Vols 'on the verge'

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Typically, there are no moral victories for college football programs like Tennessee's.

Saturday might have been an exception.

The Volunteers said they were disappointed with a 23-13 loss at Florida on Saturday, but their body language mostly hinted otherwise.

"I can't sit here and tell you that we're happy right now," All-America defensive back Eric Berry said. "But we're on the verge of being really special here, and I think today showed some of that. We're not afraid of anybody, and we're going to keep getting better, so watch out.

"I just wish we could have played like this last week. That's what's killing me right now."

An effort like Saturday's in the Swamp probably would have probably UT over the top in last week's upset loss to UCLA. But Saturday, that effort was enough merely to salvage respect, which many considered the best-case scenario, considering the circumstances.

Florida, undoubtedly fired up by first-year UT's coach Lane Kiffin's offseason verbal jabs, entered Saturday as a 30-point favorite on some gambling books.

"I'm proud of our guys' effort, but we lost," Kiffin said. "We should have come down here and found a way to win, but we lost.

"But from our point of view ... we're (also) excited, because there were a lot of young players play in that game, a lot of guys who are going to be here for a while. To come in here and have success at times like we did at times in the game, it's big to build their confidence."

Florida Heisman Trophy quarterback Tim Tebow -- or "Superman," according to Kiffin -- didn't have his best statistical performance but made enough big plays to cap a career sweep of the Vols.

"Tim didn't play his best game, but he played as hard as he's ever played," Gators coach Urban Meyer said.

Tebow's second turnover, a fumble near UT's goal line early in the fourth quarter, kept the Vols in the game. UT's offense pulled the score within 23-13 minutes later on Montario Hardesty's 17-yard touchdown run, and the Vols' defense forced a Florida three-and-out to increase the game's late intrigue.

The Vols advanced past midfield on its final possession, but senior quarterback Jonathan Crompton's second interception essentially sealed the loss with 1:51 left.

"We don't have moral victories at Tennessee," left tackle Chris Scott said. "But we played better today, and we can still have a good season if we keep building on this."