[Gatoraider]

Thoughts??

Florida is @ -9.5

[Ice House]

I have to think Florida covers... but how come everyone is hating on Florida this year?

[wal66]

I posted this at Cappersmall but it applies here as well.



Glad someone wanted to discuss this game. Gives me a chance to elaborate and then look back Sunday morning and see just how wrong I was.

True Tennessee is making good strides in improving their offense and the defense as you said is solid but not great. The game and more importantly the spread rest in the hands of Florida.

Florida is obviously improved on both sides of the ball this year. The combination of players gaining some experience, some talented freshman and more importantly the coaching changes. Florida is most improved on the defensive side of the ball though. While they have obviously opened with inferior opponents the you can still see signs of hugely better play. They have made fewer mistakes and the D-Line is looking much improved. UAB had a HUGE offensive line and Florida was able to penetrate and pressure unlike we saw last year. Our secondary is still needing to get a real challenge and Tennessee should be able to deliver at least in some ways this weekend.

Offensively is still where we have some bugs to iron out. With so much talent and so many options Charlie Weis is like a kid in a candy store. He wants to try everything and everyone. Sounds like a great problem to have but it actually is a headache because it's hard to establish an identity beyond being just a loaded team. Against UAB we struggled in the Red Zone the first few times down and it should signal the Charlie that the Red Zone package should be Burton and Gillislee not Demps and Rainey unless you are trying to spread the field down close.

Another factor is Brantley. He is coming around but still a work in progress. Some of his throws are absolute money while others especially when pressured are forced which can be costly. On certain pass plays he tends to not look a defender off and stares down his target which plays into a good defensive backs hands.

Florida is on the verge of being a Top 5 team. I know how that sounds coming from a Gator fan but the talent is just unquestionably there and it appears this coaching staff is just as solid. If Charlie irons out the minor details and gets his different packages together and if Brantley lets the game continue to develope and not panic and force things then Florida will really make some noise.

What about this game though?

Tennessee 17
Florida 31

For the record though, it's fun to predict a score but no way in hell am I betting the game. Florida has the talent to make this a laugher but until we see everything gel together I'm not laying double digits to any SEC opponent.

[dume walker]

I'm not sure which way to go on this one. Florida's red zone troubles continue. 3 times had to settle for field goals in the red zone at home against UAB. Demps was injured and it doesn't look like he'll play.

Florida is an a more mature team with two great coaches -- Muschamp and Weiss. Their D looks strong but it hasn't really been tested yet. Tennessee is young and fired up. Bray seems to be lighting up the scoreboard.

A not so good Florida team beat Tennessee in their house last year by 14. Can that improved Florida team beat Tennessee at home by 9 or 10?

This might be the game that shows us who both of these teams really are. So I'm thinking of just watching and learning on this one.

[ZBOIZ]

What's the total ?

[ZBOIZ]

50.5 seems like a good line. I'm thinking under

[Sunde91]

Tenn +10 is the play but you might not get 10 anymore

Florida has done nothing, 2 scrubs to start, and their new coach hasnt even played a SEC game yet. Tenn played great against an explosive Cincy team. Tenn is playing motivated ball and hungry to end the 7 year drought in this rivalry.

[Gatoraider]

Good post wal66. Like yours- my opinion may be a bit one sided since I am a gator.

But I do actually expect a good game early on and Florida to pull away late. Tennessee's QB Tyler Bray has yet to face a defense as talented as Florida's. He does have two MONSTER'S at WR, but I expect Florida's DL to put enough pressure on Bray where he wont have the time to find his receivers.

Tennessee 16
Florida 30

**Also on a side note, Tennessee does NOT have a proven kicker If it comes down to a kicking match, Florida should take the ribbon.

[jarvol]

UT's defense is far from solid and it has little depth. UT could not run the ball against Montana and Cincy and SEC DL's like UF, Bama, and LSU will pass rush relentlessly. You have a team with alot of 4 and 5 star players versus a team with alot of 2 and 3 star players and the Swamp has not been kind to UT.

UT is 5-16 vs Florida since they started playing every year in 1990. UT won in 1990 and 1992 at home when they had better talent, in 1998 at home when they caught every imaginable break, in 2001 in Gainesville in a game postponed to the end of the season, and in 2003 and 2004 against Zook. The wins in 2001 & 2003 and the very conservative Lane Kiffin loss in 2009 are the only times UT has ever covered in Gainesville. Ever.

[49erFan8280]

You guys think it can hit 44 total? I'm thinking of doing a teaser.

[wal66]

You guys think it can hit 44 total? I'm thinking of doing a teaser.

To speculative.

If our corners fail to contain then yes this will go over 44. If we do get pressure and if the secondary can overcome the size advantage that Tennessee receivers have then it could easily stay under.

[balls2wall]

You guys think it can hit 44 total? I'm thinking of doing a teaser.

28-17 would get you there. I think one team hits 28 or more and I don't see how either team could expect to hold the other below 17.

On first thought, I was leaning towards the over 50.5 myself

[Gatoraider]

Let's see if UT's OL can hold up vs the front four for UF

[MoneyLineDawg]

If it gets to 10.5, I will go with Tennessee in a rivalry game.....Tennessee can hang points up and I like their QB Bray alot. I'm also not sold on Florida's offense at all. Might even sprinkle on the Tenn ML.....I really think they have a shot at the upset here

[CBASS]

Gators BIG

[Gatoraider]

Is Demps playing for Fla??

[kiknit]

I'm on the other side of this one. Gators have owned the series and are playing well this far with an 80-3 point edge and 58-22 first down edge...but its happened against Fla Atlantic and UAB.

Vols QB Bray just chucked career high 405yds and 4 TDs against UConn and are sporting a 195-75 point edge in their last 5 road games.

Florida wins but not by more than a TD.

[Gatoraider]

I'm on the other side of this one. Gators have owned the series and are playing well this far with an 80-3 point edge and 58-22 first down edge...but its happened against Fla Atlantic and UAB.

Vols QB Bray just chucked career high 405yds and 4 TDs against UConn and are sporting a 195-75 point edge in their last 5 road games.

Florida wins but not by more than a TD.

UT hasnt played UCONN

[DrAwInGdEaD]

Tyler Bray is a stud and will light up florida.....take the points for assurance but ML will hit. They take the upset!

[Gatoraider]

Tyler Bray is a stud and will light up florida.....take the points for assurance but ML will hit. They take the upset!

CheeseBurger Charlie will have the Gators ready to play

[Greyraptor]

It is always hard to cap a game when they are playing a quality opponent after playing two "non-quality" opponents. That is the position that Florida is in. Yes, the #16 Gators scoring defense ranks 1st in the nation but look at who they have played - UAB and Florida Atlantic. Hardly a true litmus test to guage their run through the hell and flames that is the SEC. On the other hand, Tennessee looked impressive on both sides of the ball against Cincy. While Cincinnatti is no Florida or LSU, they certainly are tougher competition than FAU or UAB. I think with revenge on their minds, and by going on the performance of Bray against Cincy, I like Tennesse here plus the points and possibly sprinkle a small amount on the ML. I can see how this can be a close game but truly tough to tell without having any past "real" competition this year to guage Florida's talent level on quite yet.

[zuluhead1``1]

I am laying off of this one. I usually don't bet on each teams first SEC Conference game unless Vandy or Ole Miss are involved. That beige said, I think Tenn had a great chance at keeping this one close and even possibly winning. As much as I hate to say it, Tenn's QB looks to beat out Murray for the top SEC QB crown. UT's defense is pretty pathetic, and they lack depth. This could go either way, but Iook for Tenn to cover.

[Gatoraider]

Does anyone know if Jeff Demps will be playing for Florida?

[brigade125]

Take the over ...Tenn has a young defense ...but tenn will score on florida ...but Florida will run all over Tenn..defense

[dume walker]

Does anyone know if Jeff Demps will be playing for Florida?

Gold Sheet injury report has him listed as "probable" with a shoulder injury. I thought he had separated his should against UAB. Can you come back from that after just one game and be effective? Big question mark for me. Rainey's been lights out, though. And Burton seems to be doing well. Still, I believe I'll be laying off this one.

[balls2wall]

Gold Sheet injury report has him listed as "probable" with a shoulder injury. I thought he had separated his should against UAB. Can you come back from that after just one game and be effective? Big question mark for me. Rainey's been lights out, though. And Burton seems to be doing well. Still, I believe I'll be laying off this one.

He is listed as a shoulder, but I believe it may be a concussion issue.

I could be wrong.

They were just talking about that exact thing on the radio, about how it is listed as a shoulder, but is really a concussion.

I didn't see it. Were they giving him concussion tests on the sidelines after the play?

[wal66]

News here is he is likely to miss the game. Nothing confirmed as of yet just reports on the radio morning shows.

Florida will get their points regardless if Demps plays or not. The main question is how our secondary plays. We are undersized in this (and future) contest at the corners. Course I imagine our defensive front will be able to put a hell of a lot more pressure on Bray than Cincy was able to muster.