Florida in the First Two Weeks
I loathe the subject. The Florida Gators have played two games, during which they outscored their opponents 80-3.
Can History Repeat Itself?
After this season’s 31-7 pounding at the hands of in-state wretch Florida State, Florida head coach Urban Meyer had this to say:
“I can assure you we are going to rebuild this thing and build it up the right way and do it right. Obviously we are down a little bit. I didn’t believe we’d be that far down, but we are. How do you build a program up? You build it up with tough players, tough coaches and you have got to play better.”
And, apparently, you build it up with a new head coach.
So Much for Rumors
*****
For many days, it was a foregone conclusion that Tennessee would be headed to Nashville for their first Music City Bowl appearance. But rumors from ‘insiders’ started to sprout on Saturday like flowers in May — the Vols were headed to Jacksonville on New Year’s Day for their reward of a perfect November.
Good Fight, But Little Might
Florida 31 Tennessee 17
18 Sep 2010 | Neyland Stadium | 102,455
Recap | Boxscore | Play-by-play | Drive Chart
Tennessee brought a 60-minute game to the Florida Gators Saturday afternoon, but in the end, it was an audacious call by Urban Meyer, and Florida’s ability to continually respond to the Vols’ best efforts, that led the Gators to a win in the SEC opener for both schools.
Einsteins in the Fall
Here’s the summary of predictions offered by the collective genius that is the Vols in the Fall (in order or point spread:
Is It Lesson Learned Yet?
Saturday’s whopping, record-breaking whupping to the Oregon Ducks can either be a lesson to learn from or a nuclear implosion. We all want it to be the former, and if it is, how long will it take to learn whatever it offers to teach?
It’s Gator Time Again
By the way the GatorNation is carrying on, you’d think Florida was Virginia Tech. Hand-wringing seems to be the neurotic behavior du jour.
Florida’s Headstart Program
With National Signing Day (NSD) coming on Wednesday, I had a look at Tennessee’s recruiting prospect list published by Scout. It’s the list of high school and JUCO players that have expressed an interest in Tennessee.
The players are listed by Scout’s ranking, from five-star candidates to one-star rankings. The list also indicates the level of interest expressed by the player (low, medium, high if uncommitted) and if an official offer has been made by Tennessee.
Also indicated is if the player has committed to the Vols or to any other school, and if the commitment has been made verbally (which will change beginning Wednesday as players will begin to sign). Read More…
The Gators’ Agoraphobia
In Monday’s post, The Table Never Lies, I asked what would Florida do if 11 SEC games were played in a 13-game season, leaving two non-conference games—one for a local rival and one for an intersectional game, knowing full well that the Gator Nation has a phobia of out-of-region clashes.
So, I thought I’d look into their history. You know, facts.
What I found was absolutely astounding. Get this…
The last time Florida played a non-conference opponent, on the road, outside the state of Florida, was 1991. That is nearly 20 years ago! Read More…
The Crimson Tide Drown the Gators for the SEC Crown
Recap / Box Score / Play-by-Play / Drive Chart
Your 2009 SEC Champions: The Alabama Crimson Tide. AP Photo
Alabama made 26 first downs to Florida’s 13, and converted 11 of 15 3rd-down conversions (11 of 15!) to Florida’s 4 of 11. The Tide’s rushing yardage swallowed the Gators’, 251 to 88 yards (63 of Florida’s 88 yards were Tebow’s). Alabama’s unheralded passing game equaled Florida’s touted Tebow-to-Company wrecking crew, 239 to 247 yards. And the Crimson Tide had possession of the ball twice as long as the Gators, 39:37 to 20:23.
Total domination.
This was simply Alabama’s best game of the season and Florida’s worst. By far on both accounts. But why?
Perhaps Tennessee Head Coach Lane Kiffin was correct when he humorously postulated earlier this week that both teams had great players but Alabama’s were better coached. Perhaps. Read More…
State of the Vol Nation – November 2009
We are now eight games into this 2009 season and the Vols are even for the season at 4-4. With Memphis coming to town this Saturday night – the weekly pre-game buildup will be a bit on the sluggish side – it’s an excellent opportunity to sit back and take stock in where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going. I’ve invited the charter members of the Vols in the Fall commenters to answer a series of questions on the Vols, the SEC, and the national scene. I throw my two cents in as well. We all provided comments without seeing each others’ musings. A blind tasting if you will.
Since none of us know what we’re talking about when it comes to Tennessee Football, or anything else for that matter, this should rank right up there with the professional media. As somebody once said, some things are far too important to be left to the professionals.
Florida (1) 23 Tennessee 13
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Total |
|
Tennessee |
3 |
3 |
0 |
7 |
13 |
Florida |
3 |
10 |
10 |
0 |
23 |
Attendance (Ben Hill Griffin Stadium): 90,894
Recap Box Score Play-by-Play Drive Chart
Vol Pride Remains Intact After a Physical Effort
Head coaches Lane Kiffin and Urban Meyer shake hands at the end in Gainesville. AP Photo by John Raoux.
In a game that didn’t satisfy the Florida Faithful who wanted to teach Lane Kiffin and the Tennessee Volunteers a lesson, the Vols left Gainesville with their pride intact after keeping the game within reach well into the fourth quarter.
Senior QB Tim Tebow led the Gators to a 23-13 win over the Big Orange in the traditional SEC opener for both schools. This was Florida’s fifth consecutive victory over Tennessee and a school record 13th win in a row. Read More…
Game Preview: Florida vs Tennessee
Saturday 19 Sept 2009
3:30 pm ET
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, FL
Lane Kiffin must have been driving at night because he obviously didn't see this sign on the way to his opening press conference.
