It has been nearly a month since Tennessee played a game on its home turf. A lot has changed in that time, too.

The Vols walked off of the field at Neyland Stadium 27 days ago looking assured for a College Football Playoff spot heading into a two-game SEC road stand. Now, Tennessee's margin for error has shrunk.

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The No. 8 Vols, coming off of their first loss of the season at Arkansas last week, are looking to flip the script in their rivalry with Florida while trying to remain in the playoff conversation.

The Tennessee offense has seemingly taken a step back since the second half of its game at Oklahoma three weeks ago. Outside of two third quarter drives in their 19-14 defeat against the Razorbacks, the Vols were plagued by penalties and an inconsistent passing game.

Tennessee's vaunted defense, one of the most dominant in college football through the first four games, played well enough to win but gave up a few big plays that allowed Arkansas to take the lead late.

The Vols, who enter Saturday with losses to Florida in 17 of the last 20 meetings in the series, are a two-touchdown favorite against a Gators team that has had plenty of its own struggles, though righted some of those wrongs in their last outing vs. Central Florida.

Here is a closer look at the match up.

Who: Florida (3-2, 1-1 SEC) at No. 8 Tennessee (4-1, 1-1)

When: Saturday, Oct. 12 | 7 p.m. ET

Where: Neyland Stadium | Knoxville

TV: ESPN (Bob Wischusen, play-by-play; Louis Riddick, analyst; Kris Budden, reporter)

Series: 54th meeting all-time (Florida leads, 32-21)

Line: Tennessee, -14.5

-- Despite its loss at Arkansas, Tennessee still ranks in the top 10 in 11 statistical categories, including No. 1 in third down defense, allowing just a 22.1% conversion rate, No. 2 in total defense, holding opponents to 227.6 total yards of offense per game and No. 2 in rushing defense, limiting teams to 68.0 rushing yards.

-- Tennessee's loss to Arkansas snapped a six-game win streak that dated back to the Vols' 48-24 victory over Vanderbilt on Nov. 25, 2023 and included wins over Iowa in the Citrus Bowl, Chattanooga, NC State, Kent State and Oklahoma. It also marked the first time under Josh Heupel that Tennessee was held scoreless in the first half.

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-- Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson ranks second nationally and first in the SEC in rushing touchdowns with 12 through five games. He has scored a touchdown in five-straight games, including two third quarter touchdown runs in the Vols' loss to Arkansas last week. He is the third Tennessee running back to score double-digit touchdowns in the last three seasons.

-- Tennessee beat Florida, 38-33 in the last meeting between the two teams in Knoxville in 2022. It ended a five-game losing skid for the Vols in the series. On Saturday, Tennessee will try and do something is hasn't done in 32 years: win back-to-back games against the Gators at Neyland Stadium for the first time since 1990 and 1992.

TENNESSEE

Nico Iamaleava, QB

Stats: 78-of-117 passing, 1,050 YDs, 7 TD, 2 INT, 64.1 QBR

Dylan Sampson, RB

Stats: 91 CAR, 587 YDs, 12 TD, 6.5 AVG

Bru McCoy, WR

Stats: 14 REC, 209 YDs, 14.9 AVG

James Pearce Jr., DL

Stats: 12 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 3 TFL

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FLORIDA

Graham Mertz, QB

Stats: 61-of-79, 666 YDs, 5 TD, 2 INT, 72.3 QBR

DJ Lagway, QB

Stats: 38-of-55 passing, 667 YDs, 4 TD, 3 INT, 67.2 QBR

Eugene Wilson III, WR

Stats: 13 REC, 191 YDs, 1 TD, 14.7 AVG

Tyreak Sapp, DL

Stats: 20 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 1 FF

TOTAL OFFENSE

Tennessee: 519.0 (yards per game)

Florida: 411.2

RUSHING

Tennessee: 266.8

Florida: 142.6

PASSING

Florida: 268.6

Tennessee: 252.2

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TOTAL DEFENSE

Tennessee: 227.0

Florida: 395.0

RUN DEFENSE

Tennessee: 68.0

Florida: 172.6

PASS DEFENSE

Tennessee: 159.6

Florida: 222.4

Offensive line woes: Part of Tennessee's offensive struggles in the last six quarters has been due to inconsistency up front. The Vols were without starting tackles John Campbell Jr. and Lance Heard against Oklahoma, but the two struggled back in the lineup against Arkansas' new-look front. Nico Iamaleava was sacked a combined seven times in both games and with Florida's defensive line coming off of its best performance of the season last week against Central Florida--holding the Knights to 108 rushing yards and totaling five sacks--protecting the quarterback will be key on Saturday.

On the injury front: Tennessee's first release of its availability report earlier this week revealed that two starting wide receivers in Squirrel White and Bru McCoy were probable, while Dont'e Thornton Jr., who has multiple touchdown receptions this season, was questionable. Both Thornton and White exited the Arkansas game late. With their status up in the air, it's uncertain how the Vols' wide receiving corps will look for four quarters and how it will effect a struggling passing game.

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A tale of two quarterbacks: Tennessee is preparing to face two quarterbacks on Saturday. Florida has leaned heavily on veteran start Graham Mertz and highly touted freshman DJ Lagway since week 3 of the season. Both have similarities as runners while Mertz has been efficient in the passing game. Though Mertz is the starter, Lagway has gotten plenty of reps the last few weeks and is expected to see the field plenty vs. the Vols' defense.

Wilson rejoins Gators offense: Florida will apparently get one of its top playmakers back against Tennessee. Wide receiver Eugene Wilson III, who missed the previous three games with injury, did not appear on the Gators' initial availability report this week. He had six catches for 44 yards and gave the Vols' defense fits in the last meeting between the two teams in Gainesville in 2023.

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