Key to Season = Beat Florida

#1
Ericvol2096

Ericvol2096

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#1
I did some checking in my media guide and an interesting point became apparent. In years where we beat Florida we have been very good to great.
In seasons when we don't, the season is medocre to barely good at best.

In one look at the last 10 years, 1997 was an exception where we lost to florida, but still won the SEC and had 11 wins.
The nine years since then we are 4-5 against Florida with an average of 11 wins (13-11-10-10) during the years we beat Florida with an SEC championship (and more) in 98 and East championships in the other three years (3-way tie in 2003).

In contrast the other five years we only averaged 7.5 wins per season.

We must beat Florida this year (and for good measure go unbeaten at home
as we normally should). Do this and we will almost certainly be in
Atlanta on Dec 1.

Go Vols!:rock::dance2::dance:

Any thoughts?
 
#3
#3
one step further - outgain UF in rushing yards and we win the game.
 
#4
#4
Don't forget about '95....We lost 62-37 but still went 11-1 and finished 2nd and 3rd in the polls.....Florida is replacing 9 starters on defense and should be vulnerable to the run....We have a chance but Georgia is just as big and for some inexcusable reason we haven't beaten UGA at home since '99....
 
#6
#6
I think there is such a vast difference between our win totals when we beat florida to when we lose, because it is such a huge game early in the season. Most of our players circle that game as the game where we know if the team is going to be great or not, and when we lose they may lose a little hope...I bet if you compare these statistics much is the same for Florida.
 
#8
#8
If you beat Florida at Florida this year, you are set up for a potential big run. Yes you still have some tough games after that. But you have ot think that if you can win on September 15 then the season is looking very promising, indeed.

Lose, and its probably going to be the usual struggle.
 
#9
#9
Florida lost 11 of their top 13 tacklers on defense.
Phil Steele said Florida was the most overrated team in the country and I believe him.
UT will probably hang 40 on them.

I'm more worried about GA.
 
#10
#10
My point isn't about who I am more worried about...just that in the past the Florida game determines the direction of our season more than any other. If we can go in and beat the number 3 team on their field it will, comparing it with our history, launch us to a tremendous season.
 
#11
#11
Ericvol2096 said:
My point isn't about who I am more worried about...just that in the past the Florida game determines the direction of our season more than any other. If we can go in and beat the number 3 team on their field it will, comparing it with our history, launch us to a tremendous season.
Click to expand...

If we don't beat Florida this year, I don't think UT has a prayer of beating GA.
Might lose to SC and Bama as well. That might force Fulmer into early retirement.
 
#12
#12
Has anyone noticed that Florida plays two weak teams and Tennesse plays two tough games prior to meeting each other. Florida is usually fresh and healthy and Tennessee could be tired and hurt when they meet.
 
#13
#13
oklavol said:
Florida lost 11 of their top 13 tacklers on defense.
Phil Steele said Florida was the most overrated team in the country and I believe him.
UT will probably hang 40 on them.

I'm more worried about GA.
Click to expand...


Florida did lose a ton on defense. They do have some players back and a boatload of incoming talent. But experience will be lacking and with the UT game so early in the year, one would have ot think that UT can perform better this year on offense against Florida than last year.

Offensively, I continue to believe that Florida will be much better than it was last year. The raw talent is simply so much better this year and Meyer finally has the pieces in place to run his system the way he wants to run it. I think Florida is much more potent with the ball this year than last.

I see this year's game featuring a lot more scoring than last year's game.

As to Steele, last year his top five preseason were Oklahoma, Auburn, Louisville, USC, and Texas. He had Florida, the eventual national champion, at #20.

This year he has us at #14, so we must be a ton better than even last year. Incidentally, he ranks you #25, so you might not want to be using him as the guide to your preseason hopes and dreams.
 
#14
#14
OleVol said:
Has anyone noticed that Florida plays two weak teams and Tennesse plays two tough games prior to meeting each other. Florida is usually fresh and healthy and Tennessee could be tired and hurt when they meet.
Click to expand...


Yep, it's always been that way though.....and I don't think it's any coincidence that the one time we played them at the end of the year (2001)....We whooped that ass.....With FSU down right now - you really have to say that Florida has the easiest non conference schedule in the SEC, if not all of major conference football.
 
#15
#15
FLA is ridiculuosly overrated. How will Tim Tebow do as a full-time quarterback? Will Tim Tebow get injured? WHo will be their runningback? 11 poeple to replace on defense? How bout the kicking game? Tennessee should beat Florida. Every show on television says the East is up to 2 teams, FLorida and Georgia. Nobody is giving the VOls any love. THis is the year we shock the world and go undefeaeted. Our o-line will be great, the 3 tb's will be superb. EA will find a couple of good WR"s and the TE's may be the nation's best pair. Demonte Bolden and J.T. Mapu are going to be a force. X-Man and Reynolds will improve of last year's sack total and McCoy/Mayo/Karl may be the SEC's best LB core with All-American Jon Hefeny in the secondary and an All-American doing kicking duties. The Vols deserve some love, but I am cool with it because we always have a good year when we are on noone's radar. 25 more days! :rock:
 
#16
#16
lawgator1 said:
Florida did lose a ton on defense. They do have some players back and a boatload of incoming talent. But experience will be lacking and with the UT game so early in the year, one would have ot think that UT can perform better this year on offense against Florida than last year.

Offensively, I continue to believe that Florida will be much better than it was last year. The raw talent is simply so much better this year and Meyer finally has the pieces in place to run his system the way he wants to run it. I think Florida is much more potent with the ball this year than last.

I see this year's game featuring a lot more scoring than last year's game.

As to Steele, last year his top five preseason were Oklahoma, Auburn, Louisville, USC, and Texas. He had Florida, the eventual national champion, at #20.

This year he has us at #14, so we must be a ton better than even last year. Incidentally, he ranks you #25, so you might not want to be using him as the guide to your preseason hopes and dreams.
Click to expand...

Florida virtually lost their entire defense, and UT has a 4 yr starter at QB to pick it apart with. If UT isn't able to beat Florida this year, then Fulmer and Cutcliffe need to retire.

Phil Steele picked GA and SC as the teams to beat in the SEC East, I tend to agree with him. Looking at UT's past history, I'm not surprised he has UT ranked 25th. That's about where UT usually has finished this decade. He's just playing the numbers.
 
#18
#18
Football Freak, is it even conceivable to you that perhaps UT is not the best team in the SEC? Can you even wrap your mind around the concept?
 
#20
#20
Football Freak said:
FLA is ridiculuosly overrated. How will Tim Tebow do as a full-time quarterback? Will Tim Tebow get injured? WHo will be their runningback? 11 poeple to replace on defense? How bout the kicking game? Tennessee should beat Florida. Every show on television says the East is up to 2 teams, FLorida and Georgia. Nobody is giving the VOls any love. THis is the year we shock the world and go undefeaeted. Our o-line will be great, the 3 tb's will be superb. EA will find a couple of good WR"s and the TE's may be the nation's best pair. Demonte Bolden and J.T. Mapu are going to be a force. X-Man and Reynolds will improve of last year's sack total and McCoy/Mayo/Karl may be the SEC's best LB core with All-American Jon Hefeny in the secondary and an All-American doing kicking duties. The Vols deserve some love, but I am cool with it because we always have a good year when we are on noone's radar. 25 more days! :rock:
Click to expand...
GREAT POST
 
#22
#22
OleVol said:
Has anyone noticed that Florida plays two weak teams and Tennesse plays two tough games prior to meeting each other. Florida is usually fresh and healthy and Tennessee could be tired and hurt when they meet.
Click to expand...

JagerVol01 said:
Yep, it's always been that way though.....and I don't think it's any coincidence that the one time we played them at the end of the year (2001)....We whooped that ass.....With FSU down right now - you really have to say that Florida has the easiest non conference schedule in the SEC, if not all of major conference football.
Click to expand...

Not true. During Florida's period of protracted dominance over Tennessee from 96 or whenever through 2001 (and later probably), Tennessee had a by-week before Florida. Phil always took two whole weeks to prepare for that game. Florida did not take a week off. Spurrier used to say that part of Florida's formula for success was being loose and easy about the game, while Tennessee always seemed wound too tight... which I suppose is possible if the Vols had always just spent two whole weeks preparing for the OMG BIGGEST GAME EVAR!!!!!1!!

At any rate, you guys have your history mixed up.
 
#23
#23
One way we can beat the Gators is have (independent) authorities:

1. Check identification (driver's license)
and see if any warrants for arrest are out on any players

2.Do a surprise drug screen urinalysis on players

(Surely this will give us a win by default.Well, on the other hand,the crooked one,it probably wouldn't work in Florida.Never has, never will).

:p
 
#24
#24
I hope we don't go back to the playing conservative and losing to Fla. then decide to make changes routine. One of our young recievers could the Jamal Lewis of 97. Too bad it took losing to Florida to make him a starter.
 
#25
#25
It is hard to argue the history of the importance of this matchup. We may conlcude that the context has changed due to Georgia and South Carolina's rise from mediocrity, the fact still remains: If we don't beat Florida we cannot count on Richt doing it for us. Spurrier is another story, but...that still leaves the Gators with only one loss.

If you want something done right, you better do it yourself.
 
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