There is something cosmic about....

[armchair]

our futility against florida. We simply almost never play well against the gators--home or way, good team or bad; it doesn't matter. We never seem to be ready; we always make more mistakes than florida; it is almost always our worst SEC game of the year. It's uncanny. Come florida week and we turn into Vandy--coaches, players, even band members are dropping their instruments on the field.

Even in the 1990s, when Fulmer had it going, Spurrier was kicking our ass. Even when we had Shuler and Manning--two top of the NFL draft QB picks--while Spurrier had lesser talent at QB, he kicked our ass. Manning's last game at the Swamp, he throws a crucial pick six that decides the game.

One of the few years that florida made more blunders than we did--98--we win the game and the national title. The gators had an uncharacteristic five TOs in that game--including a fumble at our goal line, and missed a FG in OT. They played like we usually play against them. The next year, UT has a team with at least 10! future NFL players, we found a way to lose.

And that is what we do against florida--find a way to lose. I wish it were otherwise, but it wouldn't be September and football season if we weren't stumbling around and getting waxed by the Gators. It simply isn't a real rivalry anymore and hasn't been for a while. We come out today and give up a TD to florida on their first drive, then our best player gets hurt, then we miss a FG, then get a punt blocked....And so it goes.

We'll return a lot of starters next year, play at home, fans will be full of optimism--and we'll behind 14-0 halfway through the first quarter. That's the way it is against florida. I hoped our mojo against florida would turn with a new coach--but no. That lame first quarter was like about 15 florida first quarters under Fulmer. We should play in totally different uniforms for florida--brown and green or somesuch. Might change the voodoo that bedevils us.

 

[SamRebel35]

I want to disagree........ But I can't.

 

[TNVolunteerGrad]

Futility vs Florida is all I've ever known. I wish that would change..

 

[Miavol]

Before visor boy we actual did quite well against the Gators. Also when Spurrier was at Florida they were producing national championship teams. He was the architect of Florida's rise from mediocrity. What Florida did which Tennessee failed to do was not let the program fall into such a poor state of demise. When Spurries left and Zook took over it did not take long for the administration to see that he was not going to be able to keep Florida on top and was shown the door. Also Florida has been recruiting without the competition intense completion from Florida State and Miami for 7 or 8 years. With Florida State change in coaching the recruiting in Florida will now be much tougher for the Gators. I think we now have a better coach than Florida this should work to our advantage. We just need a running game.

 

[Coach Punk]

You understand that the 2011 Florida team and the 2011 Tennessee team are light years apart as far as overall talent, right? Did you catch the part where the heart and soul of the team was out in the first quarter? Yeah, the team in the middle of the best recruiting area in the Universe has better athletes, but somehow they needed luck and some misses to actually get to the point spread.

Good grief, the best players on this team are Freshmen and Sophomores. What did you expect, that the running game would suddenly burst forth? That they would suddenly make every assignment on defense?

Geez, people. There's a reason a lot of reasonable people calling for a 6-6 season. I'm still bullish on a 7-win season. But calm down, this team is building for the future. They're on schedule, but they aren't there yet.

 

[TNVolunteerGrad]

I believe we had 7-8 win potential, but now, injuries may force a more likely 6-6 scenario.

 

[99grad]

Sums it up about perfectly.

 

[saxvol]

our futility against florida. We simply almost never play well against the gators--home or way, good team or bad; it doesn't matter. We never seem to be ready; we always make more mistakes than florida; it is almost always our worst SEC game of the year. It's uncanny. Come florida week and we turn into Vandy--coaches, players, even band members are dropping their instruments on the field.

Even in the 1990s, when Fulmer had it going, Spurrier was kicking our ass. Even when we had Shuler and Manning--two top of the NFL draft QB picks--while Spurrier had lesser talent at QB, he kicked our ass. Manning's last game at the Swamp, he throws a crucial pick six that decides the game.

One of the few years that florida made more blunders than we did--98--we win the game and the national title. The gators had an uncharacteristic five TOs in that game--including a fumble at our goal line, and missed a FG in OT. They played like we usually play against them. The next year, UT has a team with at least 10! future NFL players, we found a way to lose.

And that is what we do against florida--find a way to lose. I wish it were otherwise, but it wouldn't be September and football season if we weren't stumbling around and getting waxed by the Gators. It simply isn't a real rivalry anymore and hasn't been for a while. We come out today and give up a TD to florida on their first drive, then our best player gets hurt, then we miss a FG, then get a punt blocked....And so it goes.

We'll return a lot of starters next year, play at home, fans will be full of optimism--and we'll behind 14-0 halfway through the first quarter. That's the way it is against florida. I hoped our mojo against florida would turn with a new coach--but no. That lame first quarter was like about 15 florida first quarters under Fulmer. We should play in totally different uniforms for florida--brown and green or somesuch. Might change the voodoo that bedevils us.

Spot on

 

[YankeeVol]

Pretty accurate assessment

 

[miraclemax]

You understand that the 2011 Florida team and the 2011 Tennessee team are light years apart as far as overall talent, right? Did you catch the part where the heart and soul of the team was out in the first quarter? Yeah, the team in the middle of the best recruiting area in the Universe has better athletes, but somehow they needed luck and some misses to actually get to the point spread.

Good grief, the best players on this team are Freshmen and Sophomores. What did you expect, that the running game would suddenly burst forth? That they would suddenly make every assignment on defense?

Geez, people. There's a reason a lot of reasonable people calling for a 6-6 season. I'm still bullish on a 7-win season. But calm down, this team is building for the future. They're on schedule, but they aren't there yet.

Florida is actually younger.

 

[Voodoomonkey]

Florida is actually younger.

I'm not sure I believe that. Proof?

 

[Volmorning]

I'm not sure I believe that. Proof?

Pretty much true. Florida is in our heads in the worst possible way. I had great hopes that with this team, and with a new coach, it would be a new day on the Hill. Apparently, not.

Our guys were once again so tight that you could not drive a straight pin into their sphincter with a jackhammer.

Some things never change.
Posted via VolNation Mobile

 

[BigRed]

Pretty much true. Florida is in our heads in the worst possible way. I had great hopes that with this team, and with a new coach, it would be a new day on the Hill. Apparently, not.

Our guys were once again so tight that you could not drive a straight pin into their sphincter with a jackhammer.

Some things never change.
Posted via VolNation Mobile

Anybody else, in the back of your minds, hope this doesn't turn into the embarrassment that is the UT-Kentucky series?

Everyone has high expectations for 2012 and I expect us to beat Florida. But don't we say that every year? Will next year be different or is this a scar we're carrying for a while longer?