GAINESVILLE, Fla.(AP) — No. 22 Tennessee seemingly has its finest probability in additional than twenty years to have a good time within the Swamp.
The Volunteers (7-3, 3-3 Southeastern Convention) have misplaced 10 in a row in Gainesville, a skid that started earlier than Tim Tebow arrived on campus. 5 earlier Florida coaches — City Meyer, Will Muschamp, Jim McElwain, Dan Mullen and Billy Napier — by no means misplaced to Tennessee at Florida Discipline.
However these Gators are getable. Florida (3-7, 2-5) has dropped three straight underneath interim coach Billy Gonzales, and the group’s shedding streak in all probability could be 5 had Mississippi State not inexplicably thrown an interception in the final minute within the Swamp final month.
Tennessee’s losses, in the meantime, have come towards three potential College Football Playoff contributors: No. 4 Georgia, eighth-ranked Oklahoma and No. 10 Alabama. The Volunteers are 4 1/2-point favorites, in response to BetMGM.
Tennessee’s final win in Gainesville got here in 2003, a 24-10 upset led by quarterback Casey Clausen and coach Phillip Fulmer.
“It’s undoubtedly one thing we’re discussing and one thing that’s on our thoughts,” Vols middle Sam Pendleton mentioned. “It’s not essentially one thing that we’re like rah-rahing round.
“Nevertheless it’s one thing that we wish to make the most of and type of go down there with one thing on our thoughts — a aim in thoughts for positive.”
It’s not now or by no means for Tennessee. However it’s the final yr of the rivalry in its present iteration. The sequence has been performed yearly since 1990, however received’t be an annual occasion as soon as the league strikes to nine-game schedules in 2026.
The Gators, in fact, would like to see their dominance within the sequence proceed. They’re 26-9 towards Tennessee since 1990, together with 15-2 in Gainesville.
“It’s a really massive deal going through a rival,” Florida linebacker Aaron Chiles mentioned. “We’re prepared to make it private, it being a rivalry sport. We’re simply attempting to go on the market and get one other win for my seniors and end the season out robust.”
Florida will acknowledge Meyer through the sport, saluting him earlier than he’s formally inducted into the Nationwide Soccer Basis School Corridor of Fame in Las Vegas on Dec. 9.
Meyer went 65-15 over six years (2005-10) at Florida, profitable nationwide championships in 2006 and 2008. He was 36-5 within the Swamp.
Gonzales plans to have Meyer converse to the group earlier than the sport.
The Volunteers have one of many quickest offenses within the nation underneath coach Josh Heupel. They lead the SEC and rank third nationally in seconds between performs. That type of tempo issues the Gators, who’ve gotten caught staring on the sidelines a number of instances this season.
Florida defensive deal with Caleb Banks might be on the sphere for simply the second time in 11 video games this season. The senior injured his left foot in coaching camp and re-injured it throughout his season debut, a Week 3 loss at LSU.
He had surgical procedure and is now hoping to do sufficient in two video games to get an invitation to the Senior Bowl and/or the NFL scouting mix.
Florida has signed a contract with Geico to place the insurance coverage firm’s emblem on the sphere for its ultimate two residence video games. The Gators are anticipated to generate roughly $500,000 from every sport within the deal.
The NCAA started permitting company adverts on school fields in 2024.
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