Tennessee vs. Florida: Five Keys for Each Team to Win

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Sep 19, 2015; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Preston Williams (7) catches a pass against Western Carolina Catamounts defensive back Trey Morgan (26) during the second half at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee won 55 to10. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

The 45th Tennessee vs. Florida matchup Saturday in Gainesville is a huge SEC game for both teams. Here are five keys for the Volunteers and Gators to win.


Here we are again.

The Tennessee Volunteers will take another crack at trying to end this losing streak to the Florida Gators, now at 10 games, while Florida will hope to continue its recent dominance in this series.

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Despite the Gators being favorites in this game, it does have a bit of an odd twist to it. For the first time since the losing streak began, the Vols entered the season with higher expectations than Florida, and it is the first time their program should be on a higher ground than Florida.

The two were on equal footing each of the four years before, and Florida won all four, but this year for Tennessee winning this game has become more of an expectation than a hope.

However, that is far from what we can expect in this game given the program’s history in this series.

If Tennessee is to end this streak, they have to do a few things that they have not been able to do for any of the past 10 games to the Gators.

And habits in a game of this magnitude are hard to break.

Meanwhile, the Gators have to step up their level of play simply due to the fact that they are not the same team that has owned the Vols, in success and mediocrity, over the past 10 years.

Going through a coaching change with an offense that has significant problems at this point is not typical of Florida football. Then again, this streak against Tennessee started when the Gators had a new coach: Urban Meyer in 2005. And it continued when Will Muschamp came in.

But they can’t take this game lightly. Here are the five keys for each team to win the 45th annual Tennessee vs. Florida game.

Next: Tennessee Key #1: Establish a Great Running Game