Tennessee football: Based on Vols coaching history, Gators get the win in 2018

The Florida Gators have gotten the best of the past four Tennessee football head coaches. Here is what history tells us about the rivalry game.

One of the greatest things about college sports is no matter how much you try to study it; upsets happen all the time. They leave you shaking your head in disbelief more times than not. And, if you are a Tennessee football fan, you know all too well what I’m talking about.

The past decade has been some of the most miserable years for Vol fans in the history of the program. Since 2008, the football program has had six losing seasons. Five of the years saw the team finish with five or four wins.

Furthermore, the Vols haven’t had a ten win season since 2007. And, haven’t had back-to-back ten win seasons since 2003-2004.

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It can’t get worst, right? Well, in that time span the Vols have only beat the Gators once. Only one time! Since 1990, when rivarly began on a annualy basis, the Vols only have seven wins against the Gators.

So, does it change this season under first-year head coach Jeremy Pruitt? Not if you look at how the past performance of the previous four head coaches.

Phillip Fulmer took over the reigns of the Tennessee program full-time in 1993. You can’t blame Fulmer for the 41-34 loss; the Gators were a top ten at the time. It wasn’t until Fulmer’s sixth year until he finally beat the Gators.

Lane Kiffin was the next head coach to get his shot at the Gators in 2009. One thing can be said about Kiffin, he might have been undermanned, but his team played hard. Kiffin kept the Vols close and ended up only losing 23-13. Florida went 13-1 that season with their only loss coming in the SEC Championship to Alabama.

Derek Dooley lost to the Gators 31-17 in his first try as Tennessee’s head man. Most fans knew rather quickly that Dooley wasn’t going to be the guy. The closest he ever came to beating Florida was in 2011 with a 33-23 loss.

Most recently, Butch Jones had his opportunities. Several opportunities. Realistically, Butch could have been undefeated against Florida. At the worst, the Vols should hold a four-game winning streak in the rivalry. But, as we all well know Tennessee couldn’t overcome the stupidity of Butch’s coaching decisions.

I conducted some research on how a few first-year head coaches fared in their first conference game, and the outcome isn’t in the Vols favor.

Kevin Sumlin – Lost to Florida

Bret Bielema – Lost to Texas A&M

Barry Odom – Lost to Georiga

Mark Stoops – Lost to Florida

Derek Mason – Lost to Ole Miss

Kirby Smart, Will Muschamp, and Gus Malzahn all won their first conference games.

Next. Grading the Vols in their win over UTEP. dark

At the end of the day, this post doesn’t change the outcome of the game on Saturday. However, it doesn’t look promising for Jeremy Pruitt and the Vols. Pruitt has shown Volnation he doesn’t like gimmicks, gimmicks don’t help you win football games. Maybe, he thinks the same way about history.

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