Three keys for Florida football to upset Tennessee in the Swamp

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Florida football hasn’t had many bright spots in a long season, but rivalry games tend to get interesting, and tonight offers the Gators a chance to do something positive.

The No. 20 Tennessee Volunteers enter the Swamp sitting at 7-3 with those losses to legitimate College Football Playoff contenders (Alabama, Georgia and Oklahoma).

Tennessee has dropped 10 straight in Gainesville. Even in down years, Florida found a gear at home that the Volunteers couldn’t match.

With Urban Meyer set to be honored and a night kickoff amplifying everything, the atmosphere should be hostile, emotional and very, very loud.

If the Florida Gators want to pull off an upset tonight, these are the three things that have to swing in their direction.

Slow down Tennessee’s tempo

If Florida’s defense is going to survive, the first step is surviving the pace.

Josh Heupel’s offense wants to snap the ball before the defense even finishes getting lined up. The Gators can’t afford to spend the night pointing, scrambling or looking to the sideline for calls.

Florida needs quick substitutions and discipline, or Tennessee will pile up explosive plays early. If the Gators can keep the Volunteers from turning this into a track meet, they’ve already won half the battle.

Caleb Banks returns to anchor the interior

Getting Caleb Banks back is massive.

The redshirt senior defensive lineman has barely seen the field this season because of injury, but when healthy, he changes the interior completely. Banks can eat space, collapse pockets and disrupt run lanes.

If Banks can give the Gators 25-35 strong snaps, that can really help out Florida’s defensive line. He doesn’t have to be perfect, but he just has to be present and disruptive.

Florida has to get off to a fast start

There’s a reason Tennessee hasn’t won here since 2003: the Swamp is nightmare fuel for any opponent when Florida scores first.

This Florida team can’t afford to play from behind. A big play early, whether it’s a long run, a forced turnover or a deep shot from DJ Lagway, is the kind of jolt that can get the Swamp rocking early.

Again, this seems like a recurring theme in these “keys to the game” stories, but I have to say it over and over: Lagway can’t afford to turn the ball over.

The offensive line played well last week against Ole Miss, and if they keep Lagway protected tonight, there’s no reason why the Florida quarterback should make mistakes with the football.

In a season where nothing has come easy, this game could very well come down to the Swamp and how Gator Nation might carry Florida the rest of the way.

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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida football: Three keys to beat Tennessee tonight

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