Tennessee at Florida
Saturday, Nov. 22
7:30 p.m. Eastern, 4:30 p.m. Pacific
ABC
Tennessee-Florida in prime time? The Vols-Gators rivalry has had many games in the past which rose to prime-time status. This time is not one of them. A game which has often been played in September or October has been moved to late November. The hope and expectation was that this would carry College Football Playoff stakes, but instead, the game is basically a sideshow compared to the other truly crucial contests in Week 13. The obvious reason why this game has the prime-time window this Saturday is that other SEC teams are playing their paycheck games this week. Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Texas A&M, and other conference members are either playing FCS teams or low-end FBS teams outside the league. That leaves an SEC cupboard with few items left, and this was the last one on the shelf.
Tennessee-Florida is not what the Vols or Gators hoped it would be
Vols, Gators are playing largely for pride, not a playoff spot
This game not mattering much in the larger national picture is a huge disappointment for both sides. Tennessee looked like a playoff team earlier in the season but lost a late eight-point lead to Georgia and fell to the Bulldogs in overtime, arguably the single most consequential result of the whole SEC football season. Just imagine how different the whole SEC landscape would be right now if the Vols had beaten Georgia.
Tennessee’s loss at home to Oklahoma was another brutal setback for the Vols. Quarterback Joey Aguilar, who has had a solid but not spectacular season in Knoxville, picked the wrong time to throw multiple interceptions in what was a very disappointing performance. The Vols have not risen to the top of the mountain in the biggest games of their season. Now they are left to face Florida in a game which will be played for pride and little else.
Florida is sifting through the wreckage of another lost season, which is painful for the locals in Gainesville. The only good news is that Florida was bad enough to finally get coach Billy Napier fired. The speculation is running hot and heavy in town that Lane Kiffin will be Florida’s next coach, but that’s merely rumor at this point. Florida can go onto the field with absolutely nothing to lose against Tennessee, but the Gators and their fans hoped they would actually have a lot to play for in this game. The fact that they don’t is a real letdown, and a reminder of how ordinary and disappointing this football program has been since Urban Meyer left. Florida has struggled to gain traction over the past 15 years. Occasional seasons have produced quality results, but Florida hasn’t had great back-to-back seasons in a long time, and that rightly irritates the fan base.
Tennessee Volunteers-Florida Gators odds
Tennessee -4.5 (-105) Florida +4.5 (-115)
Over 57.5 (-110) Under 57.5 (-110)
Underdog moneyline: Florida +165
It’s really hard to size up this game not only because both teams have been disappointments this season and not only because they have little to play for, but also because they have rivalry games next week. Tennessee wants to ruin Vanderbilt’s season, and Florida wants to beat Florida State at a time when the Seminoles are struggling. What version of Tennessee and Florida are we going to see in this game? It’s really hard to nail down where these two teams are, and that’s why it’s very easy to just pass on this game and not even take a stab at it. This game is a total mystery, the worst kind of game to bet on.