KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The eighth-ranked Tennessee Volunteers are being tested for the first time this season.
The Vols are hosting Florida on Saturday night in their first home game in a month coming off a 19-14 loss at Arkansas that snapped a six-game win streak dating back to last season. How they react will go a long way toward dictating their eventual destination.
Fans are painting Neyland Stadium in an orange-and-white checkerboard for the Volunteers (4-1, 1-1 Southeastern Conference).
How the Vols rebound depends in large part on how quarterback Nico Iamaleava handles his first loss in six starts. He threw for a career-low 156 yards and no touchdowns against the Razorbacks.
“The quarterback position takes 10 other guys around you playing at a high level,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said. “All 11 doing ordinary things at a really high level was the difference.”
Florida coach Billy Napier called Iamaleava a “unicorn.”
“He’s got a big-time arm,” Napier said. "He’s got a lot of hype around him. On the tape, you can see why.”
The Gators (3-2, 1-1) are showing signs of finding themselves with two straight wins, the latest a 24-13 victory over UCF.
"They continue to get better throughout the course of the season,” Heupel said of the Gators.
When Tennessee's offense is humming, the Vols’ ground game is a big key setting up passing opportunities. Vols running back Dylan Sampson has rushed for over 100 yards in all but one game this season. He was eight yards shy against Oklahoma.
Florida rose to a significant challenge last week with its best defensive performance this season. UCF entered the game averaging 326 yards on the group. The Gators limited the Knights to just 108 rushing and 273 overall with five sacks.
Tennessee’s defense had some weaknesses exposed by Arkansas. Now the Vols are preparing for not one but two quarterbacks in Graham Mertz and DJ Lagway.
“Both of them have played smart football,” Heupel said. “They’ve been accurate with the football, in particular, the last couple weeks. The young kid (Lagway) is dynamic with the ball in his hands.”
On the last play at Arkansas, Tennessee got to the Razorbacks 20. Iamaleava rolled out, didn’t find a receiver, and ran out of bounds. Iamaleava said he lost his grip, which is why he didn't try throwing. Three years ago, the Vols trailed Ole Miss by five and drove inside the 25 with then-Vols quarterback Joe Milton also tucking and running out of bounds instead of throwing to the end zone.
The Vols are wearing a “Mountain Strong” decal on the back of helmets for East Tennessee victims of Hurricane Helene. Offensive lineman Dayne Davis, whose home is near the area hit hardest, had raised almost $5,000 in a GoFundMe campaign.
He and a friend also took food and donations to the area last weekend. Davis said: "There’s a lot of people who need help. It’s just really sad to see what’s come to the region.”
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