Tennessee fans descended upon Gainesville for Saturday night’s college football matchup between two SEC programs that desperately needed to win. Florida, in its second season with Billy Napier at the helm, lost to Utah in its season-opener and put a beatdown on McNeese State in Week 2.
The Gators did not look competent in their loss to the Utes. A statement win over the Volunteers would bring some legitimacy to Napier’s tenure and bring them one step closer to bowl eligibility.
Their fans were ready to go!
On the flip side, Josh Heupel’s squad was coming off of an 11-win season in 2022. Nobody expects Tennessee to repeat its success from a year ago. Surely it can’t be sustainable, right?!
The Vols’ trip to the Sunshine State was the a big test. It was their first road game and first SEC game of 2023 after confident — but not dominant — wins over a bad Virginia team and an FCS program.
If the No. 11 team in the country is deserving of its ranking, it should have no issue handling the Gators. Tennessee was the higher-ranked team.
Even though the game was be played at The Swamp, a large contingency of Vol Nation was in attendance. Very few fanbases travel like the folks from Knoxville!
#vols fans can rest assured…THE Heupel tattoo is here. pic.twitter.com/LcFFCTjbqi
— Ellie (@Ellie_Mai_) September 16, 2023
They started to descend upon Gainesville on Friday afternoon and made a very bold declaration as they left the highway. Somebody hung a Volunteers flag on the exact and only exit used to get to Florida’s campus.
Tennessee marked its territory.
Tennessee ended up losing and the flag plant will be clowned for years to come.