Despite Hurricane Irma ravaging the Sunshine State and forcing a postponement of the FSU-Miami game, the Gators will play Tennessee in the Swamp as scheduled.
In a statement, Florida AD Scott Stricklin said about the decision:
“While we know how important it is for this campus and the Gainesville community to host a game, our thoughts and prayers continue to be with those that have been impacted by the storm, and we are thankful for the support Floridians have received during this time.”
“After meeting with the City of Gainesville, campus officials and numerous staffing entities to discuss hosting the game, we are pleased that the Florida-Tennessee football game will take place in Gainesville Saturday as scheduled. There has been a tremendous amount of cooperation between local authorities, the Southeastern Conference and the Tennessee athletic program throughout this process and we are grateful for these strong partnerships.”
The Gators have beaten Tennessee six straight times in the Swamp, and Jim McElwain is 11-1 in Gainesville, so UF had no intention of losing this home game if they could help it.