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GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Tennessee might never feel better about a 10-point loss. Its defense might never look better giving up 23 points.
The Vols weren't good enough to beat the nation's No. 1 team Saturday. But they were good enough to scare it.
And they were good enough to show that better days are coming for a program that lost by 39 points on its last trip to The Swamp.
Never mind the 29 1/2-point spread. There was no hint of a blowout from the first possession to the last.
Instead, the Gators had to grind it out, relying on defense and the relentless running of quarterback Tim Tebow to secure a 23-13 victory and extend their winning streak to 13 games.
But the defending national champions rarely looked like the nation's No. 1 team. UT's defense wouldn't let it.
No matter how tired the defense got - and it had to be exhausted in the second half when Florida was controlling the ball - it didn't let the game get out hand.
The Vols covered Florida's wide receivers, kept All-American strong safety Eric Berry honed in on Tebow, contained heralded tight end Aaron Hernandez, and didn't allow the Gators speedy backs to break a big play. That's a huge accomplishment against a team that scored 118 points in its first two games.
The game's signature play occurred early in the second quarter when Tebow challenged Berry in the open field. The subsequent collision, involving two of college football's best players, left both Tebow and Berry on the ground and left the Gators on UT's 7-yard line.
They were on their way to a touchdown and a 10-3 lead. But they weren't on their way to a rout.
Nothing would come easy for a team that won its last two games against UT by a 63-point margin. Even after Florida had the game in hand with a 23-6 lead, UT's defense somehow summoned a second wind and forced a Tebow fumble to turn back a fourth-quarter scoring threat.
Afterwards, Tebow lauded the UT defense and Berry in particular.
"That's one of the best defenses - if not the best - we'll go against all year," Tebow said. "(Berry) creates mismatches. You have to be aware of him at all times. Obviously, I wasn't (referring to Berry's second-quarter interception).
"I'll root for him (the rest of the season). He's a class act."
You often can judge the degree of difficulty Florida is facing by how many times it turns to Tebow. It turned to the Heisman Trophy winner again and again against the Vols.
UT could match Florida's defense and its running game. It couldn't match Tebow, who carried 24 times for 76 yards. Three times in Florida's final touchdown drive, Tebow converted on third down, twice on runs and once on a short pass to Riley Cooper.
"That's our crutch - the Tim Tebow Show," Florida coach Urban Meyer said. "I would rather not do that."
Florida can't win a national championship with its quarterback carrying the ball 24 times every game. Not even Tebow can carry that load over a 12-game season.
But that was sufficient to trump a UT offense that managed a 15-play, 66-yard scoring drive on its first possession and a 13-play, 69-yard scoring drive in the fourth quarter - and little else.
UT coach Lane Kiffin basically took the ball out of the hands of quarterback Jonathan Crompton, who threw three interceptions in the previous Saturday's upset loss to UCLA. He didn't have a choice. Crompton throwing into the teeth of perhaps the nation's best secondary would have been disastrous.
Crompton completed 11 of 19 passes for only 93 yards. Despite throwing more to his running backs than wide receivers, he still threw two interceptions, which reminded Kiffin of the futility in opening up the offense against the Gators.
The Vols didn't have enough offense to win this game. But they had enough talent and fight to stay in the game against a superior opponent on its home field.
UT players and fans can take something from that. So can its recruiters.
Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com.
© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Comments » 24
VOLKING writes:
I am proud of our men in Orange and always will be. Good effort today. We are getting better. Recruit us a QB and some O-linemen and we will be tough to beat.
mdvol writes:
I would be worried if I was a Gator fan. Tebow is 95% of their offense. By the way.....he graduates.
hughjorgan writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
hueypilot writes:
I was there and the swamp was no place for the faint of heart. I have never been one for moral victories, but staying within ten of a team of this caliber, in this road environment, with all their speed on offense, with the mythical Tebow at quarterback, with all their returning players off what is, I believe the second best defense in the country, will serve this head coach, this complement of young players and this Volunteer tradition very well as Kiffin weaves his story.
hueypilot writes:
Uh, no. Berry is the leader of the defense but no way is he all of it.
mdvol writes:
Not at all, troll. Ask Brandon James if he's met Janzen Jackson. Or if Tebow knows Montori Hughes or Chris Walker? Did Tebow see Dennis Rogan blow by him with his fumble in tow? Seems like Nick Reviez and LaMarcus Thompson enjoy being in your backfield too. But, true, Eric Berry is pretty good.
riversetvol writes:
Kiffin goes to the Swamp with Crompton at QB and plays them closer than Flummo ever did with Peyton Manning.
yeavols#228407 writes:
You won't be so happy when you go to LSU or play Georgia. YOur team has been exposed. You might as well go ahead and stick around until next year so you can get your jollies on our site. When you lose, you won't be around I am afraid. You won't win the SEC championship game, you won't win the NC, and Tebow isn't going to win the heisman again. It's not looking good after today pal. We lost the game, but you feel like you lost because you can't post the 60 points you bragged about earlier. Go to bed..you're pathetic
BerryPick6 writes:
Please go away, we don't want you here!
gainesville_vol writes:
Actually, you should say "when" the Gators lose again. No one is going to go forever and zero in the wins/losses.
There will be a day in the future when the Gator football team has a game/season where they will be grateful for close loses. The basketball team has had several of these games over the past few years. The Lady Gators basketball team has had many of these games over the past few years.
In reality, every program has periods of downturn when you take the good out of losses. Even last year, the UF loss to Ole Miss was the catalyst to the MNC. I can remember the locals saying, If we hadn't fumbled X times, or If Tebow had gotten that first down, of If we hadn't gotten that extra point blocked, etc.
In 1995, Florida was estastic to be in the MNC game against maybe the best college team ever, Nebraska. They had no chance in that game, but came out of it primed for the run for their MNC the next year. You can almost always take something good from loses, USC's loss to Washington today being the exception!
volingville writes:
I was in the swamp today and while we did play better it still hurts to walk away with a loss and another 1-2 start. I'm still a big fan of Fulmer but hoping Kiffin has a plan that will take us back to the promised land and we did see some signs of this today. Something nobody has mentioned was the the final drive when we got the ball back with 6 minutes left. Gator fans around me made a good point on how Kiffin was playing just to keep the score respectable when we never went to a 2 minute offense and played it safe with runs up the middle. With little time left in the game I really would have hoped we might have opened it up a little. But I understand we have to play to our strengths which as this point is not Crompton but our running game. Nonetheless, still disappointed at the lack of a 2 minute plan. Hopefully this is something we can work on in practice. Go Vols! Crush Ohio and lookout the rest of the SEC!
all_vols writes:
They will lose again...be ready for the reVOLution 1 year from today...FEAR THE KIFFEN!!!
crimsonviper writes:
I don't really want to get involved in this at the moment,but just out of curiosity..Are you as a Gator fan as thrilled as you should be with a SEC win?
Gator_Hater writes:
Are you that upset since your mighty Gators didn't blow us out? And that Tebow's passing TD streak is over? That UF looks mortal now after being exposed by a young, rebuilding UT squad?
The majority of UT fans are actually thrilled by the outcome, myself especially.
I saw two teams slug it out for 4 quarters of SEC football.
Is your pride hurt that much that you have to come here talking smack?
I truly feel sorry for you. You should be happy UF escaped a monumental upset, yet you seem miserable. But then again, what do I care. Tebow beat us today, not UF. And it's the last time we have to play him =)
CrankE writes:
Isn't EVERYONE happy when Florida loses?
No seriously, I too hope you Gatrolls can be happy losing because in the near future, you'll have many opportunities to do so. With all the advantages in your favor, if the best you can do against an overmatched team like Tennesse is a mere 23 points, then I can promise you two things about your beloved Gatrolls; No rival is scared. No recruit is impressed.
FWBVol writes:
Please, if you claim to be a Vol fan learn how to spell our head coach and defensive coordinator's last name correctly. It isn't Kiffen, it's KIFFIN.
Go Big Orange!!!
rubbervol writes:
Let Berry play QB
madcow26#524674 writes:
you should start practicing...its coming...
kabulvol writes:
Let me ask you a question. Were you always a loser or did you have to work at it?
I think your beloved gators have a little more respect for UTs defense. Brandon James probably woke up wondering who he was this morning. And, Berry didn't hit him on that play.
Down_The_Field writes:
if you paid attention to james after he got up and trotted off the field you could tell he was p.o. ed. i wondered if he thought..."how dare they even hit me." ha...ha...ha....i'll bet lil brandon didn't know it was a freshman that pasted him.
also, it wasn't eric berry that stripped dweebo of the ball and picked it up and ran for 30+ yards. it wasn't eric berry that sacked dweebo 3 times. no....no....no....it was monte kiffin taking less talent on defense and out coaching the #1 offense in the country and their coaching staff.
ole monte was right. he's a 69 year old going on 49.
FreeTDTN writes:
Disagree. Eric Berry is the best defensive player in the SEC, but Tennessee had many other players on the D step up and play extremely well yesterday. As long as Monte Kiffin is the Defensive Coordinator, the rest of the SEC will not like playing against the Vol D.
VOLstuckINky writes:
UF - Tebow and UT - Crompton & Foolmore = new dawn coming.
Orangeblood13 writes:
screw respect, I rather have wins
Atuss writes:
If you had a good QB Fulmer would still be the coach.
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