Nobody, including oddsmakers, gave the Florida Gators a chance to defeat Alabama last week. While the Gators didn’t win, they came extremely close to pulling off one of the biggest upsets in college football. Instead, they now have to focus on their next opponent, the Tennessee Volunteers.
The Vols will travel to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida to take on the Florida Gators on September 25, 7 p.m. EST on ESPN.
Just like nobody gave Florida a chance last week, oddsmakers don’t believe Tennessee has any shot at winning this week. Our Tennessee vs Florida picks and predictions are below.
Tennessee vs Florida odds
Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.
Shockingly, this game opened with the Florida Gators as a 14.5-point favorite against the Tennessee Vols. After their matchup against Alabama, bettors moved the line from 14.5 to 20.5 at some outlets. The total also went up by a field goal from 60.5 to 63.5.
Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right up until kickoff and be sure to check out the full college football odds before placing your bets.
Tennessee vs Florida picks
Picks made on 9/22/2021 at 10:20 a.m. ET.
Click on each pick to jump to the full analysis.
If you're signing up for a new sportsbook for the 2021 college football season, here are two of the best welcome bonuses available:
USA: Risk-free bet up to $5,000 at Caesars. Claim Now
Canada: Get up to $500 in free bets at Sports Interaction. Claim Now
Tennessee vs Florida game info
• Location: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, FL
• Date: Saturday, September 25, 2021
• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• TV: ESPN
Tennessee vs Florida betting preview
Weather
Be sure to monitor the gametime conditions with our NCAA football weather info.
Key injuries
Tennessee: LaTrell Bumphus DL (Questionable), Cooper Mays OL (Questionable), Joe Milton III QB (Questionable), Jabari Small RB (Questionable)
Florida: Jean Delance OL (Questionable), Anthony Richardson QB (Questionable)
Find our latest NCAA football injury reports.
Betting trend to know
Gators are 4-1 ATS in their last five games following a straight-up loss. Find more NCAA betting trends for Tennessee vs. Florida.
Tennessee vs Florida predictions
Florida -20 (-110)
Tennessee started former Michigan commit Joe Milton III in their first two games of the season. Milton led the team to victory against Bowling Green but struggled early against Pittsburgh, before exiting the game due to an injury.
In those first two games of the season, Milton really struggled to throw the football accurately, tossing for just 189 yards and one touchdown. He went a combined 18 for 35 and rarely completed passes down the field.
Once Milton was hurt in their game against Pittsburgh, Hendon Hooker took over and has since looked much better than Milton to start the season. Hooker has thrown for 392 yards and five touchdowns with just one interception in a game and a half.
Tennessee dominated last week’s opponent Tennessee Tech 56-0, which isn’t really saying much. However, it proves Hooker is capable of running this offense.
As of now, it’s unclear whether Milton will be available to play in this game against Florida. Even if he’s green-lit, it’s still unclear if he’ll get his starting job back.
Defensively, the Vols have looked dominant, especially in the running game. They’ve held teams to just 54.3 yards per game on the ground and have allowed only 265 yards per game through their first three games. The competition hasn’t been all that for Tennessee, but the rushing defense has been encouraging. What hasn’t been are the missed tackles.
The Gators, on the other hand, have scored 35.3 points per game and are averaging 553 yards of offense behind quarterback Emory Jones. Jones will never be a threat as a passer but has great rushing ability to help keep plays alive.
Florida has rushed for 336 yards per game through three games this season and will have a real test going up against a Vols defense that has shut down the running game so far this year.
At this rate, the Gators could be the best running team in the country, but they’ll need more out of their offensive line, especially in SEC play.
Florida’s pass rush has helped keep the coverage in check so far this year but at times, the pass rush won’t get to the quarterback quick enough, leaving the secondary to get eaten up.
Florida has allowed 14 points to Florida Atlantic, 20 to South Florida and 31 to Alabama. The Alabama defense was impressive enough, but they’ve been allowing a couple big plays here and there against minor competition.
The thing is, if Joe Milton is in at quarterback, the Vols will struggle to score points. If it’s Hooker, the Vols have a better chance at scoring but with such a bad offensive line, Hooker will still struggle to get rid of the ball to receivers when in a hurry.
Therefore, I like Florida to come out of here with at least a three-touchdown win.
Over 63.5 (-110)
I’m still thinking that it’ll be Hooker getting the start for the Vols. If so, Tennessee will score some points against Florida. We’ve seen Florida struggle to keep USF and FAU silent. They’ll also struggle to keep the Vols off the board, especially if Hooker is starting.
Florida’s secondary is extremely weak but has been bailed out thanks to a terrific pass rush unit. A couple of big plays will be made against that coverage in this game.
On the other hand, Florida’s run game is one of the best in the country. The Vols have proven that they can stop the run against minor teams. The real test is going up against Florida’s run game. Not even Alabama was able to stop it, allowing 245 yards on 43 attempts.
The opening total shifted three points for a reason. Both defenses haven’t been good enough to stop the opposition’s offense. Take the over 63.5 and watch as at least one team scores north of 40 points.
Did you know that if you parlayed our Tennessee vs. Florida picks, you could win $26.45 on a $10 bet?
Use our college football parlay calculator to create your own parlays and see their potential payouts.
Where can I bet on college football odds?
You can bet on college football odds at every online and casino sportsbook, including NCAA moneylines, spreads, Over/Under totals, and a ton of college football prop odds. Head over to our best football betting sites for the top spots to bet on college football odds in your area.
