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Vols not downplaying magnitude of Saturday’s showdown

Florida Athletics photo / Florida outside linebacker Brenton Cox (1) and safety Rashad Torrence celebrate a stop during last season’s 38-14 win over Tennessee as Volunteers quarterback Hendon Hooker, second from right, looks on. The Gators travel to Knoxville this week having defeated the Vols 16 times in the past 17 years.
Florida Athletics photo / Florida outside linebacker Brenton Cox (1) and safety Rashad Torrence celebrate a stop during last season’s 38-14 win over Tennessee as Volunteers quarterback Hendon Hooker, second from right, looks on. The Gators travel to Knoxville this week having defeated the Vols 16 times in the past 17 years. Florida Athletics photo / Florida outside linebacker Brenton Cox (1) and safety Rashad Torrence celebrate a stop during last season’s 38-14 win over Tennessee as Volunteers quarterback Hendon Hooker, second from right, looks on. The Gators travel to Knoxville this week having defeated the Vols 16 times in the past 17 years.

By David Paschall 5 min read

It’s a lot to digest.

Facing Florida in the CBS national broadcast. A sold-out Neyland Stadium with a checkerboard display. The arrival of ESPN’s “College GameDay” show.

And the stat that’s being tossed around like candy corn at Halloween: Tennessee has defeated the Gators one time in the past 17 meetings.

“It really hasn’t been that different to this point,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said Wednesday of the hype surrounding Saturday’s anticipated showdown between the No. 11 Volunteers and the No. 20 Gators. “There is a little bit more media that our players had to do Monday and Tuesday, as well as a couple of things for me. Really, the beginning of the week was status quo.