FB PREVIEW: #20/20/20 Vols Primed for Rivalry Showdown at Florida

November 21, 2025 | Football

Watch (ABC)Listen (Vol Network)Live Stats Digital Game Program UT Game Notes

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – No. 20/20/20 Tennessee is prepared for a tough test in its final road game this season as it heads down to the Sunshine State to square off against SEC rival Florida in The Swamp on Saturday night in primetime (7:30 p.m. – ABC).

MORE INFO

GAMEDAY & BROADCAST INFO

Opponent: Florida Gators
Date/Time: Saturday, Nov. 22 | 7:30 p.m.
Location: Gainesville, Fla.
Venue: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (88,548)
TV: ABC
Local Radio: Vol Network (FM 107.7 in Knoxville)
Satellite Radio: SiriusXM (Ch. 117 or 191)
Spanish Radio: WNML (AM 990 in Knoxville)
Live Stats: UTStats.com

#20/20/20 TENNESSEE (7-3 | 3-3 SEC)

Game Notes Roster Schedule Stats Record Book

FLORIDA (3-7 | 2-5 SEC)

Game Notes Roster Schedule Stats Media Guide Digital Game Program Gameday Info Tennessee Athletics App Follow @UTGameday Buy 2025 Record Book Buy Tennessee Gear Heupel Monday Presser

The Volunteers are coming off a 42-9 victory over New Mexico State last Saturday and are hitting the road for the first time in nearly a month while the Gators are playing at home for the first time since Oct. 18 when they defeated Mississippi State.

BROADCAST INFO

TV Info
Chris Fowler (PxP), Kirk Herbstreit (analyst) and Holly Rowe (sideline reporter) will have the call for Saturday's nationally televised showdown on ABC. Coverage is set to begin at 7:30 p.m. with kickoff slated for 7:45 p.m.

Radio Info
UT fans can listen to Tennessee's official radio broadcast via the Vol Network (Local: WIVK-FM 107.7/WNML-FM 99.1) on 70 stations across the state of Tennessee and the southeast, SiriusXM (Ch. 117 or 191) and the SiriusXM app (Ch. 961). A live audio stream of the broadcast will also be available on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics App. Voice of the Vols Mike Keith will be joined in the booth by VFL Ramon Foster (analyst) while Brent Hubbs will handle sideline duties for the Vol Network radio broadcast. Fans attending the game in Gainesville are encouraged to listen to the radio broadcast via the Vol Network Stadiumcast on 91.1 FM.

The Big Orange Countdown pregame show, hosted by Hubbs, begins at 5 p.m. VFL Jayson Swain also returns as part of the official gameday radio team this season and will be a part of the network's pregame, halftime and postgame programming.

Tennessee's official Spanish radio broadcast is available locally on WNML-AM 990 with Carlos Lopez (play-by-play) and J.P. Vasquez (analyst) on the call. That version is also available on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics App.

Volunteer Gameday, a live, one-hour television preview show, will originate live from Ben Hill Griffin Stadium beginning at 5:30 p.m. The show will be hosted by Keith, VFL Heath Shuler and WVLT-Knoxville's Brittany Tarwater. Volunteer Gameday will be available on Knoxville flagship TV station WVLT and across the state on the new Tennessee Valley Sports Network (TVSN).

NEED TO KNOW

Vols in the Polls
Tennessee enters Saturday's contest ranked 20^th in all three polls this week after moving up one spot in the AP Poll and three spots in the College Football Playoff rankings following its 42-9 Homecoming victory over New Mexico State.

The Vols have now appeared in 21 consecutive CFP rankings dating back to Nov. 2022. UT has also been ranked in the AP Poll for 32 straight weeks dating back to Dec. 3. 2023 and has spent 60 weeks in a row in the Coaches poll, marking its longest streak since appearing in 92 consecutive Coaches polls from Nov. 27, 1994 to Oct. 1 , 2000.

Airing It Out
The Vols' three-headed monster at wide receiver has been as productive as any trio in the country this season. Biletnikoff Award semifinalist Chris Brazzell II, Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year semifinalist Braylon Staley and Mike Matthews have combined for 2,301 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns on the year. UT's wideouts have combined for nine 100-yard receiving games this season, three more than the next closest SEC teams (Mississippi State & Texas A&M - 6).

Coming into this weekend, Tennessee is the only team in the Power Four that has three players with 600 or more yards receiving (Brazzell: SEC-best 873, Staley: 761, Matthews: 667). Should Matthews eclipse the 700-yard mark for the season, this year would mark the first in program history with three players surpassing 700 receiving yards.

The Defense Scores Too
Through 12 weeks, the Big Orange lead the Power Four and rank second in the FBS with six defensive touchdowns this season, a total they added to last weekend with a William Wright 35-yard interception return for a score against New Mexico State.

Under the director of defensive coordinator Tim Banks (2021-pres.), UT has scored 14 defensive touchdowns and owns a perfect 12-0 record when the defense finds pay dirt.

Hood Having Breakout Season
Redshirt sophomore Colton Hood has burst onto the scene for the Vols this season and has provided much-needed stability and production at corner in the absence of Jermod McCoy and Rickey Gibson III. Hood was recently named a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award and is tied with teammate Ty Redmond for fifth in the SEC with eight pass breakups this season.

According to PFF, Hood's 85.3 coverage grade ranks second in the SEC and seventh in the FBS among corners with a minimum of 300 coverage snaps played. The McDonough, Georgia, native has also scored a pair of defensive touchdowns this year, becoming the first SEC player since 2019 to score on a pick six and a fumble return in the same season.

SERIES HISTORY

Florida leads, 32-22
After winning just once against Florida in the previous 16 seasons before head coach Josh Heupel took over, the Vols are 2-2 in the series since 2021, including a 23-17 overtime victory last season in Knoxville. Tennessee will be looking to end a 10-game losing streak and earn its first win in Gainesville since 2003 when the two rivals square off on Saturday night in The Swamp.

Saturday's contest will mark a rare November meeting between the Vols and Gators, who have historically played early in the season. This will be the first contest between the two programs played in November since 1955 and mark the latest calendar meeting between the teams in Gainesville since Dec. 1, 2001, a game that was rescheduled after the tragic events of 9/11. Not counting the 2001 meeting or the game during the 2020 COVID season on Dec. 5, the previous 22 matchups in the series all took place in either September or October.

ABOUT FLORIDA

Interim head coach Billy Gonzales currently leads the Gators after former head coach Billy Napier was let go following the team's week eight win over Mississippi State. Despite its 3-7 record, Florida has been within striking distance in nearly every game it has played this season, having led or been within one score in the fourth quarter in six of its seven losses.

Sophomore signal caller DJ Lagway has had an up and down season but boasts an impressive arm and ability to hurt teams with his running ability, as well. Lagway has thrown for 1,980 yards and 12 touchdowns but also leads the SEC in interceptions with 13.

True freshman wide receiver Vernell Brown III leads the Gators with 33 catches for 473 yards but has yet to find the end zone. UF's leaders in receiving touchdowns, Eugene Wilson III and Dallas Wilson, have both been ruled out for Saturday's contest. Sophomore running back Jadan Baugh has been a consistent performer for the Gators, ranking fifth in the SEC in rushing yards (808) and rushing yards per game (80.8) while scoring six touchdowns.

Defensively, Florida's leading tackler is sophomore linebacker Myles Graham, who has totaled 60 stops as well as 5.5 tackles for loss, one sack, four pass breakups and a team-high six quarterback hurries. Junior defensive back Jordan Castell has also been a player maker for the Gators this season with 50 tackles and a team-leading two interceptions.