1. Florida
There’s not doubt about it: The Vols’ most important game of the 2018 season is their match-up with Florida.
Year in and year out, Tennessee’s game against the Gators is usually their most important contest of the season. And this year is no exception. Florida is Tennessee’s first SEC game of the year, and it’s probably the most winnable of their brutal five-game stretch in the middle of the season. Getting the Gators at home will help the Vols, and it also helps that Tennessee will be honoring the 1998 National Championship team during the game as well.
Neyland will be packed and electric for this contest. And if the Vols can defeat the Gators, it will get them off on the right foot in conference play. And it will give them a little bit of breathing room to start the SEC slate as they try and find a few more wins down the stretch to get bowl eligibility.
A win or loss against Florida could be the difference between a 6-6 or 5-7 season. You could say that about a lot of Tennessee’s toss-up games, but the Vols’ rivalry with the Gators makes this game more important than their contests with South Carolina, Kentucky, or Missouri.
If Tennessee beats Florida, it gives them momentum heading into a firestorm in October. But a loss to the Gators, especially another heart-breaker like last season, could take the wind out of UT’s sails right at the start of SEC play.
