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Tennessee football vs. Florida: 10 keys to the game

By Caleb Calhoun

Jan 2, 2020; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Jeremy Pruitt watches his team stretch out before the game against the Indiana Hoosiers in the 2020 Taxslayer Gator Bowl at TIAA Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 2, 2020; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Jeremy Pruitt watches his team stretch out before the game against the Indiana Hoosiers in the 2020 Taxslayer Gator Bowl at TIAA Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /
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Tennessee players review plays on the sideline during the Alabama and Tennessee football game at Neyland Stadium at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020.Tennessee Vs Alabama Football 100369
Tennessee players review plays on the sideline during the Alabama and Tennessee football game at Neyland Stadium at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020.Tennessee Vs Alabama Football 100369 /

These will be the factors when UF visits the Tennessee football Volunteers.

On Saturday, Tennessee football will be looking to right the ship in a disastrous season amidst a 2-5 record and a five-game losing streak. They’ll have to do it at home against the Florida Gators, the first of back to back top six teams in College Football Playoff contention.

Florida, meanwhile, comes into town ranked right at No. 6 but in control of their own destiny to reach the playoff at first place in the SEC East with a 7-1 record. They’ll just be looking to avoid any slip-ups over the next three weeks in order to get ready for the SEC Championship game, which will likely be against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

By all indications, Dan Mullen’s Gators could win this game. But does Jeremy Pruitt’s team have any shot? Well, if they do, it will come down to quite a few factors. Here are the 10 keys that will decided the outcome of Tennessee football’s matchup with Florida Saturday.

10. Availability of Vols players

Jeremy Pruitt revealed Monday that numerous Vols have been in quarantine due to contract tracing. It’s not 100 percent clear who those players are or how many are in that situation at this point, but the number is at least over a dozen.

What does that mean for Saturday? UT already has enough issues. If some of its key players are out, they could be in even bigger trouble. Of course, that could throw things for a loop when it comes to Dan Mullen’s preparation, as lack of talent in general, not necessarily lack of depth, has been the Vols’ problem this year. It’s not like the starters have proven themselves valuable.

This could go either way. Pruitt has been touting lots of the young talent without ever playing those guys, but he may have no choice this week. A surprise overhaul of the depth chart could become a major twist this weekend.

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