Tennessee at Florida: Must Win Game for the Gators?
Florida at Tennessee: Must Win Game?
I have long thought about this "Must Win Game" Saturday night in The Swamp. Is this truly a must-win game? I am still determining. Would a win go a long way for the coaches, players, and fan base? Absolutely, it would, but would a loss mean life would cease to exist? Absolutely not. For most people, improvement is what they need to see on both sides of the ball vs. a ranked SEC opponent. Coach Napier and the Gators will have that opportunity Saturday night.
The record is what it is, and there is no debating that. What is debatable is the program's direction under the eye of Head Coach Billy Napier. All Florida fans would agree that everything he does away from the football field from A to Z is amazing. Some argue that there have been some deficiencies on the football field with Special Teams, clock management, or every part of the onfield product last season. This season is still to be determined, but the Tennessee game Saturday night in front of a sold-out ROCKING Florida crowd could give Florida fans insight into how the rest of the season may play out. Either way, most fans can see the steps Coach Napier is taking to try and bring this program back to where it needs to be. The real question is, how long should it take to get the Gators back to the SEC Championship game?
The scariest part about a loss on Saturday night is that most fans will believe more losses are headed this way. I get that sense or belief of a losing season if you can't get the job done on Saturday night, putting the overall record at 1-2 on the season and 7-9 to date.
I am starting to change my thought process on this scenario. Anything can happen in a one-game scenario at this level, anything. Over the years, We have all watched massive underdogs win football games, which tells me anything can happen on a Saturday. Can Florida win this game? You better believe they can. Can Tennessee win this game? You better believe they can. Often, these games come down to execution, special teams play, and turnovers. I think Florida can walk out Saturday night with a win if they win with execution, special teams, and the turnover margin. I will not sit here and devalue what a win might do for the program; with that said, I can't over-inflate what a loss might do for the program. This is a one-game scenario between Tennessee and Florida in The Swamp. It will not be the best team that wins the game but the team that plays the best on Saturday night. The team that is the best prepared and able to execute their game plan forces the opponent into uncomfortable down and distances.
Who wins this game? The game is three days away, and sure, I could throw out a blanket statement and predict a Florida win by whatever score that pops into my head. However, I have too many questions that have yet to be answered.
Vegas tells me Tennesee is favored by 6.5 points, which in years past would mean if the game is played on a neutral site, the line would be 9.5 Tennessee. I think The Swamp is going to be a real factor Saturday night. Can the Gators dial up some home crowd magic of years past? Can they get off to a fast start, keeping the crowd fully committed for four quarters and engaged in the game? If Tennessee brings 6 to 8 guys in the box, will Florida have the ability to stretch the field vertically? I need to see this team play a few more games to understand what they are trying to accomplish on offense and defense.
