.

Nobody is being emotional dude just chill out. All I am saying is that all you been posting about is how Tennessee will probably never beat UF in your lifetime and all this other stuff. But yet your still going to pull for Tennessee when they play UF and hope they win. Really Man?
That's why I'm glad they let the players play and not the fans because the game would be lossed before its even played.

 

[AboveAllNations]

Exactly how many years in a row have you predicted a UT victory over Florida?
#boywhocriedvictory

I may be mistaken, but 2012 was probably the only year since 2004 where we were actually favored to win the Florida game. I certainly didn't brim with optimism facing any of the Tebow / Meyer teams from the mid-to-late2000s, and I didn't think we had a chance in Gainesville last year.

I did believe we'd win in 2012, and we actually were winning for most of the game until that epic second-half collapse. This year, however, I think we should beat Florida easily. It's a favorable matchup on paper, it's a home game, and it'll be the perfect milestone marker for the fates of both football programs for the rest of this decade.

 

[AboveAllNations]

None of those things have happened yet. You made the assumption that a objective bookmaker would spot UF 7-10 points against UT, and I said that there is no way in the world anyone would do that at the moment. If all of the things you just mentioned wind up happening, and UF continues to look mediocre, then sure, the line might wind up pretty big. But no one in his right mind would offer that kind of line at the moment.

Obviously, Las Vegas doesn't set point spreads for games months in advance. But if I had to pick a team to cover a line in that October 4th game, today, and my life depended on it, I would go with Tennessee if the spread were anything less than 7.

"At the moment," Tennessee is a talented 5-7 team coming off of an exciting Spring game; Florida is still rehabbing the majority of players that anybody else has heard of from a team that went 4-8 last year.

 

[MWAVolfan]

This is the crap that's embarrassing. The teams own fan base don't even believe they have a chance. I'm sure as hell glad players don't read these message boards. Have some confidence in your team man damn. I don't care what the series has been like over the years but if you have that mind set that were going to lose before the game starts don't even bother watching it.

I think there's a polarized set of views here.

First, there is a very big difference between saying that UT can beat Florida and predicting a guaranteed massive victory because the game is in Knoxville and because our coaches are supposedly better.

Secondly, you cant say that UT will never beat Florida. You should say that UT CAN beat Florida, but most likely will not. This should be the correct line of thinking until UT actually wins more than one game in a row against Florida. That's not embarrasing, it's just reality. UT made it a reality, so they have to lie in the bed that they made.

 

[KBVol]

Nobody is being emotional dude just chill out. All I am saying is that all you been posting about is how Tennessee will probably never beat UF in your lifetime and all this other stuff. But yet your still going to pull for Tennessee when they play UF and hope they win. Really Man?
That's why I'm glad they let the players play and not the fans because the game would be lossed before its even played.

Exactly. The players play the game and my opinion about whether or not they can beat Florida or not will have zero impact on whether the "loss" the game or not. And yes, I will be pulling for them to win every game, even the ones I suspect they will "loss".

Fwiw, I have confidence that they'll beat USU, Arky St, Chattanooga, Vandy, Missouri and Kentucky. I think we have a good chance to beat Georgia, SCar, and a lesser chance to beat Ole Miss on the road. We have virtually no chance to beat Bama and Oklahoma and I think I've made thoughts on the annual loss, until proven otherwise, to Florida pretty well known.