The Florida Gators will head to Knoxville for their first road game of the season to take on the 11th ranked Tennessee Volunteers. This is a huge game for both teams. Not only is it an SEC East matchup, but College GameDay will be in attendance for this top-25 clash.
Florida’s looking for an upset victory after a sluggish start to the 2022 season. The Gators sit at 2-1, which is where most predictions had the Gators through three games. The issue is the Gators haven’t looked like the team that upset the Utah Utes in week one. Gators’ QB Anthony Richardson hasn’t played up to expectations in the last two weeks, and quite frankly, he’s played poorly. The Gators are one of three teams without a touchdown pass this season and have yet to throw for over 200 yards in a game. Richardson will need to be his fearless self if the Gators want a chance to upset the Vols on Saturday afternoon.
TENNESSEE’S OFFENSE
Tennessee brings a lot to table offensively. Their fast paced, up-tempo offense is one of the best in the country at this point in the season. Tennessee is averaging a snap every 18.5 seconds, with their team goal being to snap the ball under 20 seconds. Their offense averages 53 points per game and is led by veteran QB Hendon Hooker. Hooker had an impressive 2021 season, completing 68.2% of his passes for 2,945 yards, 31 touchdowns, and three interceptions. Hooker is off to a fast start this season as well, completing 69.4% of his passes for 844 yards, six touchdowns, and no interceptions. Tennessee’s head coach, Josh Heupel, does a great job of putting Hooker into a position to succeed. The scheme allows Hooker to get the ball out quickly to a talented Volunteer receiving room.
Tennessee’s WR room is led by Cedric Tillman and Jaylin Hyatt. They have combined for 35 catches, for 513 yards, and four touchdowns through three games. Tillman is listed as questionable for the game Saturday with an ankle injury.
Just because Tennessee has a veteran quarterback and great receivers doesn’t mean they aren’t going to run the football. Jaylen Wright has 45 carries on the season for the Vols, totaling 231 yards and three touchdowns. Tennessee has three running backs with three touchdowns. If the Gators aren’t going to slow down the run game, Tennessee isn’t going to stop.
WIN GAME AT LINE OF SCRIMMAGE
The key to the game is winning the game at the line of scrimmage. Tennessee’s offensive line has allowed five sacks this season. I think it’s important to note that Tennessee’s only test on both sides of the ball was a Pittsburgh team that played with their backup QB for a decent chunk of the game. I don’t think Florida’s OL will have any problems pushing around Tennessee’s defensive front. I’m mainly focusing on Florida’s defensive line. Will they be able to get pressure on Hendon Hooker? Knocking Hooker and Tennessee off their offensive rhythm will be the key to winning this football game. This is an area where Florida has struggled to this point in the season. The only dominating performance we saw from this defensive line was against Kentucky in week two. The Gators’ defensive line has to contain the run and get pressure on Hooker.
WIN TIME OF POSSESSION
The best way to keep Tennessee’s offense off the field is by offensive success. The Gators need to win the time of possession on Saturday afternoon. Long drives that end in touchdowns are what the Gators will need to lead them to victory. We’ve seen the Gators defense get worn down by a lack of offensive success. This can’t happen Saturday. Tennessee’s offense is up-tempo, and they won’t take their foot off the gas.
DON’T TURN THE BALL OVER
This is a game that I don’t expect Tennessee to turn the ball over very much. Hooker is fairly accurate with the football and Heupel does a good job of putting him in position to succeed. Tennessee does have a fumbling issue this season. They’ve fumbled the ball six times this season, recovering three of them. That’s something the Gators’ defense should be aware of. However, Richardson can’t get reckless with the football on Saturday. Hooker is going to protect the football; Richardson needs to do the same.
The Gators enter Saturday as 10.5-point underdogs in this game. Florida will have opportunities to win this game, they just need to execute. Richardson needs to go back to his fearless self. Richardson doesn’t need to be a superhero for the Gators to win this game. He just needs to go back to doing what he does best, running the football and playing aggressively.
The Gators are looking to take their sixth win in a row and 17 of the last 18 over the Tennessee Volunteers. The game is set for 3:30 p.m.