Napier looks ahead to SEC matchup against No. 11 Tennessee

Florida head coach Billy Napier said the team is looking to clean up its game as it prepare to take on the No. 11 ranked Tennessee Volunteers Saturday. This matchup will mark the first road game of the season for the Gators.

Following this weekend’s narrow win over the University of South Florida, the Gators fell two spots to No. 20 in the AP Poll.

Preparing for Knoxville

Napier said preparations for the upcoming game have already begun. Tennessee’s hostile environment, coupled with a deep, veteran team, will prove to be a challenge for the Gators. However, Napier said he expects the team to embrace and overcome those challenges.

Tennessee plays quick offense, running plays about every 20 seconds. To be successful, Napier said the defense will need to knock the Volunteers out of their rhythm and control the tempo of the game.

In regards to the hostile environment, Napier said the veterans will need to step up, as they are familiar and more comfortable with opposing crowd noise.

Saturday

Saturday marks the first time this group is both traveling and entering into a midday matchup this season. While the weekend’s timeline with change with the earlier start time, Napier said the team is starting to understand what preparations with the staff look like.

All eyes will be on Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson, as he will get his first SEC road start. In order to prepare for this task, Richardson is focusing on the things he can control as well as being a good communicator, Napier said.

While the Gators will be in a different location packed full of opposing fans, Napier said they are playing the same game, and they will prepare accordingly.

Turning the Page for Tennessee

While Napier said the Gators have turned the page on the USF game heading into the week of preparation, there are a few takeaways the team will look to improve on.

The Gators have yet to record a passing touchdown across three games. While Napier acknowledged the team’s strong running game, it will look to improve its throw game entering into Saturday’s matchup.

Also, while Florida started off strong, it needs to improve its performance in the second half, Napier said.

First road game of the year on deck.#GoGators | #jOURney pic.twitter.com/Wjnmg4IyLa

— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) September 19, 2022

The Gators will take on the Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m.