GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Tennessee didn’t spend all night singing “Rocky Top,” as their new coach Lane Kiffin predicted last winter.
The Vols, however, didn’t go home in a Gator body bag, either.
The No. 1-ranked Florida Gators got their victory, 23-13, over the 29-point-underdog Vols, but not the pound of flesh they wanted as well.
Tennessee (1-2, 0-1 SEC) managed to forego the predicted rout, disappointing a Florida Field record crowd of 90,894 eager to see the Gators (3-0, 1-0 pour it on in retaliation for some inflammatory remarks from Kiffin.
Tim Tebow had a 1-yard touchdown run for Florida in the first half. Jeff Demps’ 7-yard run made it 23-6 in the third quarter.
Just when it looked like Florida was on its way to running up the score, Tebow fumbled at the UT 2 and Dennis Rogan’s recovery and 35-yard return gave the Vols new life.
Tennessee drove 63 yards for its only touchdown. Montario Hardesty ran in from 17 yards and it was 23-13 with 8:11 to play.
UT forced Florida’s first punt of the day but the Gators intercepted a Jonathan Crompton pass with 1:51 to play to end the Vols’ final threat.
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Comments » 705
chadriddle#645749 writes:
Defense played strong. The O-line and backs looked good. I have no idea how the receivers are this year. I'll leave it at that.
nwcs writes:
I don't think there are many moral victories but I think this was one.
sk1015#219933 writes:
You can't be afraid to throw the ball and expect to win.
chadriddle#645749 writes:
But the team played hard. That is for sure.
mdvol writes:
Next year in Knoxville, Baby! No Tebow, No James........NO CROMPTON!
punkin writes:
Great game Vols.
volfaninwh writes:
good game with that effort we can go bowling
volzcrushm writes:
Ok... CLK O Meyer 1. But it sure looks good for the big orange.... especially when we get stronger QB play.
govols26 writes:
Let me be the first to say I'm proud of this football team today! GO VOLS!!!
ETownVol writes:
Not a win on the scoreboard but considering the last two games against UF, it was moral victory. No blowout.
Bluesvol writes:
Great job Vols. Great job Jon Crompton. We got better. Flordia will be old news very soon. Same problem that led to UT's downturn. Lack of quality wide receivers. GO VOLS!
DownTheField writes:
Lundquist said it well: "Crompton was well managed."
EB4Heisman writes:
We got em next year
NTNSTY writes:
I'm as proud of the Vols as I've been in a while.
ETownVol writes:
AMEN! Crompton didn't hurt us with what he did but what he couldn't do.
Titan writes:
What an effort with two arms tied behind your back!!!! Lines played well for the most part all game - O Line played great at times. Take a Heisman vote right now and #14 wins it.
TooLegit2Quit writes:
That's about as impressive a loss you will ever see. Great job Vols, and Kiffin!
VOLume27 writes:
Wow . . .
At 29 point 'dogs, kudos to the most awesome guys I've seen.
Watch out, both for this year, and especially in years next.
Go kIffin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vegas_Vol writes:
Play calling and mistakes were not the difference today...the better football team won. Go Vols!
rockytopatl writes:
We lost the game, but it was a victory for Tennessee and it will play as a victory in the national media. A 30-point dog lost by 10 in the Swamp and had a chance to make it a one possession game at the end. Instead of rubbing it in Florida took a knee at the end. They knew they had been in a war. Tebow was hit harder and more consistently than he has been his entire career. Monte's defense is everything we expected and more. If we had a quarterback, and I know that's a huge if, we could have won that game. No lie.
I'm proud to be a Tennessee Volunteer.
tennman65 writes:
The loss still stings, but I'm proud of the effort. Should help with recruiting too.
"We're that close, yada,yada,yada. We just need to you to make it happen, etc."
Go Big Orange!!!!!!!
p.s. I think the sun starts setting on Florida today.
oldbasshead writes:
Crompton is not the only problem. Apparently, we have no receivers either. Crompton is on very average, but he has no one to throw to. Where is Warren? Where is Hancock? Where is Teaque? Where is Jones?
AllVol2008#1353998 writes:
Excellent game by all. Excellent. Notice has been served to Urbie, and it showed on his face. Helluva a game. The Vols are back.
jimr07 writes:
coach, we will let you take over play calling next week.
Pdiddy10 writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
BigOrangeInCarolina writes:
I am not happy with a loss!!! HOWEVER, the EFFORT and COACHING were outstanding. LOVE CLK's comment at the end "We'll see 'em next year." What stones!!! Can't wait to see what happens the rest of this year. With the effort, MUCH improved recruiting and improved coaching strategy, the sky is the limit for this team!!! Proud of the boys!!! GO BIG ORANGE
OrangeBlur writes:
Noticed has been served:
TN is for real. Tell your mama and your b*tch sister (CBS+ESPN) That we are coming. Trolls should cringe thinking about what next year will be like. Tebow got owned by Berry.
volfan8#549730 writes:
I agree ! We lost worse yr and the year before.
oldbasshead writes:
Bryce Brown was the leading receiver. Where are the wide receivers.
volnbig11land writes:
Where are the lopers (especially you bammer) who said it was going to be a blowout?????????????
We're not back, but we are working on it.......
GO VOLS!
Realist writes:
The boys and staff made us proud today even though we came up short. If this was last years team and staff we would have folded in the fourth quarter and Urban would have still been able to rack up points. We fought hard and never gave up. Just short in some areas of the game when we need a pass offense. The last interception by Crompton was a great call that Fulmer never would have had the balls to call! Go Vols!
Pdiddy10 writes:
yeah 1-2 and i dont predict us to go to a bowl this year...
the10sevol writes:
so whom do we get commitments from tomorrow?
GBO
p.s. just bustin' wide open with that orange pride!
koamalina writes:
The Vols gave the Gators a lot more than anyone expected. I'm proud of the team and coaches; all of them, and that includes Crompton. 9-3 or 8-4 is a very real possibility for the season. With a few breaks, maybe even 10-2, but that may be a stretch. Good coaching, good effort, and as much as I would have liked to win, a game that we can build on for the rest of the season. Go Vols!
govols26 writes:
I don't think anybody can question Kiffin's playcalling today, we are going to be just fine with this guy.
Major_Magilicutty writes:
You still can't run it three times in a row from 1st and 25. Otherwise, I agree with the rest of you.
Titan writes:
PDiddy - if you don't know who Eric Berry is after that game you're an idiot. He was THE CBS player of the game - that's all. T-BO - two turnovers.
chadriddle#645749 writes:
Crompton 11/19 93yds 2 Int
Tebow 14/19 115yds 1 Int
Those stats are surprising.
I wish Hardesty had gotten 4 more yards. He deserved a 100yd game.
They played the best they were able. They looked very disciplined. Proud of the guys.
They got a lucky call or two at the end though, but it did not matter really.
orangepridenation writes:
congrats to the gators, the were the better team. they deserved the win. but i'm deffinitely not ashamed of my vols. they came out from the getgo and knocked the gators in the mouth until the final whistle. as one other person said, we went out and fought with an arm tied behind our back. great effort by our vols. good game. maybe we do got a shot at bowling this year.
paradisetaxi writes:
Crompton did his best....Thanks JC !
SignalMtnVol writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
volpreacher writes:
Is this the new math???? I thought the Gators were going to hang 63 or 70 on us?????????? Oh well, so much for the Gators being mad huh? I think Crompton did ok. Not his fault we lost. Great game plan, hats off to both lines. Loved the hit by Berry on Tebow. Tebow was falling back if you look at the replay in slow motion as they showed but the other Tennessee guy knocked him forward. Berry owned Tebow today.
yeavols#228407 writes:
This game was the turning point in VOL football. No longer will our team "give up" in the 4th Quarter...No longer will stupid plays of the past put the gators ahead. Kiffin wasn't afraid of the swamp and it showed. One play away in the fourth quarter. Kiffin's comments at the end of the game were a fair warning to the Gator nation..yes there is next year, but in due time, you will run your course and the VOLS will be knocking. Kiffin came to win, but he didn't get the win and it scared the life out the Gators who couldn't even cover their spread and it took SUPER Tebow to scream at his players while getting sacked a few times in the process. Let's face it, the Gators are on their way out. Kiffin even said we'll see em next year. Now that's the game I am looking forward to.
Darkside writes:
We had a chance, but obviously didn't capitalize on it. Only losing by 10 points against the #1 team in the country in my books is a victory. We can and will compete with every other team in the SEC. Go Vols!
senracjr writes:
and Pdiddy10 is an idiot!
pdhuff#552644 writes:
There is no joy in a losing effort.
Kudoes to the D.
The paniced throw out of bounds on the 4th quarter 3rd down play sealed the deal.
Crompton, even with the short field playing, does not have it.
Period.
Vegas_Vol writes:
One of the more encouraging signs from this effort is there seems to be learning taking place. From play calling to execution is seems that most of the mistakes made against UCLA were, for the most part corrected this week!
volfan8#549730 writes:
I am proud of the Vols. I agree. there was so many contributing factors, but we are getting better. GO VOLS!
bookman58 writes:
I'm a Memphis fan who visits here on occasion. You guys are on your way back. I wish I could say the same for us.
spencer1989#206886 writes:
I am darn proud of our VOLS team and the way they played with heart. There is no question Kiffen has closed the gap. Florida may have won today, but they had better believe from today's performance that they have to worry next year and will lose. Today's effort was nothing to hang your head on. I have said many times....Give me a team that plays to win and if you lose, then you gave it your best shot and still have my support. We saw that today....And we will continue to get better.
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