Adams: Series gap more gaping than ever : govolsxtra.com

As the Tennessee band cranked up a final round of "Rocky Top" Saturday afternoon, the few remaining UT fans at Neyland Stadium might have been recalling the good old days - back when Steve Spurrier was the Florida coach.

Never mind how Florida dominated the series when Spurrier was flinging his visor and Danny Wuerffel was throwing the football. The difference between UT and Florida is more apparent now than ever.

And that starts with Florida's Urban Meyer, who is 5-0 against the Vols in his fourth season as the Gators head coach.

Yes, I mean "5-0." I'm beating the rush and crediting the Gators with a victory next September in The Swamp.

If a 30-6 loss at Neyland Stadium is the best UT could do Saturday, is there anything that could happen between now and next September to make you think this series would turn UT's way?

Florida has now outscored UT 89-26 in back-to-back games. The Gators couldn't even match that when Spurrier's guys were passing UT silly in the mid-1990s.

Florida passed UT silly last year in a 59-20 victory. That was more like a circus than a football game. This was different.

This wasn't about a fancy Florida offense running and passing circles around a bewildered UT defense. This was more rock 'em, sock 'em than razzle-dazzle.

UT held Florida to 243 yards and was never in the game. What does that tell you?

The Gators aren't just faster. They're tougher and more resourceful. They're also better coached and better prepared.

That was evident from the opening kickoff.

What does Florida's Brandon James have to do for UT to stop kicking him the ball? Score twice on one play?

James didn't score on the opening kickoff. He just returned it 52 yards to the UT 42.

With that return, he did more than give Florida favorable field position. He set the tone for the game. It would be one long Gator chomp from start to finish.

James was just getting warmed up. And so was the UT brain trust, which somehow has deluded itself into believing it can kick the ball to Florida's 5-foot-7, 186-pound package of dynamite and not get blown to smithereens.

It didn't work Saturday. It didn't work last year. And the only reason it worked two years ago was that a Gator blocked somebody in the back while James was running for a touchdown.

James, who had an 83-yard punt return for a touchdown last season against UT, returned one 78 yards for a touchdown Saturday. That gave Florida a 17-0 lead, which is insurmountable when you're stumbling around on offense the way the Vols are through three games.

It's worth noting that the Vols had James covered on his most recent touchdown. It's not a matter of coverage. It's a matter of tackling.

Just for the record, UT went 0-for-4 on that punt return. Four guys had a shot at him, and all they managed to do was make Florida's highlight video.

UT didn't have to kick the ball to James to create a highlight. There was quarterback Tim Tebow's jump pass to tight end Aaron Hernandez for a touchdown. Tebow also pulled off an underhanded, falling-down pass to Kestahn Moore, whose 9-yard gain set up Jonathan Phillips' 39-yard field goal.

But Florida's defense was so good, and James was so dynamic on returns, the Gators didn't need Tebow. He might as well have spent the afternoon propped up on the Heisman Trophy that UT helped him win last year.

Compared to last season, UT's defense was sensational against the Gators. However, as in the opening-season loss to UCLA, it couldn't make crucial plays when a first down was hanging in the balance. The Gators were 8-for-13 on third-down conversions.

UT's offense was the antithesis of that. It's also one of the reasons fans booed so fervently as the Vols made their halftime exit on the heels of a botched final series, during which UT failed to score in three downs from the Florida 1-yard line.

UT's 1-2 start might remind you of last season when the Vols bounced back to win the SEC East and finish 10-4. Its offense reminds me of 2005 when the Vols went 5-6.

But at least the Vols showed improvement on special teams during the course of the game. On his last punt, Chad Cunningham kicked the ball out of bounds - and safely away from You Know Who - with 1:07 to play.

Just in the nick of time, huh?

Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com.