GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — No. 20 Tennessee seemingly has its best chance in more than two decades to celebrate in the Swamp.
The Volunteers (7-3, 3-3 Southeastern Conference) have lost 10 in a row in Gainesville, a skid that began before Tim Tebow arrived on campus. Five previous Florida coaches — Urban Meyer, Will Muschamp, Jim McElwain, Dan Mullen and Billy Napier — never lost to Tennessee at Florida Field.
But these Gators are getable. Florida (3-7, 2-5) has dropped three straight under interim coach Billy Gonzales, and the team’s losing streak probably would be five had Mississippi State not inexplicably thrown an interception in the final minute in the Swamp last month.
Tennessee’s losses, meanwhile, have come against three potential College Football Playoff participants: No. 4 Georgia, eighth-ranked Oklahoma and No. 10 Alabama. The Volunteers are 4 1/2-point favorites, according to BetMGM.
Tennessee’s last win in Gainesville came in 2003, a 24-10 upset led by quarterback Casey Clausen and coach Phillip Fulmer.
“It’s definitely something we’re discussing and something that is on our mind,” Vols center Sam Pendleton said. “It’s not necessarily something that we’re like rah-rahing around.
“But it’s something that we want to take advantage of and kind of go down there with something on our mind — a goal in mind for sure.”
It’s not now or never for Tennessee. But it is the last year of the rivalry in its current iteration. The series has been played every year since 1990, but won’t be an annual event once the league moves to nine-game schedules in 2026.
The Gators, of course, would love to see their dominance in the series continue. They are 26-9 against Tennessee since 1990, including 15-2 in Gainesville.
“It’s a very big deal facing a rival,” Florida linebacker Aaron Chiles said. “We’re willing to make it personal, it being a rivalry game. We’re just trying to go out there and get another win for my seniors and finish the season out strong.”
Florida will recognize Meyer during the game, saluting him before he’s formally inducted into the National Football Foundation College Hall of Fame in Las Vegas on Dec. 9.
Meyer went 65-15 over six years (2005-10) at Florida, winning national championships in 2006 and 2008. He was 36-5 in the Swamp.
Gonzales plans to have Meyer speak to the team before the game.
The Volunteers have one of the fastest offenses in the country under coach Josh Heupel. They lead the SEC and rank third nationally in seconds between plays. That kind of tempo concerns the Gators, who have gotten caught staring at the sidelines several times this season.
Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks will be on the field for just the second time in 11 games this season. The senior injured his left foot in training camp and re-injured it during his season debut, a Week 3 loss at LSU.
He had surgery and is now hoping to do enough in two games to get an invite to the Senior Bowl and/or the NFL scouting combine.
Florida has signed a contract with Geico to put the insurance company’s logo on the field for its final two home games. The Gators are expected to generate roughly $500,000 from each game in the deal.
The NCAA began allowing corporate ads on college fields in 2024.
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