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Volume 136, Issue 10
A tale as old as time...
Inside: • UT President Joe DiPietro announced his retirement date and Knoxville businessman Randy Boyd could serve as the interim. Campus news gives the details on page 2.
• ‘Aw, snap!’ Will UT beat Florida? See what contributor Braxton Ziolkoski thinks on page 5.
• Who doesn’t love playing with puppies? Over 70,000 people have signed a petition to close the popular Puppy Zone. Staff Writer Maddie Torres looks in the complaints on page 7.
• The Vols basketball team got a huge commitment from highly-ranked recruit Josiah James on Wednesday. Managing Editor Tyler Wombles breaks down James’ signing and how he could help the Vols this season on page 11.
Junior Josh Dobbs, #11, runs in a touchdown during the game against Florida on Sept. 26, 2015. File Photo / The Daily Beacon
Blake Von Hagen Sports Editor
On Saturday, Tennessee is expected to host one of its largest crowds of the season at Neyland Stadium. One of the Vols’ biggest rivals, Florida, will make the trip to Knoxville for the 48th meeting between the two programs. Here are some historical notes from the rivalry: Starting out slow Tennessee and Florida met for the first time in 1916, as both schools were part of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association. The Southeastern Conference (SEC) was not founded until 1932. During the first ever matchup, the Vols shutout Florida en route to a 24-0 victory in Tampa, Florida. Due to travel costs and complex scheduling, the rivalry did not gain traction until much later. After the inaugural game, the two sides would not meet for another five years. Tennessee earned another shutout in that game, beating the Gators 9-0 in Knoxville. It would be another seven years before the two teams played again. The first ten meetings between the Vols and Gators spanned from 1916 to 1953. Tennessee took every game during that stretch, before Florida won 14-0 in Knoxville on Nov. 13, 1954. In 1992, Tennessee and Florida played for the first time as permanent opponents, and they now meet every season.
Standout games In the third ever meeting between the Vols and Gators, Florida held an 8-0 record heading into the game. The Gators were outscoring opponents 324-31 coming into the meeting and Tennessee held a 236-39 scoring margin of their own. The Vols were 8-0-1, having tied with Kentucky earlier in the season. On a muddy field, Tennessee came away with a 13-12 victory after Florida failed on several two-point conversions. Some Gator players claimed that the Vols had intentionally muddied the field as a way to slow down the Florida rushing attack. In 1969, the two sides met outside of regular season conference play for the first time as they played each other in the Gator Bowl. Florida held Tennessee at the goal line late in the game to seal a 14-13 victory for the Gators. A blocked punt was returned for a Florida touchdown earlier in the game. The No. 8 Vols met with the No. 4 Gators in 1995, as both teams entered the contest undefeated. Tennessee started sophomore Peyton Manning and Florida went with junior Danny Wuerffel in a highly-touted quarterback matchup. Tennessee led 30-14 in the second quarter before Florida scored 48 consecutive points and went on to win 62-37. The Gators went 12-0 in the regular season and played in the national championship game. In 1998, the Vols broke a six-game losing skid to Florida, winning a 20-17 game. Tennessee fans stormed the field and tore down the goalposts following the game. The Gators had back-to-back comeback victories over the Vols in 2014 and 2015. After leading 9-0 going to halftime in
Thursday, September 20, 2018
UT vs UF:
A historical breakdown
2014, Tennessee gave up 10 straight points to the Gators in a 10-9 loss. A Jalen Hurd touchdown run in the fourth quarter of the 2015 matchup gave the Vols a 27-14 advantage. Florida freshman quarterback Will Grier scored back-to-back touchdowns late in the game to put the Gators up 28-27. An Aaron Medley field goal try from 55-yards sailed right and Florida won its 11th straight over the Vols. “We have to start learning how to close games out,” then-Tennessee head coach Butch Jones said. “We were one play away and we came up short.” The script was flipped in the 2016 meeting, as Florida held a 21-3 lead at halftime. Tennessee quarterback Josh Dobbs led a comeback in which the Vols scored 38 consecutive points en route to a 38-28 win. Last season, Florida jumped back in the win column against the Vols. Gator quarterback Felipe Franks threw a 63-yard touchdown pass as time expired to give Florida a 26-20 win over Tennessee.
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I’m just glad I get an opportunity to coach in games like this.” Jeremy Pruitt, headcoach
What’s next This year, Tennessee will look to get back in the win column against a Florida team that has won 13 of the last 14 meetings between the two sides. Overall, the Gators hold a 27-20 advantage in the series. Saturday’s game is set for a 7:00 p.m. ET kickoff from Neyland Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ESPN. Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt and Florida coach Dan Mullen are both in their first season with their respective school. “I’m just glad I get an opportunity to coach in games like this,” Pruitt said.