Tennessee at Florida Football Picks
Written September 17, 2009 by Jordan Haimowitz
“Looking forward to … singing ‘Rocky Top’ all night long after we beat Florida next year. It will be a blast.” That is how first year Head Coach Lane Kiffin kicked off his tenure with Tennessee by making those bonehead comments this summer. So far on the field, all his Volunteers have done is beat up on cupcake opponent Western Kentucky and lose at home to Pac-10 mediocrity in UCLA. Junior QB Jonathan Crompton looked horrific in last Saturday’s loss. He went 13-26 through the air for 93 yards and 3 interceptions to go along with that terrible stat line. His confidence was shook early and he had absolutely no poise in the pocket at any point in the games. The running game is another area where the Vols have been wildly ineffective as their leading rusher is Bryce Brown has combined for 138 yards and only one TD in the first two weeks combined. That is hardly Brown’s fault as he is averaging a 6.3 yards per carry. Perhaps the head coach should be focused on play selection and how his offensive coaching staff is calling games. The wide receiver with big play capability is Quinton Hancock who’s combined for 123 receiving yards on 10 catches with one being a touchdown. On to the Tennessee’s strength which is their defense. They gave up only 83 yards of total offense to Western Kentucky in week one and then held UCLA to 186 total in week two which still resulted in a loss. So, if Tennessee has any chance to even be competitive in tonight’s game they must play fierce defense with aggressive mentalities. The passing game is not a threat and while they rushed for what seemed to be a million yards against the Hilltoppers in week one, they were held to 115 yards rushing as a team on 44 carries against a UCLA defense that is respectable. Senior strong safety and future NFL 1st round draft pick Eric Berry will be without a question the most important player in the stadium for the Vols today with Senior left tackle Wes Brown being another important player. If Berry can make a play or two in this game to keep Tennessee’s confidence high, they will be able to be within two touchdowns when the clock hit zero. On the other hand, If Florida gets up 14-0 early, this game will turn into a comedy session. The current college football odds for this game have the Gators as 29.5 point favorites against Tennessee, with the total set for 52 points.
What can I say about the Florida Gators that has not already been covered. Hmm, how about, they’re very good. Seriously though, this team is absolutely sensational. Led by Junior legend QB Tim Tebow who could be the best leader to ever put on a jersey in collegiate athletics, the Gators seem determined to get back to the National Championship game and win their third title in four years. To think about the players they have lost, names such as Percy Harvin, Louis Murphy and Cornelius Ingram and yet the offense looks impeccable. After blowing out Charleston Southern on opening weekend 62-3, they wiped the field with the Troy Trojans 56-6 (the spread was -36) looking unstoppable in every facet of the game. Jeffrey Demps is the main featured back for this team and might be the fastest payer in in the nation and is primed for a solid sophomore season after looking good as a freshman. The to wide receivers that will look to fill the gaps of Harvin and Murphy will be Seniors Riley Cooper and David Nelson. The Gators have a spectacular offensive line which is a big reason Tebow is able to do what he does, which is terrorize opposing teams. On the defensive side Florida returns EVERY one of their featured players including about three to four future NFL studs, starting with standout defensive end Carlos Dunlap who is projected to go in the top 10 of next years draft along with cornerback Joe Haden who will be a top 15 selection while QB Tim Tebow and linebacker Brandon Spikes are possible first round selections. You add safeties Major Wright (one of the most underrated players in the nation) and Will Hill into the mix as underclassmen and you have yourself a defense that is not only dominant but one that could break records and go down in the all-time category. Now, the spread is 29.5 points Florida is favored by which is an amount that you want to say “come on, be serious, what’s the real spread?” Well, that is it, they are more then two touchdown favorites against a Tennessee team that does have an extremely talented defensive unit themselves. One might argue that Vols safety Eric Berry will be the best player on the field Saturday afternoon and in my mind, that is correct. So this spread is very rich, perhaps to rich for my blood. If you bet college football, you should take advantage of a sweet $500 match bonus at BetUS!
Haimo’s Hot Notes: Tennessee is 5-5 in their last 10 games ATS overall. Florida is 8-0 ATS in their last eight games overall. The Gators are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games ATS vs Tennessee. However, in the last 10 times these two teams have faces the Gators have never been favored by more then 16.5 points. A ton of people will be making their case both ways here, me personally, 29.5 points is a ton to lay against a team that does sport a well above average defensive unit. Picks below.
Jordan’s Picks: Tennessee +29.5 & Under 52 points
Make sure to check all my premium plays going this weekend including my no brainer top play of the day. I currently am 4-0 in my BEST BET selections for NCAAF and this weekend is the most promising one yet. Published hot streaks all over the place here as all my plays will remain GUARANTEED! Lets go get that money.
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