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Tennessee football: Vols, SEC and top 25 picks and bets for Week 0 and Week 1 of 2022

By Caleb Calhoun

The Tennessee football team runs through the T during a NCAA football game against Tennessee Tech at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021.Kns Tennessee Tenn Tech Football
The Tennessee football team runs through the T during a NCAA football game against Tennessee Tech at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021.Kns Tennessee Tenn Tech Football /
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Fans do the wave as the Florida Gators defeated the Tennessee Volunteers 38-14 Saturday September 25, 2021 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL. [Doug Engle/GainesvilleSun]2021Flgai 092521 Gatorsvsvolsgatorwalk
Fans do the wave as the Florida Gators defeated the Tennessee Volunteers 38-14 Saturday September 25, 2021 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL. [Doug Engle/GainesvilleSun]2021Flgai 092521 Gatorsvsvolsgatorwalk /

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium; Gainesville, Fla.. 7 p.m. ET. 843. ESPN. Saturday, Sept. 3. 0. 840. 0

Gambling odds

  • Line: Utah -2.5
  • Over/Under: 51.5
  • Moneyline: Utah -145; Florida +120

Only nine times since Tennessee football and the Florida Gators began playing annually in 1990 has Florida entered the game with a loss. Two of those times happened when they met in December, 2001 and 2020. However, with a new head coach and the Utah Utes as their opener, they could do it again.

The Billy Napier era kicks off in a crazy way, against a team that could be a dark-horse College Football Playoff contender. Utah is coming off a 10-4 season and Pac-12 Championship. Ranked No. 7 in the AP Poll and No. 8 in the Coaches Pole, Kyle Whittingham may have his best team ever since joining the Pac-12, as they have 13 starters back and lost one NFL Draft pick.

Florida, on the other hand, is coming off a 6-7 season and moving on from the Dan Mullen era. They have some talent, but they also have plenty of questions, so it’s hard to know exactly what to expect from them this year. An upset over Utah to kick off the season would be huge, though.

Prediction

Sorry, but even playing in The Swamp, it’s hard to think Florida is capable of making this too much of a game. Utah is loaded and has huge aspirations. There’s no way they’ll let this derail those. As a result, they cover the spread easily. Add in how loaded their offense is, and this game will hit the over, as Florida will show flashes of its future offense too.

Utah: 35 Florida: 24 (Utah -2.5; Over 51.5)

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