2020 FOOTBALL 6 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS / 13 SEC CHAMPIONSHIPS / 53 BOWL GAMES / 95 ALL-AMERICANS / 46 NFL FIRST-ROUND PICKS GAME 8 | DEC. 5, 2020 | 3:30 P.M. ET | KNOXVILLE, TENN. | NEYLAND STADIUM ON THE AIR TV: CBS Play-by-Play: Carter Blackburn TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS FLORIDA GATORS Analyst: Aaron Murray Sideline: Jenny Dell 2-5 VS 7-1 RADIO: VOL NETWORK Head Coach: Jeremy Pruitt Head Coach: Dan Mullen Record at UT: 15-17 (.469) // third season Record at UF: 28-6 (.824) // third season Local: WIVK-FM 107.7 | WNML-FM 99.1 Career Record: same Career Record: 97-52 (.651) // 12th season Sirius: Ch. 106 | XM: Ch. 191 Rankings: AP - NR // Coaches - NR // CFP - NR Rankings: AP - 6 // Coaches - 5 // CFP - 6 Internet: Ch. 962 Web: utsports.com STORYLINES Play-by-Play: Bob Kesling Analysts: Tim Priest & Brent Hubbs • BACK IN NEYLAND: Tennessee returns to Neyland Stadium for the first time in 42 days as the Volunteers Sideline: Kasey Funderburg host No. 6/5 Florida at 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday live on CBS. It represents UT’s first home game since facing then-No. 2 Alabama on Oct. 24. The Vols did not play a home game the entire month of November, a first SOCIAL MEDIA since 1891. Gameday seating will be at approximately 25 percent of the venue’s full capacity (capacity was #PoweredByTheT 23,394 vs. Alabama). Saturday represents the first December regular season game between these two teams since Dec. 1, 2001, in Gainesville in a game rescheduled after the events of 9/11. It will also be the Twitter/Instagram: @Vol_Football first December game played in Neyland Stadium since the Vols defeated Vanderbilt, 17-10, on Dec. 2, 1989. Facebook: Tennessee Football • BOUNCING BACK: The Vols are attempting to snap a five-game losing streak that dates back to Oct. 10. They will seek to do it against a Florida team that has won three straight in the series. The Gators lead the all-time series, 29-20, and own a 13-12 record in Knoxville. UT’s last win in the series occured on Sept. 24, THE SCHEDULE 2016. UF is UT’s third top-five ranked opponent (at the time of the meeting) of the season. The Vols will face a fourth top-five ranked team when they host No. 5 Texas A&M in December. Five of UT’s 10 opponents Overall: 2-5 | Home: 1-2 | Away: 1-3 are ranked in the first edition of the College Football Playoff Rankings. Those teams are a combined 32-7. SEPTEMBER (1-0) • COVID POSTPONEMENTS: The Vols were open last weekend after their contest against Vanderbilt was 26 at South Carolina SECN W, 31-27 postponed due to the purpose of facilitating the rescheduling of the Vanderbilt at Missouri game and for OCTOBER (1-3) the continued opportunity for all 14 SEC teams to play all 10 games this season. It was Tennessee’s second 3 Missouri SECN W, 35-12 postponement of the season. The Vols’ Nov. 16 home game against Texas A&M was also postponed. 10 at #3/3 Georgia CBS L, 21-44 • OFFENSIVE OUTPUT: Tennessee racked up a season-best 464 yards of total offense in a tough 30-17 loss 17 Kentucky SECN L, 7-34 at No. 21 Auburn in its last game. It represented the Vols’ highest offensive output against the Tigers since 24 #2/2 Alabama CBS L, 17-48 putting up 502 yards in the 1997 SEC Championship Game and was also UT’s most vs. a ranked team since NOVEMBER (0-2) 521 yards against No. 24 Nebraska in the 2016 Music City Bowl. The Vols outgained Auburn by 79 yards, 7 at Arkansas SECN L, 13-24 were 9-of-15 on third down and tallied 222 rushing yards, led by a season-high 173 yards on 22 carries from 21 at #23/21 Auburn ESPN L, 17-30 Eric Gray. Gray averaged 7.9 yards per carry and finished with 222 all-purpose yards. UT recorded 28 first 28 at Vanderbilt TBD PPD downs, representing the most in a game in the Jeremy Pruitt era (previous: 26 vs. Missouri, 2019, 2020). DECEMBER (0-0) • “JUICE” GRAY: So. RB Eric Gray has gone over 100 yards rushing four times this season, including back-to- 5 #6/5/6 Florida CBS 3:30 p.m. back games for the first time in his career. He is tied for second in the SEC in that category. Gray ranks fifth 12* #5/6/5 Texas A&M TBA TBA in the SEC in total rushing yardage (651), fourth in yards per game (93.0) and 10th in rushing touchdowns (4). During the month of November, Gray averaged 148.0 yards per game on the ground, which led the All games conference only (COVID-19) SEC and ranked sixth in the FBS. In his last nine games dating back to last year’s Vanderbilt game, Gray * - rescheduled from Nov. 14 PPD is averaging 109.2 yards per game on the ground. Gray is the first Vol with back-to-back 100-yard rushing games since John Kelly in 2017 (141 vs. Florida, 101 vs. UMass), and he’s the first to do it in back-to-back conference games since Joshua Dobbs in 2016 (147 vs. Kentucky, 190 vs. Missouri). THE COACHING STAFF • TREY SMITH ALL-AMERICA CANDIDATE: Offensive guardTrey Smith elected to return for his senior season and is an Outland Trophy candidate. Smith has played in 39 career games with 38 starts, including 19 straight starts. Last season, he did not allow a sack in 758 snaps, and he has not allowed one in 485 offensive snaps Jeremy Pruitt, Head Coach (3rd) this season. CBSSports.com projects him as a NFL first round pick. Smith fulfilled his promise to his late Derrick Ansley, DC/DB (3rd) mother, Dorsetta, by obtaining his degree this month in recreation and sports management. Jim Chaney*, OC (6th) BY THE NUMBERS Shelton Felton, OLBs (1st full-time) Will Friend, OL (3rd) sacks this season by Sr. Deandre tackles for loss by UT per game this Jay Graham, RB (2nd) Johnson, which is tied for fifth in season, which ranks fifth in the SEC Tee Martin, Asst. HC/Pass Game/WR (2nd) 4.5 the SEC 6.14 (at least 5.0 in every game) Brian Niedermeyer*, ILB (3rd) Joe Osovet*, TE (3rd, 1st on field) Chris Weinke, QBs (3rd) passing touchdowns surrendered players who have made their UT by UT this season, which is the debut so far this season, including * - denotes in press box 17 true freshmen 8 fewest in the SEC (Alabama 2nd, 10) 20 ( ) - denotes year at Tennessee 2020 TENNESSEE FOOTBALL / UTSPORTS.COM / @VOL_FOOTBALL 1 TENNESSEE FOOTBALL MEDIA INFORMATION In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Southeastern Conference and the University of Tennessee have adopted several new policies and TENNESSEE MEDIA RELATIONS restrictions related to in-person media coverage of Tennessee football games this fall. Press box seating BILL MARTIN KIM HOOD will be limited to no more than 50 percent of capacity, Assistant AD for Football Communications Assistant Director of Media Relations (Credentials) sideline access will be restricted and the field-level Office: 865-974-4167 Office: 865-974-1211 | Cell: 423-552-5617 media center will be closed. These changes, guided by Cell: 662-418-3821 E-mail: [email protected] public health authorities and CDC recommendations, Email: [email protected] Twitter: @AllinHoodTime mean that some outlets that have previously been Twitter: @Bill_Martin approved for credentials may not receive access this TOM SATKOWIAK fall. All credentials will be issued on a single-game SEAN BAROWS Associate AD for Communications basis for Tennessee home games. Our hope is that the Assistant Director of Media Relations Office: 865-974-7501 | Cell: 865-696-2897 current restrictions are only required for one season Office: 865-974-7478 | Cell: 561-312-9432 E-mail: [email protected] and that we can return to our traditional credentialing/ E-mail: [email protected] Twitter: @TomSatkowiak media access procedures in the fall of 2021. Twitter: @SeanBarows ADDITIONAL STAFF COACH PRUITT MEDIA INTERVIEWS AKILAH LASTER Associate Director: Eric Trainer Assistant Director of Media Relations Assistant Directors: Forest Jersey, Shane Switzer • MONDAY: Coach Pruitt’s weekly press conference Office: 865-974-8876 | Cell: 510-813-7714 Graduate Assistant: Dom Palumbo will be held every Monday of game week at noon ET E-mail: [email protected] Student Assistant: Wyeth Wilson via Zoom. A Zoom link will be distributed to media. Twitter: @AkilahLaster Photographer: Andrew Ferguson It will also be streamed live on SEC Network+, utsports.com and the UT Athletics YouTube page. RICKY MARTINEZ DEPARTMENT ADDRESSES • WEDNESDAY: Coach Pruitt takes part in the weekly Graduate Assistant Anderson Training Center - Ground Floor SEC Teleconference each Wednesday at 11:50 a.m. Office: 865-974-5270 | Cell: 626-833-2141 Phone: 865-974-1212 • Fax: 865-974-9496 ET. Media representatives should contact the SEC for E-mail: [email protected] Mailing Address: P.O. Box 15016 Knoxville, TN 37901 a confidential phone number. Twitter: @rickymartinez_3 Shipping Address: 1551 Lake Loudoun Boulevard, • WEDNESDAY: Coach Pruitt will meet with media Knoxville, TN 37996 members via Zoom following Wednesday’s practice as well. A Zoom link will be distributed to media. NEYLAND GAME DAY INFORMATION • POSTGAME: All SEC postgame press conferences press box will open to media starting two hours this season will be held via Zoom. A link will be • Media in attendance will be required to wear a face covering.