BetMGM: Tennessee opens as a road favorite for Saturday night's game at Florida

Tennessee Football on Sunday afternoon opened as a 3.5-point favorite for Saturday night’s game at Florida with the total set at 57.5, according to numbers released by BetMGM. The Vols and Gators are scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time start on ABC at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville. 

Tennessee (7-3, 3-3 SEC) beat New Mexico State 42-9 Saturday at Neyland Stadium. Florida (3-7, 2-5) lost 34-24 at No. 7 Ole Miss, after leading the Rebels 24-20 on the road in Oxford. 

Two years ago Tennessee was a 5.5-point favorite at Florida but lost 29-16 to the Gators. The Vols have lost 10 straight in Gainesville, dating back to a 24-10 win in 2003, which followed the 34-32 win in 2001.

Tennessee was a 17.5-point underdog in 2001 and a 3.0-point underdog in 2003. The Vols were favored by one point in 2015, but lost 28-27. 

Tennessee is 4-6 against the spread this season

Florida leads the all-time series 32-22. Tennessee has won two of the last three, after the Gators won five straight. Tennessee’s 38-28 home win in 2016 snapped an 11-year losing streak against Florida.

The Vols are 4-6 against the spread this season, covering a 13.5-point spread against Syracuse, a 39.5-point spread against ETSU, as a 3.5-point underdog against Georgia and as an 8.5-point favorite at Kentucky.

Tennessee has failed to cover a 38.5-point spread against UAB, a 7.5-point spread at Mississippi State, a 10.5-point spread against Arkansas, an 8.5-point spread at Alabama, a 3.5-point spread against Oklahoma and a 42.5-point spread against New Mexico State.

The over hit in Tennessee’s first five games and the under has hit in three of the last five.

Florida has lost three straight, four of last five

The Gators have lost three straight and four of five dating back to a 29-21 upset of then-No. 9 Texas on October 4 in Gainesville.

Florida started the season with a 55-0 win over Long Island, then lost three straight against South Florida, at LSU and at Miami. Since the win over the Longhorns, the Gators lost 34-17 at Texas A&M, beat Mississippi State 23-21 at home then lost to Georgia, 24-20 in Jacksonville, 38-7 at Kentucky and 34-24 at Ole Miss.

Florida fired former head coach Billy Napier on October 19, the day after the win over Mississippi State. The Gators promoted wide receivers coach Billy Gonzales to interim head coach.