"Singing Rocky Top all night long after beating Florida." Exposing "recruiting violations" and all the other things that have become legend in terms of the faux-rivalry between Tennessee and Florida come to fruition today as the Vols take on Florida in the swamp.
The assumption is that Meyer (who's not playing today), Tebow and the crew are going to unload an epic load of whoop ass on the Vols. And this is probably true, but here's something to think about.
When have we ever talked about a game, even a confernce rivalry, between a top-ranked team and a team that's rebuilding. This is the equivalent of this type of attention being paid to a USC/Arizona match-up or a Texas/Kansas match-up. Interesting, but not must see TV. People are waiting anxiously to watch the orange-clad gladiator get fed to the blue lions. And that's where Kiffin's genius (even if accidental) comes in.
If Florida wins by 60 points, it's a victory, but if they when by 30, it was expected. If they win by 20, more points were expected. It's a let down if they win by less than 20. And if Tennessee somehow wins? They really will sing "Rocky Top" all night. Essentially, Kiffin and the Vols can't lose. Unless they lose by 60 that is. All the pressure is on Florida to be the 1,000-pound gorilla they are supposed to be. That pressure is not on USC against Washington today.
So I don't know if this all part of the master plan for Kiffin, but he may have lucked into a nationally televised game in which all the expectations are on the other side.
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