Oct 14, 2023; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee defensive back Kamal Hadden (5) raises his hands in the air during a football game between Tennessee and Texas A&M at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023. Mandatory Credit: Saul Young-USA TODAY Sports

Tennessee CB Kamal Hadden (shoulder surgery) out for season

Tennessee starting cornerback Kamal Hadden will miss the rest of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery Thursday.

Hadden, a redshirt senior, was hurt in Thursday’s 34-20 loss at then-No. 11 Alabama. He had racked up three interceptions through seven games, including a pick-6 against South Carolina.

Hadden is tied for third in all of FBS with 11 passes defended.

“I was just getting comfortable, the work was just starting to show, I was showing the world what I already knew,” Hadden wrote in an Instagram post. “My last year, my bag year, and I strike out. I feel like I let everybody down. The fam, gang, the team, everybody. But I always took the longer route, I always was in a fight with adversity, I always had it a lil harder, I always wanted it a lil tougher cause at the end the win a lil more greater.”

Hadden had six interceptions in three seasons with the Volunteers.

Tennessee (5-2, 2-2 SEC) will visit Kentucky on Saturday.

–Field Level Media

Oct 21, 2023; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joe Milton III (7) passing against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the first half at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

No. 21 Vols, Kentucky pitch complete game plans

When No. 21 Tennessee travels to face Kentucky in a Southeastern Conference clash on Saturday in Lexington, the Volunteers and Wildcats are seeking the finishing touch.

Both are coming off games in which they led SEC opponents in the second half before imploding.

In Tennessee’s 34-20 loss at then-No. 11 Alabama, the Volunteers (5-2, 2-2 SEC) blew a 13-point advantage as they were outscored 27-0 in the second half.

In Kentucky’s 38-21 home defeat to Missouri, the Wildcats (5-2, 2-2) entered the fourth quarter in the lead before surrendering the game’s last 18 points.

Kentucky has had a bye week to recover from its collapse and to address other issues. After opening 5-0 and rising to a No. 20 rank, the Wildcats have yielded 89 points while losing their past two games, to No. 1 Georgia and then Missouri.

“You’ve got to repair, reflect and readjust,” Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said on Monday of the bye. “Most importantly, it gives us a good chance to look at ourselves.”

The Kentucky defense has excelled against the run, but stopping the pass has been problematic. The Wildcats allow opponents to complete 67.7 of their attempts, ranking No. 125, and they are No. 127 in completions allowed (24.8 per game).

The Wildcats have struggled against teams that play quickly and quarterbacks who can improvise. Tennessee and its mobile quarterback, Joe Milton III, present a stylistic challenge, Stoops said, as an “elite tempo team.”

The Kentucky offense boasts Ray Davis, who leads the SEC in rushing (111.6 yards per game) and yards per carry (7.0). However, the Wildcats have been hindered by an anemic passing attack.

Transfer quarterback Devin Leary has shown little of the stuff that made him the 2022 ACC preseason player of the year at North Carolina State. In the past three games, Leary has completed just 33 of 72 passes for 317 yards, with five touchdowns and two interceptions.

Tennessee arrives in Lexington after an uncharacteristic second-half meltdown. In three seasons when leading at halftime under Josh Heupel, the Volunteers had won 22 straight times.

“I could sense the players’ disappointment this morning,” Heupel said on Monday. “At the same time, when we walked out of the team meeting room, you gotta cut it clean. You gotta take the lessons moving forward. But we gotta go.”

Last week in Tuscaloosa, Tennessee laid the groundwork for toppling Alabama for the second straight year as Milton threw two touchdown passes to spark the Volunteers to a 20-7 halftime lead.

However, the Crimson Tide owned the second half. They stopped Tennessee twice on downs and got a soul-crushing defensive play in the fourth quarter when Milton fumbled and Jihaad Campbell made a 24-yard scoop and score.

The Volunteers’ inability to convert on fourth down has been telling. In their two losses (against Florida and Alabama), they are 0-for-6 on fourth down.

On Monday, Heupel dismissed a reporter’s suggestion that the Volunteers employ the “tush push” strategy popularized this year by the Philadelphia Eagles.

“At the end of the day, we gotta find a way to pick up the first down,” Heupel said. “We’ve used a lot of different formations. We’ve been under center, been in (shotgun). We’ve used it all.”

–Field Level Media

Oct 21, 2023; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) gets sacked behind the line of scrimmage by Tennessee Volunteers defensive lineman Omarr Norman-Lott (55) during the first half at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Second-half surge carries No. 11 Alabama past No. 17 Tennessee

Jalen Milroe passed for two touchdowns, Jihaad Campbell returned a fumble for a score and No. 11 Alabama overcame a 13-point halftime deficit to record a 34-20 victory over No. 17 Tennessee in Southeastern Conference play on Saturday at Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Jase McClellan rushed for 115 yards and one touchdown on 27 carries to help the Crimson Tide (7-1, 5-0 SEC) win their sixth consecutive game. Isaiah Bond and Jermaine Burton caught scoring passes and Chris Braswell had two sacks for Alabama, which scored 27 unanswered points in the second half.

Joe Milton III was 28-of-41 passing for 271 yards and two touchdowns and added 59 rushing yards for Tennessee (5-2, 2-2), which had a three-game winning streak halted. Squirrel White had 10 receptions for 111 yards and one touchdown and McCallan Castles also had a scoring catch for the Volunteers.

Alabama has won 16 of the past 17 meetings with Tennessee.

Milroe completed 14 of 21 passes for 220 yards and an interception. The Crimson Tide defense stopped Tennessee on three fourth-down opportunities.

The Volunteers have lost 10 straight games at Tuscaloosa.

McClellan began the third quarter with a 29-yard run and Milroe followed with a 46-yard touchdown pass to Bond to bring the Crimson Tide within 20-14.

Will Reichard kicked a 42-yard field goal with 8:33 left in the third to make it a three-point game. McClellan later scored on a 5-yard run to give Alabama its first lead — 24-20 with 3:42 left in the period.

Reichard tacked on a 50-yard field goal to make it a seven-point margin with 8:17 left in the game. That stretched his streak of consecutive makes to 28.

On Tennessee’s next possession, Braswell rushed in to sack Milton and force a fumble. Campbell picked up the ball and raced 24 yards for a touchdown to give the Crimson Tide a 34-20 lead with 7:26 remaining.

Tennessee outgained Alabama 187-36 in the opening quarter while taking a 13-0 lead.

The Volunteers opened the game with an eight-play, 75-yard drive that was capped by White’s spectacular 39-yard TD grab.

Charles Campbell kicked field goals of 24 and 26 yards later in the period for the Volunteers. The second was set up by a strip-sack from James Pearce Jr., with Omarr Lott recovering Milroe’s fumble at the Alabama 23.

The Crimson Tide got on the board when Milroe threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Burton with 7:05 left in the second quarter. Tennessee restored the lead to 13 when Milton tossed a 6-yard scoring pass to Castles with 12 seconds remaining in the first half.

–Field Level Media

Oct 14, 2023; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) rolls out to pass against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the second half at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

No. 11 Alabama searches for top gear vs. No. 17 Tennessee

Alabama may not be the power program it usually is, but the No. 11 Crimson Tide still have plenty to play for this season.

Alabama (6-1, 4-0 Southeastern Conference) takes aim at its sixth consecutive victory when it battles No. 17 Tennessee on Saturday afternoon in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

The Crimson Tide lead the SEC West by a half-game over No. 19 LSU (4-1 SEC). A victory over the Volunteers (5-1, 2-1) would assure Alabama of being in the division lead when it hosts the Tigers on Nov. 4.

The winner of that contest likely will be the West representative in the SEC title game on Dec. 2.

Of course, the Crimson Tide are still seeking the form they have shown in previous seasons. The latest example of Alabama staggering through a game came last weekend in a 24-21 home win over Arkansas, a squad that dropped to 0-4 in SEC play.

“We should be dominating games rather than just winning games, and there’s a difference,” Crimson Tide guard Tyler Booker said.

The victory was Nick Saban’s 200th as Alabama’s coach but certainly not one of the most memorable.

“Hopefully we can learn how to beat the other team, not just win the game but beat the other team,” Saban said.

Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe connected on a season-low 47.6 percent of his passes but did have 238 yards on just 10 completions. The big throw was a 79-yard touchdown to Kobe Prentice.

Milroe accounted for three TDs (two passing, one rushing). He has thrown for 1,397 yards, 11 touchdowns and four interceptions while tacking on a team-high five rushing scores.

Linebacker Dallas Turner has seven sacks to lead the Alabama defense, which allows 16 points per game.

The Crimson Tide will look to avenge last season’s 52-49 road loss to Tennessee. Chase McGrath booted a 40-yard field goal as time expired, allowing the Volunteers to snap a 15-game losing streak against the Crimson Tide.

Tennessee had a big-time star quarterback, Hendon Hooker, leading the way in that game. Current quarterback Joe Milton III is nowhere near as lethal, even though the Volunteers own a three-game winning streak.

Milton passed for a season-low 100 yards as Tennessee beat Texas A&M 20-13 last weekend for its 13th consecutive home victory. He has thrown for 1,264 yards, 10 touchdowns and four interceptions.

“There’s a few things fundamentally that Joe did that caused a couple of passes to be a little bit off target,” Volunteers coach Josh Heupel said of Milton’s 11-of-22 performance. “Joe has been really mature in how he has prepared. We’ve got to be a little bit better in the pass game. That’s him, that’s the wideouts, that’s everybody.”

The big play in the victory over the Aggies was a 39-yard punt return for touchdown by Dee Williams, his second career punt-return score.

Volunteers running back Jaylen Wright also stood out with a season-high 136 rushing yards. Wright, who has 571 yards on the ground, has topped the century mark four times this season.

Tennessee tight end Jacob Warren said the Crimson Tide game might be won in the trenches.

“Alabama has an extremely good defensive front,” Warren said. “As long as we are able to control the line of scrimmage and we’re able to move the ball, whether it is through the air or on the ground, that’s really the end goal — to be able to move the ball down the field and put the ball in the end zone.”

The Volunteers have dropped nine straight games in Tuscaloosa. The last victory was the memorable 51-43, five-overtime game on Oct. 25, 2003.

–Field Level Media

Tennessee defensive back Dee Williams (3) runs into the end zone for a touchdown during a football game between Tennessee and Texas A&M at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023.

Special teams, defense lift No. 19 Tennessee past Texas A&M

Tennessee’s Dee Williams posted the go-ahead score on a punt return, and Gabe Jeudy-Lally and Kamal Hadden snatched fourth-quarter interceptions as the No. 19 Volunteers held off the Texas A&M Aggies 20-13 on Saturday in Knoxville, Tenn.

The Volunteers (5-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) saw Joe Milton III go just 11-for-22 for 100 yards with a touchdown pass to Jacob Warren.

Jaylen Wright produced 136 yards on 19 carries for the conference’s top rushing team, which had 237 yards on 48 attempts.

Quarterback Max Johnson was 16-for-34 for 223 yards and rushed for a score but was picked off twice as Texas A&M (4-3, 2-2) lost for the second straight week.

Josh DeBerry recorded an interception for the Aggies.

On a wild scramble to end his team’s first possession, Johnson rolled right, reversed field and went head-first to the pylon from 2 yards out for a 7-0 lead at 8:29 on an 80-yard drive — his first rushing TD since 2021.

The home side took advantage of a short field to drive 51 yards on its second series for a tie. Milton found tight end Warren on a 7-yard pass for his third scoring reception at 1:44.

After converting a third-and-17 pass to Noah Thomas in the second quarter, Johnson led the Aggies down to Randy Bond’s FBS-leading 14th field goal, a 41-yarder at 10:48.

Texas A&M’s defense stiffened and stopped Tennessee on a turnover on downs at the Aggies 18 in the first quarter. Vols kicker Charles Campbell also missed a 51-yard field in the second.

After a Tennessee punt backed up the Aggies inside their 1 midway through the third, the Vols forced a punt after three straight plays produced no yardage.

Williams fielded the short punt and raced 39 yards for the first Tennessee lead at 6:47, but Bond answered on the ensuing drive with a 24-yard kick to make it 14-13.

However, with a chance to put the Aggies ahead with 8:34 left, Bond pulled a 50-yard attempt wide left.

Campbell’s two field goals — from 31 and 24 yards — inside the final four minutes and interceptions by Jeudy-Lally and Hadden sealed the Vols’ third straight win and third in five meetings with the Aggies.

–Field Level Media

Sep 23, 2023; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers running back Dylan Sampson (6) runs the ball against the UTSA Roadrunners during the first half at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

No. 23 Tennessee dominates against UTSA

On the game’s first snap, Tennessee’s Joe Milton III bolted 81 yards untouched to the checkered end zone and the No. 23 Volunteers were on their way to a 45-14 romp over visiting UTSA Saturday in Knoxville.

Coming off a loss at Florida last week, the Volunteers (3-1) dominated the first half, rolling to a 31-0 lead.

Milton, a target of criticism after the Florida defeat, rebounded with 18 completions in 31 attempts for 209 yards and two touchdowns.

Tennessee thrived on the ground despite an injury to Jaylen Wright, who entered as the second-leading rusher in the SEC but sat out the second half after carrying for 16 yards on four rushes.

Dylan Sampson carried the load in reserve, rushing 11 times for a career-high 139 yards and two touchdowns. Jabari Small added 61 yards and a touchdown on nine carries.

Injury-riddled UTSA (1-3) was without its Heisman preseason candidate, quarterback Frank Harris (turf toe). The Roadrunners had the ball in Volunteers’ territory only once in the first half and the drive ended at the Tennessee 19 on a fourth-down incompletion.

Owen McCown came off the bench and sparked the Roadrunners, completing his first 10 passes to fuel touchdown drives on UTSA’s first two possessions of the second half. McCown finished with 18 completions in 20 attempts for 170 yards and one interception.

McCown, a Colorado transfer and the son of former NFL quarterback Josh McCown, got UTSA on the board with a 3-yard scoring pass to Joshua Cephus. Then he fired a 43-yard touchdown pass to Tykee Ogle-Kellogg to cut Tennessee’s lead to 31-14.

But Tennessee resumed control in the fourth quarter, getting touchdown runs from Sampson and Small.

The Volunteers scored on their first two possessions of the game. After Milton raced 81 yards on a read-option play, Sampson followed with a 10-yard touchdown run for a 14-0 lead.

On Tennessee’s first two possessions of the second quarter, Milton finished quick-strike drives with touchdown passes of 18 yards on a crossing route to Kaleb Webb and 48 yards to Ramel Keyton.

But after hitting on 14 of his first 16 passes, Milton suddenly went cold, completing just one of his next 12 attempts.

–Field Level Media

The helmet of Florida Gators wide receiver Ja'Quavion Fraziars (0) before the game against the Eastern Washington Eagles at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Sunday, October 2, 2022. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]

Ncaa Football Florida Gators Vs Eastern Washington Eagles

Three Florida players, one Tennessee player suspended over fight

The Southeastern Conference suspended four players for one half of their upcoming games over their roles in a scuffle at the end of Florida’s 29-16 win over then-No. 11 Tennessee last Saturday.

The SEC released a statement Monday saying Florida offensive linemen Damieon George Jr. and Micah Mazzccua and tight end Dante Zanders were suspended for the first half of Florida’s home game against Charlotte this Saturday. Tennessee defensive lineman Omarr Norman-Lott will sit the first half of the Volunteers’ home game against UTSA.

The four players were being punished for “flagrant unsportsmanlike actions,” according to the conference.

“The suspensions were determined after video review and consultation between the Southeastern Conference Office, the University of Florida and the University of Tennessee,” the SEC’s statement said.

Florida was in the process of sealing its win over the visiting Vols when quarterback Graham Mertz scrambled and took a knee in the final seconds. Tennessee’s Omari Thomas ran into Mertz, inciting a benches-clearing fracas in which Mazzccua threw a punch.

George and Mazzccua were Florida’s starting right tackle and right guard, respectively, to begin the season. Zanders is a backup tight end, while Norman-Lott started each of Tennessee’s past two games.

Thomas was penalized for targeting, but the officials overturned their call after review, meaning he will not be suspended for the first half of Tennessee’s game against UTSA.

–Field Level Media

Sep 16, 2023; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators running back Montrell Johnson Jr. (2) runs the ball in for a touchdown against the Tennessee Volunteers  during the second quarter at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

Florida upsets No. 11 Tennessee, 29-16

Trevor Etienne rushed for a career-high 172 yards and Florida rattled off 26 unanswered points in the first half to upset No. 11 Tennessee, 29-16 in Gainesville, Fla., on Saturday night.

Graham Mertz threw for 166 yards and a touchdown for the Gators (2-1, 1-0 SEC), who trailed 7-0 early in the first quarter. Montrell Johnson Jr. scored two touchdowns.

The win was Florida’s 10th straight at home in the series vs. the Vols. A scuffle broke out just before the final buzzer when Mertz was run into by a Tennessee player after taking a knee. Benches cleared and punches were thrown before order was restored and the final play was run.

Joe Milton III threw for 287 yards and two touchdowns on 20-of-34 passing for the Volunteers (2-1, 0-1), who were 5-point favorites on the road. He threw an interception. Bru McCoy caught five passes for 94 yards and a score.

Tennessee led 7-0 after Milton found Ramel Keyton for an 11-yard TD pass with 5:33 left in the opening quarter.

But the Gators answered right back on Etienne’s 62-yard rushing TD on the following possession. Adam Mihalek’s PAT was blocked, however.

Johnson scored from 4 yards out at 9:28 in the second quarter for a 12-7 lead after a failed 2-point try. Mertz rushed in for a 1-yard score at 7:20 and then connected with Johnson for an 18-yard scoring strike at 2:22 to give Florida a 26-7 lead at the half.

Mertz’s rushing TD was set up by Devin Moore’s interception of Milton, which he returned to the Tennessee 18. An unsportsmanlike penalty set up the Gators with first-and-goal.

The Vols finished with 10 penalties for 79 yards.

Charles Campbell’s 26-yard field goal provided the only scoring in the third quarter, cutting the Gators’ lead to 26-10.

Trey Smack replied with a 27-yarder at 9:55 in the fourth quarter for the Gators before Milton found McCoy for a 55-yard TD pass with 8:41 remaining.

But Tennessee turned it over on downs at the Florida 25 with 2:31 remaining.

–Field Level Media

Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III (7) runs the ball against visiting Austin Peay at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023.

Tennessee vs. Florida: Preview, Prop Pick & Prediction

The Florida Gators hope home cooking is the recipe for an upset when the Tennessee Volunteers visit Gainesville in a marquee Saturday night matchup with College Football Playoff implications.

The Gators dropped their opener at Utah 24-11 before rolling past McNeese State 49-7 last Saturday. The Vols thumped Virginia 49-13 and Austin Peay 30-13.

This classic SEC duel resumes with Tennessee trying to improve the sudden questioned reputation of its conference. LSU and Alabama were trounced by Florida State and Texas, respectively, in consecutive weeks on the national stage.

We have news, trends, notes and quotes – along with our spread pick and a prop pick for good measure.

–Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET
–Television: ESPN
–Location: Brian Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, Fla.
–Point Spread, Total: Tennessee -6.5, Total 58.5

QUICK PICK

There are a few stats and trends favoring the Gators’ chances to keep the game close.

The opening number of Tennessee -7.5 was bet down to -6.5 by midweek as Florida backers decided the Utah loss had its positives.

Gators quarterback Graham Mertz, who threw for more than 2,000 yards with 19 touchdown passes last season for Wisconsin, completed 31 of 44 attempts against a strong Utah defense and could create trouble for the Vols DBs.

Mertz may have to establish the pass because the Gators managed only 13 yards rushing that day — and they didn’t finish drives.

Mertz led Florida inside Utah’s 40-yard line on five occasions, but the Gators came away with only 10 points.

Tennessee has the advantage of playing what amounted to a pair of exhibition matchups, throttling Virginia and going through the motions against Austin Peay, keeping its offensive and defensive game plans very basic.

Vols QB Joe Milton is serviceable for now, but with the talent around him could become a bigger asset as the schedule rolls on.

Jaylen Wright (12 carries, 115 yards), Jabari Wright (13 carries, 67 yards) and Dylan Thompson (13 carries, 52 yards and three touchdowns), provided the backfield heft against Virginia.

The script calls for the Vols to fight the home-crowd juice and reach halftime feeling confident and capable. They should be able to keep putting up points but may find trouble keeping the Gators off the board late.

The pick: Tennessee 30, Florida 26

THE NEWS
Tennessee linebacker Aaron Beasley and defensive lineman Tyler Baron have a combined 10 tackles for loss on a defense that sits tied for first with 11 quarterback sacks.

That defensive intensity should help mitigate the combination of Florida desperation and its raucous home-field advantage, though not enough to blow out the Gators.

Florida coach Billy Napier has a handle on the gravity of this one for his 2023 Gators.

“It’s a big weekend for Gator Nation,” Napier said Monday. “We play at home. We play a really good opponent. … It’s going to be a really important week.”

The recent series results show Florida topping Tennessee in 2021 by a 38-14 count, and the Volunteers coming back at home in a 38-33 victory last season, despite allowing 594 yards of offense.

The Vols had dropped five in a row prior to last season. The Gators lead the all-time series 31-21.

THEY SAID IT
“They have great team speed, athletes that can go make plays in space. You have to bottle up the run game. That’s a huge part of what they do, and it sets up their play-action pass. A year ago, they hurt us with some of that. We have to be able to fit the run, play assignment-sound and play the ball well when it’s in the air.”

— Tennessee third-year coach Josh Heupel on the challenge of facing Florida.

PROP PICK
The Gators push the ball downfield hoping to expose an average Tennessee secondary and should find success, perhaps as a backdoor cover — and in helping push the total north.

The prop pick: Tennessee teased to -2.5, parlay with over/under teased to 51.5 points (+110).

–Field Level Media

Sep 9, 2023; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (1) misses a catch as McNeese State Cowboys linebacker Micah Davey (48) runs to defend during the first half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports

Florida readies The Swamp for No. 11 Tennessee

No. 11 Tennessee opens Southeastern Conference play on the road Saturday night against a Florida offense that gained nearly 1,100 yards combined in their last two meetings.

Third-year coach Josh Heupel anticipates another tough environment Saturday night when his Volunteers (2-0) seek their first victory over the Gators (1-1) in Gainesville, Fla., since 2003.

“You’re not going to completely tune out the noise,” Heupel said. “Once you get the play call, you’re focusing on your job. It’s 11 guys inside the white lines. I don’t care if it’s at home, on the road, in the backyard, these guys have been doing it for a long time. You do have to control your emotions. You have to be able to execute a play from within yourself. That will be a big part of the football game.”

The last time Tennessee visited the Swamp on Sept. 25, 2021, Florida held the No. 11 ranking and rolled up 505 yards of offense in a 38-14 victory.

The Volunteers answered with a 38-33 win in Knoxville on Sept. 24, 2022, snapping a five-game losing streak in the series that began in 1916 (Florida leads 31-21). This time the Gators gained nearly 600 yards (594) in defeat.

“They have great team speed, athletes that can go make plays in space. You have to bottle up the run game. That’s a huge part of what they do, and it sets up their play-action pass,” Heupel said Monday. “A year ago, they hurt us with some of that. We have to be able to fit the run, play assignment-sound and play the ball well when it’s in the air.”

Tennessee followed up a season-opening 49-13 rout of Virginia with a 30-13 victory over Austin Peay last Saturday, a lackluster decision that saw the Vols slip two spots in the AP Top 25.

Joe Milton III completed 21 of 33 passes for 228 yards and two touchdowns, but penalties, dropped passes and a Ramel Keyton fumble allowed the Governors to stay within 10 points in the fourth quarter.

Florida had no trouble in last Saturday’s 49-7 home thumping of FCS program McNeese State. Montrell Johnson rushed for 119 of the Gators’ 327 ground yards and scored two touchdowns, with Trevor Etienne adding 84 rushing yards and a TD and Treyaun Webb contributing 71 yards and two scores.

The easy victory erased some of the sting of a season-opening 24-11 setback at then-No. 14 Utah, but second-year Florida coach Billy Napier knows the Volunteers are a different animal.

“It’s a big weekend for Gator Nation,” Napier said Monday. “We play at home. We play a really good opponent. … It’s going to be a really important week. When you play in these types of games, it’s about the preparation during the week, really sticking to your system preparing as an individual player, as a staff member.”

Florida transfer Graham Mertz knows how to prepare for a big game, having quarterbacked Wisconsin against Michigan, Ohio State and the like across three seasons as a Big Ten starter.

Mertz has completed 73.8 percent of his passes this season for 526 yards, two TDs and one interception through two games. Ricky Pearsall is the Gators’ top target with 14 catches for 215 yards and a score. The tandem connected on a 50-yard TD last week.

“I have full trust in him. He has full trust in me,” Pearsall said.

–Field Level Media