Vols aim to vanquish demons of 2015 loss to Florida Gators in Gainesville

Kendal Vickers expects to have some added motivation in practice this week.

Tennessee’s senior defensive tackle only has to think back to the Vols’ game against Florida two years ago in Gainesville, Fla., when UT blew a 13-point fourth-quarter lead and lost 28-27.

“I know probably for myself and for a lot of the older guys who took that trip down to Gainesville remember that feeling, the emotion that we felt after that game,” Vickers said. “It’s going to help us bring that extra drive and extra fire to practice.”

More:Could the Tennessee-Florida game get moved to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta?

No. 23 Tennessee (2-0) is scheduled to play No. 25 Florida (0-1) at 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday (CBS) in Gainesville in what will be the SEC opener for both teams.

Vols look to win in Gainesville for first time since 2003

That 2015 game is the closest the Vols have come to winning in The Swamp since a 24-10 triumph there in 2003.

Aaron Medley narrowly missed a 55-yard field goal as time expired after Florida had rallied with a pair of touchdowns in the final 4:09.

“As a competitor, you’ll never forget that – that awful feeling that you had," Vickers said of squandering the lead.

Florida leads the all-time series 26-20.

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The Vols snapped an 11-game losing streak to Florida with a 38-28 victory in Neyland Stadium last season, but they're still riding a six-game losing streak in Gainesville.

“It’s our first SEC game, and it’s a big one going down to The Swamp," UT quarterback Quinten Dormady said Saturday after Tennessee's 42-7 win over Indiana State.

Hurricane Irma makes landfall in Florida

But the question lingers of whether the game will go on as scheduled in Gainesville.

The Gators were scheduled to host Northern Colorado on Saturday but canceled the game because of the threat of Hurricane Irma, which made landfall in Florida on Sunday. The storm's current path would take it north throughout the state, traveling along the Gulf Coast.

More:Tennessee 42, Indiana State 7: Five things we learned from Vols' romp

GoVols247, citing sources, reported Sunday that, should the game need to be moved, officials were discussing the possibility of the game being played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, with a decision expected by Tuesday.

Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin addressed the situation on Saturday night.

"Focus is ensuring the safety of our athletes, staff & families," Stricklin wrote on Twitter. "Will assess situation after the storm. Prayers for all in Irma’s path."

The Vols opened their season at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, beating Georgia Tech 42-41 in double overtime on Sept. 4.

More:Vols players from Florida concerned as Hurricane Irma approaches home

Florida hasn't played since losing 33-17 to Michigan in the season opener. The Gators didn't score any offensive touchdowns in that game.

Nine Gators, including top receiver Antonio Callaway and running back Jordan Scarlett, were suspended for the opener. Their status for Saturday remains uncertain. As of last week, those nine players remained suspended indefinitely while undergoing investigation in an alleged credit card fraud.

Regardless of who suits up or where the game kicks off, the stakes are always high for a Tennessee-Florida contest.

“The season is really just starting now," Vickers said. "The rivalry between Florida, we don’t like them. They don’t like us. We’re going to have to be ready for it. They’re going to give us their best shot. We’re going to give them our best shot. We’re ready for it.”