The SEC East might very well run through Florida or Tennessee.
The Vols get a chance to erase the bad memories of nonconference play and start the conference schedule 1-0. The Gators got off to a fast SEC start against Kentucky and hope to keep their 11-game winning streak against Tennessee alive. The winner will eventually take on Georgia for potentially the SEC East crown.
MORE: Week 4 TV schedule | Week 4 bowl projections
Here's how to watch Florida at Tennessee, and keys to victory for both teams.
Florida at Tennessee
When: Saturday, Sept. 24, 3:30 p.m. ET
Where: Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, Tenn.
TV: CBS
Online: CBSSports.com
Florida-Tennessee all-time series
This one's been lopsided in recent years. Florida has won the last 11 games in the series and 24 of the last 30, but the series record stands just at 26-19 in favor of the Gators. You have to go all the way back to 2004 to find Tennessee's last win, a 30-28 win on a 50-yard field goal with six seconds left.
Numbers that matter
10
Florida's played quarterback roulette since 2010 (post-Tim Tebow), and Purdue transfer Austin Appleby becomes the 10th QB to start for the Gators in the last six seasons. Appleby is in for Luke Del Rio, who injured his knee last week against North Texas. Good news for Florida: the other nine first-time starting QBs are 6-3 in their debuts. Can Appleby make it 7-3?
4.7
The Gators currently have the best scoring defense in the country, giving up just 14 total points (4.7 points per game) through three games. They also allow just 129.7 yards per game (first in the nation), 42.3 rush yards per game (first), 87.3 passing yards per game, and average 5.33 sacks per game (first). Good luck racking up yards, Tennessee.
2:00
The Vols like to work quickly on offense. They've scored 12 offensive touchdowns this season and average two minutes per TD drive. What Tennessee does with the other minutes it has the ball and doesn't score — it actually hasn't won the time of possession battle all season — is curious, but when the Vols need to score, it can do so in a split second.
Social buzz
Butch Jones has a lot to prove in this game besides breaking the losing streak against the Gators. The Vols eked out a win against Appalachian State in overtime and let Ohio hang around way longer than it should have, and Saturday starts a four-game stretch against ranked teams. Jones' seat will get a little hotter if Tennessee struggles again.
The big question
Which team can compensate for its injuries better? Florida's obviously without Del Rio and might also be without leading receiver Antonio Callaway, and Tennessee will be missing cornerback and team captain Cam Sutton and linebacker Darrin Kirkland Jr. Depth will be a big factor, and both teams need its backups to embrace the "next man up" mentality to survive this week.
