As much as I would like to agree, barring getting Peyton and the Broncos to sneak in and suit up in Orange I don't have high hopes with Bama. But you never know that game just never seems to match normal formula for predicting scores. I have seen some freaky stuff happen in that game through years from both sides with teams you just would not expect....but I wouldn't put any money out on it. I really am not sure any team in NCAA this year can beat Bama.

As for Florida....I'll say this you have kids at UT who do not remember UT winning against Florida. As a result for a few years now it's been sort of unenergized at games, but not now. Knoxville is a chatter and there's a fan energy there like nothing seen since 90's. This game is going to be LOUD eveny by Neyland Standards. If we win that campus is going to explode....and there is deffinately a personal desire for blood against Gators who have really kind of replaced Alabama for younger fans for about a decade now as far as just pure hate is concerned. Plus most people I know respect Saban, we just haven't built up a personal animosity with him like we have with Spurrier or the Bear or other foes. If we improve enough tomake a real challange maybe that rivalry will heat up again. For us older fans Bama is still THE game.

I predict if this is high scoring, fast tempo game...TN blows Florida out of the water...could even be 1990 level defeat. We have that much explosive ability right now. (quite a few other similarities going on with those teams if you think about it) However we haven't faced a respectable pass rush yet, so we have been able to have our way with teams...Florida's D still looks completely legit, if they can pass rush and cause problems and slow game down, or force a running game.....then it could get nasty for us quick. We got no power back and they know it. Our running game has no power, more speed, and that only works usually with non SEC schools. On the other side, our D is looking like 180 degree turn around....Sunseri seems to have worked some magic, entire Defense is playing with more energy, alot of ball hawking in secondary, and just that sorta old testament hunger at the line to hurt people I haven't seen since Leonard and Big Al were on the field....win or lose....some people are comeing up to Neyland to get hurt...pain train is on the tracks. Choo Choo!

This post was edited on 9/10/12 at 11:22 pm