Next Meal:
Tennessee
September 19, 1998 8:00 PM ET
TV: 
My Prediction: UF 28 Tennessee 17
Vegas Odds: Gators favorite by 3
Coaching Information
Head Coach:Phillip Fulmer
Career Record at Present Institution: 54-11 (6 years)
Overall Coaching Record: 54-11 (6 years)
Team Information
Basic Offense Multiple
Basic Defense 4-3
Final 1997 Team Record: 11-2
Final 1997 Finish: 7-1 1997 SEC Champions
Final 1997 National Ranking 8th/7th
1997 Bowl Appearance: 1998 Oranage Bowl got embarrased by Nebraska 42-17
Game Notes
These two teams will be meeting for the 28th time. In a classic SEC East matchup, the division is on the line. UT will not have the benefit of having Peytie since he is now playing on Sunday for crappy Indianpolis (Peyton can you spell 0-11 start?). However, Manning is history and will always be remembered as the best UT QB that never beat Florida.
The Gators are 12-15 overall against UT, but have won 10 of the last 12 meetings including the last five meetings with the winining team scoring 31 points or more in wild, high scoring affairs.
This game will be played in Knoxville and UT was idle last week. They are coming off a great victory in a come from behind win against a good team - Syracuse with a field goal in the game's final seconds in the Syracuse Carrier Dome. Tennessee has replaced Manning with Tee Martin who had his first start against Syracuse. He went a poor 9-26 for 143 yards, but Martin managed two scoring tosses while posting the game's longest run of 55 yards and scoring once himself.
The SEC's leading rusher, Jamal Lewis, picked up the eighth 100-yard rushing game of his career with a 141 yard, one TD effort against Syracuse. That places him fifth all-time at UT in 100-yard rushing games. This guy is a real threat, and Porky Fulmer did not discover him when we played these guys last year. It is critical that we stop Jamal Lewis and force Martin into throwing on 3rd and long.
The game will be televised to the entire country and CBS has the rights to this game in Knoxville on Sept. 19 at 8 p.m. ET.
I expect a tough game with a dicsiplined and focused Gator team with the SEC in their minds. UT will be sloppy and will have some critical mistake. I expect the Gator defense to rise once again against UT and create seriuos problems for "fatty" Fulmer. Fulmer may be the "winningest" couch in college football, but he has won 2 - 4 against the Gators and Steve Spurrier.
The Gators will move into a solid position for the National Title with a good #2 rating. This is going to be a great game and Jesse Palmer will show that he is ready for primtime.
Gators win in a good close one 28-17 (one last TD in the final minutes)
| Last Updated November 19, 2006 |  |
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