Date: Sept. 13
Time: 8:00pm ET CBS
Why to tune in:
What did the Volunteers have to do to get their first four games to all be at the friendly confines of Neyland Stadium? Before its convincing 35-18 victory over California in the opening week of the season, Tennessee was 5-9 under coach Phillip Fulmer against top 10 teams. Urban Meyer will travel to Knoxville for the first time as a head coach, but he has experience coaching against Fulmer as the Gators beat UT 16-7 in Gainesville last year. Although Florida comes into this game ranked #7, it really didn’t fair well on the road last year, going just 1-3 in the SEC. With both of these teams vying for supremacy in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference, this is shaping up to be a one of the biggest games in a weekend chalked full of great showdowns.
When Florida has the ball:
Florida is ranked number four in the nation through the air and with Chris Leak already throwing for 600 yards in two games; he’s ready to roll. Meyer loves to spread the field with multiple receiver sets and run the misdirection to try and open up lanes for his backs. Leak has seven touchdowns and loves to get the ball in the hands of his favorite target Dallas Baker. Tennessee will be without cornerback Inky Johnson who may never play football again since having to undergo vascular surgery to repair torn blood vessels in his right shoulder area and faces additional surgery to correct nerve damage in his right shoulder and arm. The Vols will counter with Jonathan Hefney who will move from free safety to cornerback to replace while Demetrice Morley entering the starting lineup at safety. The UT defense did get a lift when DT Justin Harrell, after being declared out for the season with a ruptured left biceps tendon, decided to push back his surgery so he could play more game against Florida.
When Tennessee has the ball:
The Vols love to throw the ball themselves, but will be tested by an extremely talented secondary of the Gators. Florida has given up an average of just over 78 yards through the air in two games and gets great play out of Reggie Johnson, Tony Joiner and Reggie Lewis. The play of Florida’s secondary won’t stop Erik Ainge (who also has over 600 yards passing in two games) from trying to get Robert Meachem involved early. Meachem has close to 300 yards receiving and four touchdowns. UT will split carries with Montario Hardesty and Arian Foster, but Foster left the game last week against Air Force because of an ankle injury. If he can’t go, Hardesty can handle the load, but look for Fulmer to run off tackle to counter Florida’s tough run defense and limit whichever runner he uses to one cut so they can get as much positive yards before contact.
Prediction:
After a heralding performance by Tennessee in the rout over California, the Volunteers almost succumbed to looking past Air Force in a one-point victory last week. Although it seems like Fulmer has his team playing at a high level at home again, his defense is really banged up and the Gators have to be chomping at the bits to throw the ball all over that remade secondary. Fulmer will try to use a balanced attack against Florida and try to keep the Gators off-balanced throughout the game. However, if Florida just has to key on one facet of Tennessee’s game, the Gators can swarm on defense and possibly cause a key turnover or two and turn the Volunteer’s momentum upside down.
Florida shows it is better equipped for big games on the road this year: Florida 30, Tennessee 21.
