Tennessee vs. Florida: Five Vols to Watch for Against the Gators

Sep 12, 2015; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joshua Dobbs (11) drops back to pass the ball against the Oklahoma Sooners during the second quarter at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

The Tennessee vs. Florida football game will require lots of Volunteers players to step up to end the 10-game losing streak. Here are the top five to watch.

Dating back to 1990 and through about 2006, when this was still a rivalry, the Tennessee Vols always had a clear formula for beating the Gators.

Run the ball well, do not turn it over, and play tough defense.

More from Vols Football

• How to Win a GUARANTEED $200 Bonus Betting Just $5 on the Vols vs. Florida!
• Tennessee Football at Florida: Five Keys to a Vols Victory
• Week 3 SEC Power Rankings: Did Tennessee Football’s Win Help At All?
• Week 3 AP Polls: Why Did Tennessee Football Drop in the Polls?
• Tennessee Football: Top Five Performers in 30-13 Win vs. Austin Peay

Sticking to that formula, however, was hard. But since 2007, there has been no formula for beating Florida.

Anyway, as the Vols once again desperately try to end this frustrating 10-game losing streak to the Florida Gators, they first need to actually get the psychological edge. Half the reason for the losses the past three to four years have been the mentality of the team.

The minute things go wrong, the players and fans panic because they know they are simply supposed to lose to Florida.

If and when they get over that mental hump in this game, the next key factor will be the old-school formula to beat the Gators. It matters in this game as much as ever.

Butch Jones may downplay it, but he has to know the history of this series. And he of all people has to be aware of the formula to win.

That formula, again, is winning the line of scrimmage, establishing a great running game, playing tough defense, and taking care of the football. Doing that makes it a bit easier to pick the five players that Vols fans should watch out for in this game.

These players are the key to victory, and they are the only way Tennessee can get over this long, tedious, frustrating, painful losing streak to Florida. If they do not show up and play well, and if you don’t hear their names a lot, then it will probably be an 11-game losing streak once Sunday rolls around.

So here are the five Tennessee Vols to watch for Saturday in this huge matchup for the program.

Next: Begin Slideshow