Guerry Smith
Special to GatorBait.net
With Florida's season opener against Charleston Southern a week away, it is time for my third annual game-by-game forecast. The first half will run this week and the second half will run next week. Take this light-hearted, tongue firmly in cheek, look the way it is intended -?as harmless fun.
Florida 45, Tennessee 6
Tebow throws for four touchdowns in the first half as the Vols defensive backs learn old man Monte Kiffin's Tampa 2 cover scheme is not as easy to master as they thought. Tennessee enters the game having allowed zero touchdown passes to Western Kentucky and UCLA in its first two games after having never allowed a scoring pass in any spring, summer or fall practice to quarterbacks Jonathan Crompton and Nick Stephens. The Gators throw away from Eric Berry and bury the Vols quickly. Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin, seeking a return to the Vols' glory years in the 1990s, achieves that goal in one area - Dunlap has five sacks, tying a UF school record set by Alex Brown vs. the Vols in 1999. Tennessee goes ahead 3-0 after a long kickoff return to start the game but does not score again until a 54-yard field goal on the last play. Kiffin celebrates, then sprints across the field to direct the Tennessee band as it plays the alma mater, telling CBS sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson that recruits watching on TV now "know the Vols can win a national championship." A UF sports information release points out Urban Meyer is 5-0 against Tennessee while Ron Zook went 1-2.