Tennessee Vols at Florida Gators: What Streak?

If you ask any of the Tennessee coaches or players about a streak, they might think you mean this old Ray Stevens song.

Considering this is the University of Tennessee, and the Vols take on Florida this Saturday on CBS at 3:30 p.m., we are talking about the ten losses in a row to the Gators instead.

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With Tennessee expected to be on the rise back to prominence, and contending for the SEC East title, there is one black cloud still hanging over the program.

That is breaking their ten game losing streak to Florida.

In what is considered by many to be Tennessee’s biggest rival, a win would give a program on the rise an extra boost of confidence. It could provide a certain sigh of relief to know that they have done something no other Vol team has been able to do in a decade. However, according to the players and coach Jones, it is just another game.

“It is the most important game in terms of it’s the next game, and that is the way it is,” said Jones “we live in a week-to-week season.”

Most Vol fans remember the last time Tennessee beat the Gators, it came in 2004 with a 50-yard game winning field goal from kicker James Wilhoit. The Vols won 30-28.

That was also the last time the Vols started 1-0 in the SEC.

Not only is this game important because Tennessee has not beat the Gators in ten years, but Tennessee has not won their first SEC game of a season in a decade. If Tennessee wants to win the SEC East, they need to capitalize on games like this.

“Any time where you can get where you’re 1-0, and it’s a divisional game, it’s very, very important,” said Jones, “Getting off to a good start is imperative.”

Even if the staff and players are not acknowledging the streak to Florida, they are acknowledging that an SEC win is important and they don’t come easy. Teams in the SEC need to have confidence to contend.

” I believe our players expect to win every time they step out on the football field,” said Jones, “We’ve had a workman-like approach. They have not blinked, and we continue to get better.”

The last time the Vols went into Gainesville came in 2013, Florida came out on top 31-17. It was a game that Tennessee failed to capitalize on turnovers, and lacked the confidence that Team 119 is believed to have.

“We had numerous opportunities, and we didn’t cash-in,” said Jones, “I believe we took a team in there that, really, I don’t know if they truly believed they could win.”

With a win in Gainesville not coming since 2003, Tennessee will have to cash-in on opportunities.

Florida comes in with a 3-0 record. With wins coming over New Mexico State, East Carolina, and Kentucky, they have been tested. Even though the wins themselves are not quality wins, Florida has found ways to win in close games. The Gators beat pesky East Carolina by a touchdown, and forced a big fumble in the fourth quarter to lock it up.

Their win over Kentucky came in a grind-it-out fashion. Florida scored all 14 points in the first half, and held the Wildcats to six. Even though they did not score in the second half, the Gators defense only surrendered three points, and Florida won 14-9.

It seems Florida knows how to win. That is something that the coaching staff has said the Volunteers are still learning how to do.

A win over a less talented Florida team, that would break a decade old streak, would certainly be a good launching point. If not acknowledging the Gator over their heads is the best way to prepare for the upcoming game against Florida, then fans will take that. Coach Jones said that the streak is for the media to talk about all week, and there is going to be plenty of talk.

If Tennessee goes into Florida and loses for the eleventh straight time, the streak is all the fans will be talking about next week.

Next: Teams Who Have Beaten Florida Since Tennessee Has

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