Big game for recruiting

Standings and pride are enormously important when Florida and Tennessee clash, but the game is also a huge recruiting tool.

With about 30 of the top recruits expected in for Saturday’s game, UF coach Urban Meyer said he’s making sure their experience will be top-notch.

“It’s huge and I know the atmosphere here at Florida will be second to none,” Meyer said. “When we come rolling in on those buses at 1:30 in the afternoon, we’re just trying to get as many here to watch and witness that. They’ll see the Gator Walk, they’ll see the crowd, they’ll feel it, live it and experience what game day’s like at the stadium.”

A few headliners this weekend include defensive end Ronald Powell, who Rivals.com ranks as the No. 4 player in the country, defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd (No. 7) and wide receiver Chris Dunkley, who is arguably Florida’s top offensive target.

The past two times the Volunteers entered The Swamp, the Gators have walked away with victories and a few commitments as well.

In 2005, former Gator Percy Harvin and current players Riley Cooper and Maurice Hurt took official visits to the game. Hurt committed days after.

Two years ago, Jeff Demps, Will Hill, Brendan Beal and Jeremy Brown were among the top players in attendance. Hill and Brown were on official visits and Brown pledged to the Gators following the game, while Hill committed days later.

Demps, who committed in January of 2008, said the environment during Florida’s 59-20 win was one of the deciding factors in choosing Florida. Demps said it was so loud inside The Swamp that he couldn’t hold a conversation with his friend who sat inches away.

“You couldn’t even hear yourself. It was crazy, man,” Demps said. “I’ve never seen an atmosphere like that. I was real excited because one day I thought I’d be able to play in there and it actually came true.

“To see the fans get up like that for a game was unbelievable.”

The atmosphere could be even more electrifying Saturday.

The arrival of new Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin has made the recruiting war between these two schools bigger than ever.

It started with Tennessee luring away Pahokee receiver Nu’Keese Richardson and Paris, Tenn., Henry County athlete Marsalis Teague from the Gators on National Signing Day this year. Kiffin then took it a step further by falsely accusing Meyer of cheating by trying to contact Richardson while he was on an official trip to Tennessee in January.

Rivals.com ranks Tennessee’s 2010 recruiting class fourth in the country. Florida is No. 7.

Having the game nationally televised by CBS will help get the teams even more exposure.

“Anytime you play you want to play well, especially with national TV with as much national recruiting we do,” Kiffin said. “The recruits (will) see the plan here for the long term and what we need to get done.”

To Gator commit Mack Brown, who denied recent rumors that he visited Tennessee this past weekend, Kiffin’s offseason commits have fueled the rivalry and enhanced the game.

“I knew it was a rivalry, but right now it feels like a bigger rivalry because of what coach Lane Kiffin said,” the Lithonia, Ga., Martin Luther King running back said.

“It’s going to be crazy,” he said. “I already know it’s going to be loud.”