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The Florida Gators look to continue their winning ways tonight in one of their toughest tests to date this season, playing No. 8 Tennessee at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville.
GAMEDAY. 🐊 pic.twitter.com/uCE9r2URah
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) October 12, 2024
Tennessee (4-1, 1-1 SEC) is coming off an upset loss at Arkansas, while the Gators (3-2, 1-1) are coming off a win against UCF, 24-13, in The Swamp.
In one of the most iconic rivalries in the SEC, Florida and Tennessee will match up for the 54th time. The Gators have the series edge, 32-21, and have won 17 of the last 19 matchups.
Just means more. 🎥 pic.twitter.com/d9j32TrCqQ
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) October 11, 2024
Florida also holds the advantage in recent encounters, having won six of the last seven matchups between the two squads. The Gators defeated the then-No. 11 Vols in a 29-16 upset win at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium last season. The Gators are 7-2 in their last nine trips to Neyland Stadium, their only losses coming in 2016 (38-28) and 2022 (38-33).
UF coach Billy Napier knows the historical impact of the matchup:
Tennessee Offense Rolls
Tennessee boasts one of the best offenses in the SEC. The Volunteers rank second in yards per game and first in points per game in the conference.
For Tennessee, as the running game has blossomed, so has the offense. The Vols have the top rushing offense in the SEC, at a whopping 267 yards per game.
The Volunteers have employed a two-back system. Tennessee junior running back Dylan Sampson has garnered the bulk of the carries, averaging 6.5 yards per carry while having tallied an SEC-leading 12 rushing touchdowns. Second-string back redshirt freshman DeSean Bishop has also been a key contributor for the Volunteers, averaging 7.5 yards per carry.
the back to back @dylans21527 TDs
📺 ABC
📲 https://t.co/FcfSPN2wNj pic.twitter.com/I9u5NQN4Y1— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) October 6, 2024
Florida’s Turnaround
Most of the struggles Florida has encountered on defense this season have involved halting opposing rushing attacks. The Gators rank second-worst in the SEC in rushing yards allowed per game (173 YPG).
Since the season started, improving this aspect of the defense has been a key focus for Napier and the coaching staff.
Last week, against a UCF rushing attack that ranked top five in the country, Florida’s focus was rewarded. The Gators allowed just 108 total rushing yards on 2.7 yards per carry. Napier said UF improved its approach:
UF will also need its passing defense to repeat its performance from the previous week. Florida allowed just 165 yards in the air against UCF. Senior cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. will be a major X-factor for the Gators’ secondary to succeed.
Meanwhile, after a rough offensive start to the season against Miami, the Gators’ offense has thrived in its following contests.
Since Week 1, Florida’s offense has scored 20 or more points in every game, in addition to having recorded 350 or more yards in all but one. The passing game has been the key to this improvement, with quarterbacks Graham Mertz and DJ Lagway completing more than 75% of their passes since Week 1.
Mertz attributed much of this success to the continued improvement of the offensive line:
The Gators’ passing game will have a tough test Saturday, as the Vols boast the third-best passing defense in the SEC. But they will have receivers Eugene Wilson III and Aidan Mizell back in the fold after a stay on the injury list.
Tennessee’s defense is ranked first in the SEC (227.6 yards per game) and second among FBS teams.
Kickoff for Saturday’s matchup is set for 7 p.m. ET (ESPN, 98.1-FM/850-AM WRUF).
