This game has special significance to Tennessee since its the final year for Peyton Manning and all hopes are on this game. Manning turned down a lucrative offer in the NFL (probably next to the Big Tuna in New York) to return for his senior year in hopes of winning the SEC and a Heisman trophy. This is an all or nothing game for both teams as they enter their SEC schedules. Tennessee with victories against Texas Tech and UCLA has impressed the media, but when you take a close look at the stats and their opponents... its not that impressive. Manning does NOT rank high in any of the major QB categories.

The Gators have dominated this series under Steve Spurrier by scoring an average of 42+ points per game with the most memorable game in 1995 in The Swamp as the Gators rallied from a 30-14 first half deficit to score 37 unanswered points under Danny Wuerffel and sack Rocky Top 62-37!!

Tennessee Coach "Porky" Fulmer is under the hot seat to win this game, as losing means another trip to the Volunteers Bowl (Citrus) in Orlando against a mediocre Big Ten team that poses no challenge. They usually finish in the Top 5....without a shot at the National Title.

Lets hope the heat plays a factor in this game as it has in the last two meetings with 95+ ^oF 100% humidity Swamp weather. This kills those Rocky top boys and according to Fulmer he and his team has "been shocked by the heat there in the stadium on game days,'' . He also added ''at least we'll have a little bit of acclimation to it by practicing in it.'' since they are planning on practicing on Friday all day in Gainesville by arriving a day early (I guess they do not have classes on Friday??)

With this kind of domination, the Gators have replaced Alabama as the Volunteers most fiercest rival....I get many messages from Volunteers on how ready they are, and how they will finally break through and beat the Gators. NO WAY!! Says fsuSUCKS.com. The Volunteers will be stunned by the strong Gator defense and will sack Manning 5 times. As long as Johnson does not make mistakes, the Gators will enjoy an easy victory on their way to a 6th consecutive SEC title.

Turnovers have killed UT in their past games and it will happen again. Peyton will throw a couple on INTs and/or the running backs for the Vols. will fumble. The crowd will be as load as ever and we will break a Swamp attendance record this game. This is the most hyped game of the early season... look for the media to select UT on this one, but I predict a Gator flogging of the Vols. 38-17