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Tennessee football vs. Florida: 10 keys to the game for Vols and Gators

By Caleb Calhoun

Sep 17, 2022; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel coaching during the second half against the Akron Zips at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 17, 2022; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel coaching during the second half against the Akron Zips at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports /
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Florida Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson (15) tosses the ball to Florida Gators running back Montrell Johnson Jr. (2) d1hds at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, September 17, 2022. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]Ncaa Football Florida Gators Vs South Florida Bulls
Florida Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson (15) tosses the ball to Florida Gators running back Montrell Johnson Jr. (2) d1hds at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, September 17, 2022. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]Ncaa Football Florida Gators Vs South Florida Bulls /

1. Who wins the rushing battle?

Related Story. Five key Vols to watch for against Florida. light

It’s a tale as old as time in this series. When the rivalry between Tennessee football and Florida was at its peak, the team that won the rushing battle almost always won. In fact, they started playing annually in 1990, and the first team to win the rushing battle and lose was the Vols in 2000. That rarely happened.

In fact, even in Florida’s dominance that began in 2005, the rushing battle still told the story. Only three of their 16 wins ended with them not winning the rushing battle: 2020, 2017 and 2015. That means since 1990, the team that wins the rushing battle is 27-5 in the series. In 2006 and 2011, the Vols had negative rushing yards.

When it comes to this game, the rushing battle is huge. It’s really all about Florida. They are horrible at stopping the run and awesome at running the ball. The Gators have allowed every team’s main running back to average five yards a carry, and they’ve gotten torched by mobile quarterbacks as well through the first three games.

Next. College GameDay: 15 guest picker options for Vols-Florida. dark

However, they also average over 200 rushing yards a game and six and a half yards a carry. In fact, their average is top five in the nation. Their rush defense average is outside of the top 100, though. Once again, this comes down to how much of a factor Anthony Richardson is with his legs. If he’s immobile, Tennessee football should dominate on the ground.

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