No. 10 Florida (2-0, 0-0 SEC) at Tennessee (1-1, 0-0 SEC)
3:30 p.m., Neyland Stadium
CBS, 106.5 FM
WHEN TENNESSEE HAS THE BALL
TENNESSEE OFFENSIVE STARTERS
QB Matt Simms 6-3, 217, Sr.
FB Kevin Cooper 6-0, 242, Sr.
TB Tauren Poole 5-11, 213, Jr.
WR Denarius Moore 6-1, 194, Sr.
WR Zach Rogers 6-0, 178, So.
TE Luke Stocker 6-6, 253, Sr.
LT Dallas Thomas 6-5, 295, So.
LG JerQuari Schofield 6-6, 331, RFr.
C Darin Gooch 6-3, 305, So.
RG Jarrod Shaw 6-4, 331, Sr.
RT Ja'Wuan James 6-7, 313, Fr.
PK Daniel Lincoln 6-0, 210, Sr.
FLORIDA DEFENSIVE STARTERS
DE Justin Trattou 6-4, 255, Sr.
DT Omar Hunter 6-0, 307, So.
DT Jaye Howard 6-3, 302, Jr.
DE Duke Lemmens 6-3, 250, Sr.
SLB A.J. Jones 6-1, 226, Sr.
MLB Jonathan Bostic 6-1, 238, So.
WLB Jelani Jenkins 6-1, 223, Fr.
LCB Janoris Jenkins 5-11, 184, Jr.
RCB Jeremy Brown 5-10, 184, So.
SS Ahmad Black 5-9, 180, Sr.
FS Will Hill 6-1, 207, Jr.
P Chas Henry 6-3, 215, Sr.
The matchup: The Vols have preferred to stay on the ground early this season, riding SEC-leading rusher Poole (136 yards per game) and easing the pressure on junior college signee Simms. It's tough to see UT airing it out against the Gators, who already had one of college football's best secondaries before Hill came back to the lineup this week. Florida intercepted eight passes in its first two games, with the All-SEC duo of Black and Jenkins combining for five. The Gators aren't weak in the front seven, but they haven't seemed as dominant as they've been in recent years. Still, expect them to flood the box and dare Simms to beat the secondary down the field. Especially without senior receiver Gerald Jones, that will be a tough task for the Vols.
WHEN FLORIDA HAS THE BALL
FLORIDA OFFENSIVE STARTERS
QB John Brantley 6-3, 220, Jr.
RB Jeff Demps 5-8, 190, Jr.
WR Deonte Thompson 5-11, 203, Jr.
WR Omarius Hines 6-0, 219, So.
WR Carl Moore 6-4, 217, Sr.
TE Jordan Reed 6-3, 240, RFr.
LT Xavier Nixon6-5, 300, So.
LG Carl Johnson 6-5, 355, Sr.
C Mike Pouncey 6-4, 310, Sr.
RG Maurice Hurt 6-3, 320, Sr.
RT Marcus Gilbert 6-5, 320, Sr.
PK Caleb Sturgis 5-10, 192, Jr.
TENNESSEE DEFENSIVE STARTERS
LE Malik Jackson 6-5, 265, Jr.
NT Montori Hughes 6-4, 305, So.
DT Corey Miller 6-3, 255, Fr.
RE Chris Walker 6-3, 245, Sr.
SLB LaMarcus Thompson 6-1, 228, Sr.
MLB Nick Reveiz 5-10, 224, Sr.
WLB Herman Lathers 6-0, 217, So.
LCB Art Evans 6-0, 185, Jr.
RCB Marsalis Teague 5-10, 178, So.
SS Prentiss Waggner 6-2, 181, So.
FS Janzen Jackson 6-0, 187, So.
P Chad Cunningham 6-2, 210, Sr.
The matchup: Florida's offense has struggled some while adjusting to life without Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Tim Tebow. But Brantley is a talented, strong-armed player, and freshman tight end Trey Burton (6-2, 222 pounds) runs some power-running Tebow packages at quarterback. Aside from the absurdly fast Demps, Florida's skill-position players have not consistently made plays. Nixon's return to the lineup allows Florida to start its first-choice offensive line for the first time this season, and the Gators showed signs of life in the second half of last week's win over South Florida.
THE ONE TO WATCH
Florida junior running back Jeff Demps
Demps, widely regarded as the fastest player in college football, is a threat to score from anywhere on the field any time he touches the ball. Even if UT corrals him early, the depth-depleted Vols will be challenged to contain him when they tire in the second half. A player with Demps' ability needs just a few inches and a few seconds to change a scoreboard and swing momentum.
IN THE END
Breaking it down: The Vols showed two things in their loss to Oregon last week. They showed they can compete with just about any team in the country for two quarters, and they showed their lack of depth and lack of mental toughness in an embarrassing second half. Here is the biggest worry today, though: Florida traditionally changes momentum as well as any program in the nation. Even when the Gators are struggling, they often find a way to change the game in one play - and often on defense or special teams. It's almost a given that Florida will make a game-changing play at some point. And if the Vols don't respond better than they did to Oregon's second-half surge, they'll again be blown out of their own stadium. It's tough to assume the Vols can completely reverse their mental toughness in one week, and they won't beat Florida unless they do just that.
Prediction: Florida 30, Tennessee 13
- Wes Rucker