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Week 4 Prediction: Florida Gators vs. Tennessee Volunteers

By Shannon Seal

GAINESVILLE, FL - SEPTEMBER 16: The line of scrimmage is seen during the game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on September 16, 2017 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)
GAINESVILLE, FL - SEPTEMBER 16: The line of scrimmage is seen during the game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on September 16, 2017 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images) /
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Week 4 Prediction:  Florida Gators vs. Tennessee Volunteers
Neyland Stadium (Knoxville, TN)
Shields-Watkins Field

The two SEC East rivals will square off for the 48th time on Saturday night in Knoxville.

When I was a little kid, I mean this was the game in college football. This game might have lost some of its luster nationally throughout the years, but between these two fan bases— there’s certainly no love lost. Each team desperately needs a win to propel the momentum of the program into the right direction. So, there’s more on the line on Saturday night than what meets the eye. This will be the first time since 1970 that both Florida and Tennessee each have a new coach on the sideline in this rivalry.

Florida enters Saturday night already with a loss in the conference, and the Gators are looking to avoid going 0-2 to start conference play. A loss against the rival Vols will likely end any quest at winning the division before it even really got started. Florida should win this game from an all-around talent perspective, but stranger things have happened. This will be Dan Mullen and the Gators’ first trip away from home this season, and in un-friendly confines.

It’s so difficult to know what to expect for such an up and down program over the years. The Gators just aren’t good enough right now to show up with anything less than their best against anybody, and especially with the injuries on defense beginning to surface. Florida needs to take a business-minded approach on the road against a rival with a desperate fan base similar to their own, and in one of the toughest environments in college football.

Tennessee is 2-1 with their only loss coming to a top 15 West Virginia team led by former Gator Will Grier. A big key to this game will be if the Volunteers can push the gas from the very beginning, and an early lead would likely spell doom for the opposing Gators.

Tennessee is led by the talented Jarrett Guarantano at QB, and Guarantano seems much-improved from last season so far. Granted last week’s game was against UTEP, but Guarantano seemed poised against blitzes completing 7 of his 8 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown. This is exactly the type of behavior that Guarantano must play with this week against an attacking and aggressive Florida defense.

Again, I know it was against UTEP, but Tennessee’s talented foursome of tailbacks rushed for 345 yards last week. Tim Jordan looks to be the go-to back for the Vols, but Ty Chandler had a monster performance last week against UTEP and could breakout against the Gators. The Vols will also give Madre London and Jeremy Banks carries as well— keeping this stable fully fresh.

The weak spot for Tennessee is that they only have four sacks on the season. That defensive lapse must change against a maligned Florida front and a QB in Feleipe Franks that seems to fold each time that he’s pressured.

Prediction:

This will be an emotional game, and an early barometer of which coaching staff has had the bigger impact on each program so far. Florida should handle business on paper, and I think the Gators will do just that. I do not think that Florida wins by as much as they probably should; however, in an early road test against a fierce SEC rival— Florida makes a statement and gets out of Neyland with the win.

Florida 29
Tennessee 17

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