Would UF: Rather beat FSU than TN in '16

#1
Neyland Law Vol

Neyland Law Vol

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#1
Beat Tennessee, again

Florida’s 11-game winning streak over Tennessee dates to Urban Meyer’s first season (2005) and somehow remained intact during Will Muschamp’s rocky tenure.

While it’s not impossible for the Gators to get to the SEC Championship while losing to Volunteers, the game has often been a deciding factor in the SEC East.

Things played out this way in 2015 as the Gators finished with one conference loss (LSU) while the Volunteers finished with three (UF, Arkansas and Alabama). If Tennessee had held onto it’s 27-14 fourth-quarter lead, the Gators would not have played Alabama.

The fact that the past two games have been decided by one point has only added to the agony and ecstasy felt by the two teams when the clock hit all zeros. Taking a bit away from the Gators’ impressive streak is the commentary that those games were more lost by Tennessee than they were won by Florida.It’s unfair to the players and coaches who earned those victories, but it’s part of the reason analysts like Kirk Herbstreit are willing to hop on the Tennessee bandwagon.

Another win over Tennessee would put Florida in the driver’s seat again in the SEC East. It could also deal a serious blow to the state of the UT football program. After months of offseason hype, if the Volunteers can’t beat the Gators in Neyland Stadium, the perception of Tennessee being “back” will change drastically.
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The Gators would rather …

End the regular season with a win over Florida State.

UF’s streak over Tennessee is impressive, but the FSU rivalry is truly experienced every day of the year by coaches, players and fans all over the state. It’s felt around water coolers from the panhandle to the Keys, and it looms large in recruiting battles from Jacksonville to Miami and everywhere in between.

A win over the Seminoles would give McElwain a victory against all three of Florida’s major rivals in his first two seasons, preventing any feelings of the Big 3 having the Gators’ number. It also would show that the Gators can actually compete with the big boys after a miserable three-loss finish to the 2015 campaign at the hands of FSU, Alabama and Michigan by a combined score of 97-24.

A theoretical 12-of-the-past-13 against the Volunteers would still look impressive in 2017 (or even 12-of-14 in 2018). Another 365 days without a win over the Seminoles is too much to ask of Gator Nation.
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Would Florida rather ... beat Tennessee or FSU?

So UF would rather beat FSU and lose to TN in '16.

This streak has to end September 24! Will TN be able to finish?
 
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#4
#4
volmanbill said:
This is an article about what a writer thinks, not UF.
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It's an opinion piece, yes, but I don't think he necessarily wrong. UF has beaten us 11 years straight, to some of their fanbase they probably don't even consider it a rivalry currently because they haven't lost to us in so long.

FSU has had FLA's number the past few years. I think it's safe to say FLA is hungry for a win over their biggest rival. Just like we are hungry for one over them.
 
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#9
#9
Losing to a SEC East team has much bigger potential consequences than losing an OOC game unless they go into the FSU game positioned for the playoffs.
 
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#12
#12
SaintLouisVol said:
Losing to a SEC East team has much bigger potential consequences than losing an OOC game unless they go into the FSU game positioned for the playoffs.
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This is what I thought as well.

Whether they like it or not, their game in Neyland against TN likely determines the East Champion this year.
 
#13
#13
Neyland Law Vol said:
This is what I thought as well.

Whether they like it or not, their game in Neyland against TN likely determines the East Champion this year.
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Let's not just write off Georgia here. I know Kirby Smart is a 1st year head coach, but so was Mac last year. And Georgia is set up better at QB than Florida is, with a much better running back situation. Honestly, the only thing Florida definitively has better than Georgia is their secondary and their LB corp. I would say their DL's are a wash.
 
#15
#15
VersaceButch said:
Let's not just write off Georgia here. I know Kirby Smart is a 1st year head coach, but so was Mac last year. And Georgia is set up better at QB than Florida is, with a much better running back situation. Honestly, the only thing Florida definitively has better than Georgia is their secondary and their LB corp. I would say their DL's are a wash.
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I agree. A 100% healthy Chubb along with Michel can more than make up for an inexperienced, or mediocre, QB. But where UF has a decided advantage of UGA is their defensive front 7, which should be very good again, while UGA has some serious questions in their front 7.
 
#16
#16
FL is no slouch. I'm sure they aren't thinking which game they would prefer more to win. They will be hungry to win both. Let's not sleep on them...for obvious reasons.
 
#17
#17
Crazy Ivan said:
I agree. A 100% healthy Chubb along with Michel can more than make up for an inexperienced, or mediocre, QB. But where UF has a decided advantage of UGA is their defensive front 7, which should be very good again, while UGA has some serious questions in their front 7.
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Yeah, I mean I think GA has really good potential on their front 7 and they have recruited well the last 2 years there. It's time to see if those tackles actually pan out though. That's why I have them at a wash with FL I guess. Due to potential.

But GA is much better setup at QB then FL is. Del Rio is going to be serviceable at best for them. Eason, from everything I am hearing, scares me. Seems like he is the real deal. He will make some freshman mistakes this year, but I expect him to be good. And come sophomore/junior year he could prove a real problem for the East.
 
#20
#20
This is such an important game for TN. You see in the article it discusses how a UF win over TN would "deliver a serious blow to the volunteer program".

I hope we blow them out by 4 touchdowns. I don't think I can take a close game because in the fourth quarter if the score is close it will be "here we go again" feeling in Neyland.
 
#21
#21
VersaceButch said:
Let's not just write off Georgia here. I know Kirby Smart is a 1st year head coach, but so was Mac last year. And Georgia is set up better at QB than Florida is, with a much better running back situation. Honestly, the only thing Florida definitively has better than Georgia is their secondary and their LB corp. I would say their DL's are a wash.
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I agree. Winning the FU game doesn't guarantee you anything. But, losing it sure makes it a much tougher path to the SEC East.
 
#22
#22
VersaceButch said:
It's an opinion piece, yes, but I don't think he necessarily wrong. UF has beaten us 11 years straight, to some of their fanbase they probably don't even consider it a rivalry currently because they haven't lost to us in so long.

FSU has had FLA's number the past few years. I think it's safe to say FLA is hungry for a win over their biggest rival. Just like we are hungry for one over them.
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This! I'm sure they'd rather beat FSU
Losing to us will be almost Ike when vandy beat us...we were mad but were like "well...you finally beat us!"
 
#23
#23
SaintLouisVol said:
Losing to a SEC East team has much bigger potential consequences than losing an OOC game unless they go into the FSU game positioned for the playoffs.
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Quality post.

Division conference game outweighs an OOC game when there's a good chance UF won't be a playoff team in 2016.
 
#24
#24
Special Ed said:
I only wonder if their QB this year will be amped up on steroids.
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I wonder if like last year, those steroids will magically kick in with 10 minutes left in the game, after our QB plays like garbage for the first 50 minutes.

We need those special timed release steroids again. :)
 
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