The Florida Gators will take on the Tennessee Volunteers this Saturday night in Knoxville, Tennessee. This will be Florida’s first road game of the season and it will also be Dan Mullen’s first road game as the Florida head coach. Both teams go into this football game with a 2-1 record with losses to FBS programs. This is an extremely important game for both head coaches for the rivalry aspect of the contest as well as for the conference race. Here is the Florida Gators vs Tennessee Volunteers preview.
Tennessee Volunteers
The last time the Vols hosted the Gators, they snapped their 11-game losing streak by scoring 38 unanswered points. They will look to get another win against one of their most hated rivals. The Volunteers offense is led by their young quarterback and running game. Sophomore quarterback Jarrett Guarantano has had a decent start to the season as he has a 72.2 completion percentage with 494 passing yards. He also has two touchdowns and no interceptions. Tennessee’s leading rusher is sophomore Tim Jordan. The running back out of Florida has 48 carries for 232 yards and two touchdowns. Three other running backs the Volunteers use frequently are Ty Chandler, Madre London, and Jeremy Banks. Tennessee’s best receiver is Marquez Callaway has he has 12 receptions for 149 yards.
On defense, the Volunteers are led by their first-year head coach Jeremy Pruitt. Before being hired at UT, Pruitt was the defensive coordinator at Alabama and knows what Mullen likes to do on offense. The Vols will try to stop the Florida rushing attack and make Feleipe Franks beat them through the air. Tennessee has five sacks on the season from five different players. Their leading tackler is redshirt-junior Darrin Kirkland Jr. The linebacker has 17 tackles on the season with a sack and an interception. JUCO transfer Emmitt Gooden is another defensive player to watch as he’s one of Tennessee’s best run stopper. Gooden leads the team in tackles for loss with four and also has a sack.
Florida Gators
The Gators will look to have a better game against an SEC opponent as they lost to Kentucky two weeks ago. Franks has improved a lot from last season at the quarterback position and will look to have another memorable game against Tennessee. Franks threw a 63-yard Hail Mary to Tyrie Cleveland to beat the Volunteers. The Gators know Franks has a big arm but they will likely be more focused on establishing the run. Jordan Scarlett, Lamical Perine, and Dameon Pierce will be counted on to get Florida’s rushing attack going. It will also be a big game for wide receiver Van Jefferson as he’s a Tennessee native. This will be a huge test for the Florida offensive line as they have struggled run blocking. If Florida’s O-line can help get the run game going, it will open up the passing game for Franks.
This will also be a big test for Florida’s rushing defense as the Vols are a run-first offense. The Tennessee offensive line has had their struggles but so has Florida’s defensive line. Last week against Colorado State was the best Florida’s defensive line has played against the run. They will also be a little healthier as junior linebacker David Reese is expected to make his season debut. Reese was Florida’s best linebacker and leading tackler last season. He’s a great run stuffer that could cause the Vols rushing attack problems. Florida’s secondary also needs to have a big game as they haven’t well this season. But, part of that is due to injury. Freshman cornerback Trey Dean should be targeted since Marco Wilson is out for the season. If Florida’s defense can stop the run, it could be a big problem for Tennessee’s offensive gameplan.
Five Players to Watch: Tennessee Volunteers
- RB Tim Jordan
- DT Emmitt Gooden
- WR Marquez Callaway
- LB Darrin Kirkland Jr.
- RB Ty Chandler
Five Players to Watch: Florida Gators
- RB Lamical Perine
- LB David Reese
- WR Van Jefferson
- DE Jabari Zuniga
- LB James Houston IV
5 Predictions:
- Florida QB Franks throws less than 25 passes.
- Tennessee offense rushes for over 100 yards.
- LB David Reese leads Florida in tackles.
- DT Emmitt Gooden has at least one tackle for loss.
- Florida Gators beat the Tennessee Volunteers 17-14.
