Florida once again sits on top of the SEC as the Gators rank No. 6 after opening up conference play undefeated. While the Gators are not the offensive powerhouse they were known to be in 2012, they have been able to escape close games and hope to do the same as the Tennessee Volunteers come into town, ready to play upset.
Last season, Florida was beating conference opponents by an average of 26.5 points. That is not how the Gators are winning games this season. Their last four games have been won by seven points or fewer. The was the story against Alabama. The team held a 12-point lead with just under eight minutes remaining before only winning the game 68-62. The Gators have won 10 straight, while winning six by single digits.
Florida's offense has struggled recently with shooting. The team only put up 37.7 percent against the Crimson Tide, their second-worst of the season. The team has been forced to overcome poor shooting against Tennessee in their last three matchups. They have made a combined 40.0 percent of their field goals, while shooting just 37.9 percent overall against the Volunteers.
Tennessee has been playing well, but not well enough to win games. Senior Jordan McRae currently ranks third in the SEC with 19.2 points per game. He put up a season-best 34 points against Arkansas and will likely lead the Volunteers on the road against the Gators.
So far, the road has not been kind to Tennessee. They are 1-3 on the road with both losses coming to ranked teams. They have dropped four-straight road games to ranked teams dating back to last season and hope to break that streak Saturday.