Just after the handoff from Justin Worley, left, Tennessee’s Martin Lane (15) turns upfield while Florida’s Jonathan Bullard (90) slows his pace.KNOXVILLE – What a waste of that outstanding checkerboard visual in the Neyland Stadium stands on Saturday afternoon. Kind of like the clock striking midnight on Cinderella. Or some LSU back-up quarterback named Matt Mauck crushing Tennessee hearts in the 2001 SEC title game.
With their home field all dressed up to celebrate the biggest Tennessee football win since at least the year before Nick Saban took over Alabama in 2007, with Florida seemingly intent on gift-wrapping the Vols’ first victory against the Gators since 2004, all the Big Orange had to do was hold a nine-point lead for 15 fourth-quarter minutes.
Florida hadn’t so much as advanced past the UT 34 a single time in three quarters. The Gators’ quarterback, Jeff Driskel — once viewed as the nation’s best pro-style prep QB — had already thrown three interceptions and rung up all of 59 passing yards when the final quarter began.
If the Vols couldn’t win this one, when would they ever beat the Gators?
Not that Tennessee was exactly advancing the sport at that moment. In fact, the rest of the nation had probably long ago turned checker-bored with this inoffensive display, both UT and UF apparently determined to showcase their punters to potential recruits, given the eight punts they each booted this otherwise glorious autumn afternoon.