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Special guest Kenny Chesney and Lee Corso picking UT to win
It’s an SEC tradition that on the third Saturday in September that the rivalry between the University of Florida and the University of Tennessee will have a gridiron matchup.
“College Gameday in Knoxville, TN Saturday September 15, 2012”
I thought it was a Sports Center text alert joke. College Gameday hasn’t been in Knoxville since 2004 and just about every media source outside of Knoxville hasn’t giving the University of Tennessee any love or respect.
The truth is that the University of Tennessee hasn’t been the threat or the powerhouse that it once was. And when it comes to the third Saturday in September, UT hasn’t won since 2004. For the first time since 2007 both Florida (18) and Tennessee (23) have been ranked at kick off.
Has UT developed into the program it was once was? Not yet, but we know we are better this year. A fan base that is starving to beat Florida, a week filled with beat Florida festivities and a team preparing for their first and maybe only chance to prove why it’s great to be a Tennessee Vol.
I can’t remember the last time UT EVER had this much media attention that didn’t involve Lane Kiffin. ESPN and social media hyped up the game and Vegas gave UT a slight advantage.
A packed crowd showed up early for College Gameday and the signs were hilarious. Some of my personal favorites:
“Driskel throws Zima bottles”
“Driskel goes for it on 4th and jort”
ESPN acronym “Exterminating Swamp People from Neyland”
“Great Jorts said no one ever”
It was a beautiful day for football in Knoxville. Neyland sold out to a sea of orange for more than 102,000 plus the thousands of fans who couldn’t get tickets.
It was a great SEC game until the end of third and then it was all Rock Bottom for the VOLS.
With 3:27 left in the third, Florida set in wildcat formation ended with 1 play for 80 yards in twelve seconds for a Florida TD by Trey Burton and the game changed. The missed opportunities, turnovers and failure to complete big plays made the VOLS Gator bait.
Bray collapsed and Tennessee had no legs. With only 87 rushing yards UT had meek success in the running game while the Gators ran for 336 yards and ran away with their 8th consecutive win 37-20 on the third Saturday in September.
Tennessee fans were pissed, heartbroken and shocked. This was Dooley’s chance to beat a ranked team and he came out with swamp ass.
Simply put, we couldn’t finish. We choked in the spotlight on the national stage in what could be the most important game of Dooley’s career at UT. Tennessee got chomped in Knoxville and it hurts.
Sometimes I hate that I love UT football so much, it just hurts. It really hurts. But at the end of day, the week, and season UT fans will still be cheering for the team with the belief that one day, the team will love us back. VFL.