I don’t know what I just saw, but boy, did I like it. For the first time in decades, the Tennessee Volunteers both won in Gainesville and put it in the Florida Gators, charging out to a 31-0 halftime lead and winning 31-11.
Joey Aguilar was 17/22 passing for 204 yards and a score, extending his 200+ yard career passing streak to 35 games. DeSean Bishop led Tennessee’s punishing ground game with 24 carries for 116 yards and 2 touchdowns. TE Ethan Davis led all pass catchers with 5 catches for 72 yards and a touchdown.
It was a physical domination by Tennessee’s offense. The Vols ran 51 times for 248 yards as a team (4.9 ypc) while throwing just 17 times.
The Vols set the tone immediately, taking the opening kickoff and methodically driving down the field for a touchdown. Aguilar found Davis in the flat, who cut outside and tiptoed up the sideline for a 23-yard score to open the scoring.
The Vols’ defense was amazing in the half, and they started with a bang, forcing a three-and-out after Florida’s left tackle was called for a hold that wiped out a 42-yard gain.
Tennessee would go on to score touchdowns on each of their next two possessions sandwiched around another Florida punt, and Tennessee was in business quickly, up 21-0 early in the second quarter in front of a dead-silent 90,000 fans at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Florida rolled the dice in the second quarter near midfield, with DJ Lagway going for a sneak on fourth-and-one, but Jeremiah Telander stuffed him, and the Vols took over. Three plays later, Star Thomas looked dead to rights, but he broke through and away from defenders for a 52-yard gain to the 1. He punched it in one play later, and at 28-0, the writing was already on the wall in the second quarter. Tennessee tacked on a field goal on the half’s final play, and they took a 31-0 lead into the locker room in what was undoubtedly the best half of Tennessee football I’ve seen in decades.
The second half slowed considerably. Both teams punted, then Florida went on a long field goal drive before Tennessee went 13 plays to get in field goal range while bleeding a big chunk of the clock. Max Gilbert missed from 50 yards, and Florida would go on their only touchdown drive in the fourth quarter, with Jadan Baugh catching a 33-yard touchdown.
But that’s the last time Florida would touch the ball, as the Vols would go on a 13-play, 8+ minute drive to run out the clock inside the Gator red zone.
It’s an unforgettable night for Tennessee football, with Tennessee winning at the Swamp for the first time since 2003 and beating Florida by 3+ scores for the first time since 1992.
Up next: a huge game with Vanderbilt next Saturday in Knoxville.
