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Tennessee football’s top 12 ranking will be highest vs. Florida since 2005

By Caleb Calhoun

GAINESVILLE, FL - SEPTEMBER 17: Wide receiver Chris Hannon #13 of the Tennessee Volunteers just misses a catch in front of cornerback Demetrice Webb #15 of the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on September 17, 2005 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)
GAINESVILLE, FL - SEPTEMBER 17: Wide receiver Chris Hannon #13 of the Tennessee Volunteers just misses a catch in front of cornerback Demetrice Webb #15 of the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on September 17, 2005 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images) /
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If you want to get excited about what’s in store for Tennessee football this week against the Florida Gators, look no further than the polls. The Vols will have their highest combined ranking against Florida since before they stopped being competitive in it.

After beating the Akron Zips to move to 3-0 on the year, the Vols jumped up four spots to No. 11 in the AP Poll. They also jumped up four spots to No. 11 in the Coaches Poll. Florida fell two spots to No. 20 in the AP Poll and one spot to No. 22 in the Coaches Poll.

The last time Tennessee football was close to this high was 2016, and to be fair, they were as high in the Coaches Poll that year as they are now, at No. 12. However, they were down at No. 14 in the AP Poll. That was despite starting the season in the top 10.

Altogether, though, this combined ranking is the highest for the Vols since 2005, when they were ranked No. 5 in both polls heading into this game. At that time, UT was on a two-game winning streak against Florida and led the all-time series 19-15.

Now, if you want to look back in negative way, that game was what marked the beginning of Florida’s dominance in the series. It was their first year under Urban Meyer, and they beat the Vols 16-7, which launched an 11-year winning streak by them in the series.

UT stumbled from a top three preseason ranking in both polls to their first losing season in 17 years, and it began a downward slide that got way worse just a few years later, one the Vols still haven’t climbed out of. The hope is that Josh Heupel is getting them out of there.

Interestingly enough, that week is the last time Tennessee football was ever ranked in the top five either, so it really was somewhat of a watershed moment for the program, one that sparked a downward slide. Maybe this ranking is the watershed moment of the Vols’ return.

To be fair, 2016 isn’t the only time the Vols faced Florida ranked since 2005. They also faced them ranked in 2006, 2007, 2012 and 2017. In 2012, they were favored, and in 2017, they were the higher ranked team, but they lost both of them.

Being higher ranked, playing at home and having College GameDay coming to Knoxville could go one of two ways. The Vols could have the game go like 2016, when they won 38-28 after falling behind 21-0 before scoring 38 unanswered, or like 2002, when they lost 30-13.

Next. Vols' five greatest wins vs. Florida. dark

However, given all the factors coming into this one, Tennessee football fans will give up on the series if they can’t win here. It’s their best chance with Florida in its first year under a new head coach and the Vols rolling with so much experience. A victory should get them into the top 10 of both polls heading into their bye as well.

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