The Tennessee Volunteers lost to the Florida Gators 23-13 on Saturday afternoon in The Swamp, but the Vols gained a measure of respect by playing the top-ranked team in the nation much tougher than expected.
Tennessee entered the game as huge underdogs with the Gators seeking to make the Vols pay dearly for coach Lane Kiffin’s boast that he couldn’t wait to sing Rocky Top “all night long” after his team beat Florida.
“It’s gonna be a blast,” he said during his introductory press conference on December 1, 2008.
While the Vols didn’t leave Florida Field singing Rocky Top, they did walk away knowing that they gave the Gators all they wanted for most of the game.
Aside from an abysmal third quarter that basically sealed the game for Florida, Tennessee did exactly what they had to do to avoid getting blown out by running the ball effectively and keeping the Gators offense in check.
Unfortunately, the Vols weren’t able to do much more than run the ball and throw short passes, given Kiffin’s obvious reservations about quarterback Jonathan Crompton.
Kiffin’s conservative play-calling was proof he wasn’t going to put Volunteers hopes in the hands of Crompton, only twice allowing him to throw deep, with both of those attempts being intercepted.
On a positive note, Crompton was adequate, completing 11-of-19 passes for 93 yards and generally managed the game well for Tennessee.
Crompton was cheated out of a possible touchdown after All-American safety Eric Berry intercepted a Tim Tebow pass at the Florida 20 with 8:04 left before halftime.
After a Montario Hardesty 10-yard run gave Tennessee a first and goal from the Florida 4, Crompton made a perfect pass to wide receiver Gerald Jones on a third and goal from the Gators three-yard line.
Jones caught the ball, but the junior wideout didn’t pay attention to where he was on the field, running out of bounds before he made the reception.
Tennessee had to settle for a 20-yard Daniel Lincoln field goal to cut the Gators’ lead to 10-6 with 5:56 left in the half.
The third quarter ultimately proved to be the Vols undoing, especially on a third and three from the Florida 38 with less than five minutes remaining in the quarter.
Tebow dropped back to pass and was flushed from the pocket, scrambling toward the sideline. It appeared Tennessee would sack him and force the Gators to punt, but Tebow escaped a tackle by the Vols Wes Brown and ran to the Florida 42, getting the first down and keeping the drive alive.
The Volunteers’ poor tackling proved costly, as Florida marched down the field and scored when running back Jeff Demps took a Tebow handoff seven yards for a touchdown, giving the Gators a 23-6 lead with 7 seconds left in the third quarter.
Tennessee’s defense held the nation’s top offense to 323 yards, forced Tebow to commit two turnovers and sacked him three times. The Gators Heisman Trophy candidate completed 14-of-19 passes for 115 yards and rushed for 76 yards on 24 carries.
The Vols only managed 210 yards against the Gators, with the bulk coming on the ground. Hardesty gained 96 yards on 20 carries and scored Tennessee’s only touchdown on a 17-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Freshman Bryce Brown had a solid game, gaining 21 yards on 8 carries and had three receptions for 34 yards.
In a game where everyone thought the Vols would lose by four touchdowns or more, Tennessee availed themselves well and stood up against the Gators.
While not much can be taken from a moral victory, the Vols gave notice to every team remaining on their schedule that a win over Tennessee this season will be hard to come by.
