Tennessee football’s SEC home opener against Florida on Sept. 12 will kick off at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, the SEC announced on Monday afternoon.
The Vols face Florida coming off this Saturday’s showdown at Arkansas. If Tennessee can take care of business as two touchdown favorites in Fayetteville than they’ll enter the rivalry game against Florida with a 5-0 (2-0 SEC) record needing one more win to stay unbeaten ahead of the Third Saturday in October matchup against Alabama.
Florida is currently 2-2 (1-1 SEC) and is also coming off its open date as they prepare to host Central Florida this week at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
The rivalry matchup against Florida is Tennessee’s “Checker Neyland” matchup this season. The Vols have checkered Neyland Stadium three times against Florida, defeating the Gators in 2016 and 2022 while falling in the inaugural “Checker Neyland” game in 2014.
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No one in the SEC is sitting on a hotter seat than Florida coach Billy Napier whose Gator squad has struggled mightily early in his third season as head coach. It feel like a near lock that Florida will make a move away from Napier at some point. The real question is when the move will occur. A loss against Tennessee could lead to Florida making a move at head coach.
Florida has had Tennessee’s number in recent history. Josh Heupel is 1-2 against Florida as the Vols’ head coach, losing in Gainesville in 2021 and 23 while winning at home in 2022. Napier is 1-1 against Tennessee as Florida’s head coach with the Gators win last season in Gainesville being perhaps his best win during his tenure.
Other top SEC games on Oct. 12 includes Texas-Oklahoma at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC, Ole Miss at LSU at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC and Alabama at South Carolina at noon ET on ABC.
