I remember the days when this game was the game that likely decided the SEC champion and for pretty sure the East Champion. I remember the Prodigy days. I came to Prodigy later than some of you who are still here. By the time I started posting Prodigy had put a limit on how much you could post and most of the Gators had deserted for GE or something else. They then went to a list serve system that is still around, but that group also led to GatorCountry by Ray Hines who keeps us Skyboxers in business. Thanks for that Ray. The list serve while still active is now run by others and a lot of them have been with it for a very long time. Back to Gators - Vols, like I said I came to Prodigy after the big Gator exodus, the really active groups were Notre Dame, Tennessee and I remember Alabama being very active. I spent more time on the Tennessee boards than the Gator Boards and was always welcome by most. I was able to meet Jeff Ramsey and then our Tom and Cindy. I only met Jeff once but have since meet Tom and Cindy multiple times, the last being this summer in Texas where I also meet Terry O. Back to Gators - Vols. I don't know what to make of this years version of either team. For a game and a half this season the Gators did not look very good and yesterday we were lucky to only trail 17 - 10 at halftime. However the Gators came out in the 2nd half and our defense finally looked like the defense Gator fans expected and made the Aggies punt on all 6 possessions in the second half. The offense did enough and we win 20-17. Both teams 2 - 0 going into next week. I think the winner will have the possibility of challenging Georgia and S. Carolina for the East. However I give those two teams the edge. Georgia looked really good last night in the second half and I have to give them the edge. Strange saying S. Carolina is one of the Easts best, and stranger still when thinking back to those earlier days where it was Gators - Vols that the coach at S. Carolina is Steve Spurrier who was our coach who put us on the map in those Prodigy days. That still kind of hurts. Oh well I have rambled enough and probably got a bit off topic, but it's Gators - Vol week, may the best team, Gators of course, win.
Good points all Bill. SC and Ga are still probably ahead of UT and UF but like you I saw the Gators defense play to the level that I thought they would this season in the second half and if they can continue that development we will be a tough out for all but possibly LSU. ( don't play Bama thankfully ) I also liked what I saw of Jeff Driskell who seems to have a very strong and accurate arm and is quite a runner as well when he has awareness. That last thing...when he has awareness......is the main problem we will still have on offense going forward and I am sure it will cost us vs. a team like LSU. Another big positive is the way the entire team played with poise and determination in front of a crowd that was as least as hostile and fired up as any we will face all season. Note I said "at least"....not more because Knoxville and Tallahassee will be quite intense as always.
There is a better outlook from Vol fans than I have seen in a few years. Coach Dooley has these guys on the right track. Bring on Florida. I'm not guaranteeing a win. I just feel better going into this game than I have in the last 20 years.
... with that said, I hope it does not come down to a field goal. Our kicker is snake bit. I would trade him for any kicker... except maybe Penn State's guy. :wink:
The Gator defense hasn't given up more than 2 TDs, but I can't help shake the feeling that the Vols are going to score more than that. With this game, who knows who will win. Florida probably should. At the same time, I don't see Florida scoring more than 4 times in this game... but I can see Tennessee scoring more than 4 times.
I believe we are going to see that A&M over the course of the season will score a lot of points. UF was fortunate to hold the Aggies to 17 points. They kept saying they had an O-line comparable to anyone in the country. So were the Gators fortunate? Or good enough? We'll know more on Saturday.
Nah, you'll know more after LSU. You get 3 weeks to prepare for them AND have them at home. Then, you'll get to test your depth because LSU figures to take a physical toll on you no matter what. You have your run through the East after that. We'll see then, not Saturday.. All that Saturday could do is expose you.
I already know we're not on the plane with LSU yet with this team. Hopefully we are a step ahead of Tenn but who knows about that one.
I just looked at the AP poll. Not much reason for us Tennessee fans to do so for the last few years. We have now made an apperance at 23rd for, I believe, the first time since Dooley has come to town. I'm hoping this gives the team added incentive to stay in the top 25 by turning away the Gators. http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/rankings/ap
The fans will be juiced up... but the game is won on the field. The fans can pump up the team but execution is what will win this game.
Let me start the helicopters flying here... Get me the names of the crew officiating this game. Let me see if I can buy a few calls going our way! :shock: :shock: :shock:
Well you know Dave believes that the refs who are from "old south" states favor any SEC team over the Gators.