KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Cars lined up outside Faith Promise Church on Saturday as Wellpoint Tennessee gave away 500 turkeys as part of a holiday push to support local families and connect them with wellness resources.

Volunteers said cars began rolling in as early as 6:30 a.m., hours before the giveaway even started. By 9 a.m., the line wrapped through the parking lot as Wellpoint Tennessee and partners like KAPA, Second Harvest, Gordon Food Services, and Faith Promise Church worked together to get families what they need heading into Thanksgiving.

“We’re looking at over 500 at least families coming through here today. We’re super grateful to be here. The rain has stopped. The sun is out. And so, we’re seeing lots of smiling faces as we greet and hand out this amazing food,” said Rob Patrick, executive director of the Knoxville Academy of Medicine Foundation.

Organizers say demand isn’t slowing down. Rising food insecurity has pushed more families to seek help, with pantries reporting “empty cart weeks” when benefits run out early and parents are forced to choose between groceries and other bills.

“There’s so many people who don’t have food on their table or healthy food. And we want to ensure that they’re able to have that and enjoy Thanksgiving with their friends and family,” said Katheryn Kranitzky, quality management director for Wellpoint Tennessee.

Beyond the turkey, families left with vegetables, canned goods, cleaning supplies and even a visit from Santa. Wellpoint says combining food assistance with wellness resources helps offer families extra relief.

“We’ve greeted every single car to let people know we’re excited they’re here. And we really just want people to know we’re here and we see them,” said Dr. Carol Price-Guthrie, IDDECF Choices director with Wellpoint.

Wellpoint Tennessee and its partnering agencies plan to continue hosting community and wellness events year-round to support families beyond the holiday rush.

For more information and resources with Wellpoint Tennessee visit, Wellpoint Tennessee.

Florida is back in The Swamp on Saturday for the first time since Oct. 18, just in time for a rivalry matchup with No. 20 Tennessee.

The Gators walked away from their three-game road trip winless and interim coach Billy Gonzales is still yet to win a game. But while their 3-7 record eliminates them from bowl eligibility, the Gators still have plenty to play for. Tennessee and Florida State are the last two opponents on Florida’s schedule and historically create gritty matchups with bragging rights that go a long way. The Gators haven’t lost at home to Tennessee since 2003 and won’t play the Vols for two years with the SEC’s new scheduling practices. 

Here are Florida’s five keys to taking down Tennessee’s high-powered offense and keeping the win streak alive. 

Pressure Joey

Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar leads one of the most explosive offenses in the country. Aguilar is first in the SEC with 2,737 yards and 19 touchdowns. Tennessee averages over 44 points per game and will blow the game open if you allow Aguilar to get comfortable.

Florida bringing defensive tackle Caleb Banks back into its lineup could be a game-changer after he’s missed the last seven games. His ability to stop the run and pressure the quarterback could force Aguilar to make quicker decisions and, in turn, make mistakes. Banks hasn’t really been on the field all season, but will instantly draw the Tennessee offensive line’s attention, which could provide openings for the rest of the defensive line. 

Florida has only recorded 21 sacks this year, a clip that needs to improve if the Gators are going to slow down the Volunteer offense.

Limit Big Plays

Florida’s secondary is another area that needs to show out Saturday. 

Tennessee is 14th in the country in passing yards per completion, near Ole Miss and Texas A&M, who both caused problems downfield for Florida. The wide receiver trio of Chris Brazzell II, Braylon Staley and Mike Matthews is elite. They are all within the top seven in the SEC in receiving yards. Brazzell leads with 808. Matthews, the worst statistically of the three, still has 200 more yards than Vernell Brown III, Florida’s leading receiver this year. 

The Gators will have to watch out for the deep ball. Safety Bryce Thornton will be a major difference maker, but that’s if he makes it onto the field. He’s currently questionable, but his ball-hawking ability can create takeaways. 

Show Up Every Play

Gonzales said it’s inevitable for a team like Tennessee to create big plays, but the real battle is making sure you get right up and prevent them from continuing. 

That’s the exact mindset Florida’s defense needs to have going into Saturday. 

At risk of becoming repetitive, the Volunteers’ offense is the most explosive part of their team. It’s how they win games. If the Gator defense can keep Tennessee under 30, they will have a chance to score the major upset. 

Protect the Quarterback

DJ Lagway showed some slight improvement in Florida’s loss to Ole Miss. His long touchdown toss to receiver J. Michael Sturdivant with the sophomore signal-caller’s feet planted shows what he can do when he is confident and can get his mechanics set. That starts with the offensive line.

Austin Barber has struggled this season at left tackle. Lagway naturally tends to float out of the pocket, so when the offensive line is poor he is quick to escape toward the sideline. This encourages his off-balance throws, which have been notably inaccurate this season. Florida needs to prevent that as much as possible to allow Lagway to put points on the board. Tennessee scores a lot. If the Gators are going to keep up offensively, Lagway needs to have a near-perfect situation when throwing. 

Make it Ugly

Sometimes rivalry games produce results that you wouldn’t expect, only because of the sheer emotion of the matchup. Fights break out and trash talk, exotic celebrations reign. So while the Gators have definitely been worse than Tennessee this season, a hard-mouthed, ugly game that gets the crowd involved can bridge the gap in on-the-field quality. 

The Gators upset the Vols last time they came to The Swamp and a late hit on Graham Mertz after a quarterback kneel resulted in a fight after the final whistle. The home team has won four years straight in this rivalry for a reason. Getting Tennessee frustrated and keeping the crowd in the game can be an advantage.

Category: Feature Sports News, Football, Gators Football, SEC