Tennessee at Florida Preview: 3 key matchups in SEC East showdown

Sep 5, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers running back Alvin Kamara (6) celebrates scoring a touchdown against the Bowling Green Falcons with teammate Volunteers running back Jalen Hurd (1) during the second half at Nissan Stadium. Tennessee won 59-30. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

Tennessee Rushing Attack vs. Florida Run Defense

First of all, it will be very interesting to see whether or not the Vols – who have emerged as one of the best rushing offenses in the SEC with 246 rushing yards per game – can run the football against a stingy Florida defense that has allowed just 56.7 yards on the ground on average, a number that leads the SEC and ranks No. 7 nationally. In Week 2 against East Carolina, the Gators held the Pirates to -13 rushing yards, which was the best performance for a Florida defense since 1998.

Tennessee’s Jalen Hurd and Alvin Kamara combine to give the Vols one of the best running back duos in the SEC. Hurd has run for 300 yards (including 109 yards against Oklahoma in Week 2) and five touchdowns on 58 carries this season, and should be well rested after receiving only 11 carries in last week’s 55-10 blowout victory over Western Carolina. Kamara, a junior college transfer in his first season in Knoxville, has 195 yards and three TDs on 26 carries through the first three games of the season.

But that’s not all. Quarterback Joshua Dobbs gives the Vols a full-fledged three-headed monster in the running game. Thanks to Dobbs’ athleticism, Tennessee can utilize the 6-foot-3, 216-pound junior on designed runs or he can escape pressure and scramble to find open receivers, or pick up yards and move the sticks with his feet. So far, Dobbs has 107 rushing yards and two scores.

Of course, the Vols have yet to face a defense as tough as Florida’s. The Gators have only allowed one rushing touchdown this season, have held opponents to 2.0 yards per carry this year, and have recorded 21 tackles for a loss over the last two games. The star of the Florida defensive line is Jonathan Bullard, who earned SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors for the five tackles and two sacks he had last week against Kentucky.

Simply put, the Tennessee rushing attack against the Florida run defense is the classic strength-versus-strength match-up.

Next: UF Offensive Line vs. UT Defensive Line