GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Take a quick look at Saturday's Tennessee-Florida game, and it looks as familiar as ever. They're nationally ranked, just as they have been for every meeting since the SEC went to divisional play in 1992.

But this is 2006, not 1996. And the winner doesn't suddenly become a leading contender for the national championship or even the favorite to win the SEC title.

Ten years ago, Georgia was an afterthought in the SEC East. Now, its program is more consistent than either Florida's or UT's.

The SEC West was an afterthought, too, in the mid-1990s. Now, Auburn and LSU, who play Saturday, are ranked higher than either UT or Florida in The Associated Press poll.

In the mid-to-late 1990s, UT-Florida was the biggest game of the year in the SEC. Now, it's not even the biggest SEC game of the day.

For UT and Florida, this game once loomed above all the others on each one's schedule. Not anymore.

If the Vols win this SEC East showdown, they will just set up another SEC East showdown Oct. 7 against the Bulldogs. Win that, and there's still a challenging four-game stretch in late October through mid-November against Alabama, South Carolina, LSU and Arkansas.

Florida's schedule is even tougher. Two weeks after playing UT, the Gators will begin what shapes up as college football's most difficult stretch of the season with consecutive games against Alabama, LSU and Auburn. Then, after an open date, they play Georgia in Jacksonville.

Bottom line: Whoever wins the UT-Florida game still could finish third in the division.

Despite their national ranking, there's a vulnerability about these teams that was nonexistent in the rivalry's heyday.

UT put last year's 5-6 record to rest when it defeated nationally ranked Cal in the season opener. But a week later, it needed a saving tackle on a two-point conversion to beat Air Force 31-30. Moreover, it lost star defensive tackle Justin Harrell and starting cornerback Inky Johnson to season-ending injuries.

The Vols have lost two of their last three home games against Florida. Georgia has won three consecutive games at Neyland Stadium.

In fact, in the last four years, six different SEC teams have won at Neyland Stadium. From 1995 through 2000, Florida was the only SEC team to win a road game at Neyland Stadium.

The Gators have issues, too. They aren't even a full two years removed from the Ron Zook error. And going on the road, which was once a joy ride for Florida, has become a daunting proposition.

Its only road victories last season under new coach Urban Meyer were in Lexington, Ky., against the Wildcats, and in Jacksonville, Fla., against Georgia, which was without its No. 1 quarterback. The Gators lost at Alabama, LSU and South Carolina.

Contrast that with the mid-1990s. From 1994 through 1996, the Gators didn't lose a regular-season road game.

Those Gators were remembered for their flashy, high-scoring offenses. These Gators have question marks at running back and in the offensive line.

The biggest question about the UT-Florida game in the late 1990s: Could the loser climb back into contention for the national championship?

Florida almost played itself back into the national championship picture after losing to UT in 1998. The Vols finished third in the AP poll after losing to Florida in 1995; two years later, after losing to Florida again, the Vols were ranked third at the end of the regular season.

Now, the loser of UT-Florida will be the team most likely to finish third in the East.