Forget about those other two games. Hawaii and Miami were merely warm-ups.
Lose the thought that the defense might have improved since last season, and hold your judgment about UF's running backs or the play of quarterback Tim Tebow.
The No. 4 Gators (2-0) have a clean slate, and Saturday's matchup at Tennessee won't look anything like those first two contests.
Players on both sides will fly to the ball faster, there will likely be more shots downfield in the passing game, and Percy Harvin will be "cut loose." This is UF's first step toward the goal of a Southeastern Conference title.
"This is basically another opener," cornerback Joe Haden said. "SEC is definitely what you get pumped up about."
Some of the excitement has been scaled back since the Volunteers (1-1) aren't ranked - the first time in the series that has been true since 1984 - but expect a different look from Tennessee than the squad that lost to UCLA in overtime two weeks ago.
And, with the crowd on their side, don't look for the Volunteers to limp out of this game like they did after the 59-20 thrashing in Gainesville last season.
While UF linebacker Brandon Spikes said, "I know they're really not as tough as us," he doesn't expect Tennessee to give up this year.
"We know they're going to be ready to play, they're at home and they're looking for revenge from last year with the way we beat up on them," Spikes said. "I know they are going to be pretty jacked up."
Everyone seems to be in agreement on where this game will be won or lost. The team with more rushing yards has taken 16 of the last 18 meetings, and the Gators have dominated in that department recently.
The Volunteers' rushing totals the last three times were 66, minus-11 and 37 yards, and they haven't broken a run for more than 10 yards against UF since 2005.
"They are a tailback-oriented offense, and (running back Arian Foster) is really good," coach Urban Meyer said. "So getting pressure on the quarterback is going to be critical, but I think what's more critical is stopping that run."
Tennessee running backs coach Stan Drayton might throw a hitch in Meyer's plans, as he served at the same position with UF for the past three seasons.
Meyer said he isn't worried about Drayton giving the Volunteers any advantage in terms of knowing the Gators' plays, and his decision to move to a conference opponent doesn't bother Meyer.
"It's just a rival," he said. "I want everyone to better their family and do what they have to do, but that's part of the deal. I'm fine, we just have to move on. God bless him and good luck."
While some of the hype for this game may be lost, it still carries enormous significance. Since the SEC split into divisions, either Florida or Tennessee has won the East 13 out of 16 times, and the loser of the battle between the two teams has only come back to make the SEC Championship three times - a feat the Volunteers accomplished last year.
The game will also give the defense a chance to prove it can be a strong point instead of a weakness. The unit - especially the secondary - played well in the first two games, but everything will be a little tougher now.
"The speed is different from any other team. Linemen are faster, and it's like everybody trains just to run fast," linebacker Brandon Hicks said. "It's faster than the regular pace of a college game. People talk about it, and you don't really notice it or feel it until you're actually in it."
