Tennessee did what it needed to against UTEP, but now Florida awaits
By Dave Hooker
Published:
Tennessee’s 24-0 win against UTEP on Saturday wasn’t spectacular, but it was sufficient.
The outcome of Saturday’s game was never in doubt, but it wasn’t the drubbing that most thought would occur. Is that cause for concern? We’ll know when the Vols host Florida on Saturday.
In years past, we would have said that the Vols were flat against a lessor opponent with the Gators on the horizon or that Tennessee was purposefully bland so they didn’t show their hand before playing an arch- rival. It’s hard to make either argument now considering how far the Vols have fallen.
Tennessee’s game against Florida on Saturday (7 p.m. ET, TV: ESPN) is an incredible opportunity. Despite pounding Colorado State 48-10, the Gators are beatable. Kentucky proved as much two weeks ago.
A win over Florida would be monumental for the Vols as they try to resurrect their program. The Vols have lost 12 of 13 games against Florida, and a victory on Saturday would be UT’s first win against an SEC foe since beating Missouri in 2016. One can only imagine what that would mean for UT’s fan base and the boost it could have in recruiting.
Did the mundane win over UTEP do anything to make fans and analysts think the Vols could actually beat the Gators? Not really. It was a solid effort, but nothing ground shaking.
Beating Florida has been as much about believing as it has been about talent. Do the Vols believe they can beat the Gators? We’ll see.
The Vols have just a handful of players who should scare the Gators from an athletic standpoint. While the Gators have fallen on hard times, their roster isn’t nearly as bad as Tennessee’s. It’s hard to have a completely horrendous roster when a school is located in one of the most talent-rich states in the country.
Tennessee probably could have beaten the Miners worse than they did on Saturday. That’s something Jeremy Pruitt’s predecessor would have done to endear himself to the fan base. Pruitt really doesn’t care how pretty a win might look. He just cares about improving his team one step at a time.
Saturday’s game will have a backdrop that is a reminder of how big a win against Florida can be. Tennessee will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 1998 national championship team, and beating the Gators 20 years ago set the stage for that title.
Another win over Florida won’t lead to any sort of championship, but it would be vitally important. Beating the Gators would show that Tennessee is on its way back to being relevant. It also would likely lead to the Vols being bowl eligible, even though there are no guaranteed SEC wins on UT’s schedule.
It’s quite possible that the Vols will be underdogs in the remainder of their conference games. Beating Auburn and Georgia on the road or Alabama at home seems like a stretch. The Vols will be outmanned against South Carolina in Columbia. They’ll also have to be at their best to beat Kentucky, Missouri or Vanderbilt.
The Vols will have to win at least three SEC games to be bowl eligible. Their only surefire win left on the schedule is Charlotte on Nov. 3. If Tennessee doesn’t beat Florida on Saturday, it’s hard to imagine the Vols going bowling. For those who like to take a late-season trip to a bowl destination, Saturday’s game may well determine travel plans.
I’ve long thought that coaches make too much of the extra practice time teams get as they prepare for a bowl game. Maybe I underestimated it, but ot this year. The Vols could use the extra work. Pruitt and his staff have struggled to un-teach bad habits. He’s done his best to instill better fundamentals. Bowl practice would help immensely.
The Florida game should cause concern for any learned UT fan. Tennessee has won just seven of 28 games against the Gators since 1990, when Steve Spurrier became the head coach and thrust Florida into national prominence. Florida has found ways to win when they were probably not the best team and has pulled off last-second heroics to snatch a victory when all seemed lost.
Do UT’s players believe they can actually beat Florida, especially in the fourth quarter if the game is close? A lackluster win over UTEP does nothing to inspire such faith.
Dave Hooker started covering Tennessee in 1998. He hosts an SEC radio show out of Chattanooga and covers the SEC for Saturday Down South.
