Tennessee football is coming up on the season crossroads a week early.
Alabama was originally penciled in as the pivotal game. What Arkansas did to the Vols last Saturday raised Florida in importance.
If the Volunteers don’t get their act back together, if they don’t figure out how to block a three-man front, if they don’t knock off the Gators, they are out of national playoff conversation. Unfair pressure? Were they ever a playoff team? Let us hope they prove they are.
No matter what the betting line says, this is no easy match. Tennessee fans know the Florida facts by heart. Scaredy-cats are in hiding, pretending to forget.
Newcomers won’t believe the numbers – 26 Florida victories, seven for Tennessee since 1990. Florida fans smile and say what was once a rivalry turned into a stampede. The Gators won 17 of the last 19 games.
Recitations are painful. There were routs, knockouts, run-aways, one make-believe and a 10-9 squeaker. Thankfully, there were a few Tennessee highlights. The Vols even had a hot streak, 2001, 2003 and 2004.
First, the lowlights:
“Fax from Jack” ignited the series. Before the 1991 game, recently fired UT assistant coach Jack Sells faxed 15 pages of offensive play diagrams, complete with notes, audibles, tendencies and blocking schemes, to his old buddy Ron Zook, then Florida defensive coordinator.
Both denied the truth for a week or so. Florida coach Steve Spurrier said aw shucks, the little, old transgression was much to do about nothing, that it had no bearing on the outcome. UT had two fumbles, three intercepted passes and a blocked punt. Florida won, 35-18.
Can you imagine what 62-37 was like? On September 16, 1995, both teams were ranked in the top 10. This meeting was double big. Sports Illustrated was in Gainesville to do a cover story on Peyton Manning.
For a while, it looked like a pretty good story idea. On the first play, Manning lofted a perfect pass down the left sideline to Joey Kent, 72 yards to the 9. Coach Phillip Fulmer clapped his hands.
On the next play, Manning threw to Marcus Nash for a touchdown. Summation: two plays, 81 yards, 15 seconds.
Tennessee was up, 30-21, at intermission. Florida won the second half, 41-7. John Chavis was defensive coordinator for the Vols. Danny Wuerffel got the SI cover.
One of the most memorable and controversial games was in 2000. It featured the catch that may not have been.
Tennessee was ahead 23-20 with 17 seconds to go, ball on the UT 3. Jesse Palmer threw a button-hook to Jabar Gaffney in the end zone. Willie Miles swatted the ball from Gaffney immediately – or almost. Line Judge Al Matthews did the hands-up signal, touchdown, “had it long enough,” 27-23. This was before video replay.
Tennessee tackle Albert Haynesworth said Gaffney told him later “You should have won. I didn’t catch that ball.”
Palmer said: “Even if that pass was called incomplete, I have zero doubt we would have scored again on the next play.”
The final was 59-20 in 2007. Tim Tebow completed 14 of 19 for 299 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two TDs in his spare time. Eric Berry intercepted a Tebow throw and ran it back 96. Gators responded with 31 unanswered points.
Nothing goes on forever. Tennessee stopped an 11-game losing streak, 38-28, in 2016. Gators dominated the first half (21-3) and then collectively fell apart before a full house at Neyland Stadium.
Second-half summation: Florida six possessions, 16 plays, minus-nine yards, one first down, one turnover; Tennessee six possessions, 26 plays, 287 yards, five touchdowns.
Josh Dobbs passed for 319 and four touchdowns and ran for another against the nation’s top-ranked defense.
Remember forever: Al Wilson game, September 19, 1998, Tennessee 20-17 in overtime. Gators lost four fumbles. The linebacker caused three. The Vols held Florida to minus-three rushing on 30 attempts.
Tee Martin did not launch overtime in a very encouraging fashion. He threw back-to-back incompletions. Tennessee was next penalized back to the 38, out of field-goal range.
On third down, Martin scrambled (a run for his life) for 14. Jeff Hall kicked the 41-yarder.
Florida made a first down. Florida had a good play called but at the exact split second the QB was releasing the ball, Wilson arrived in a very bad humor. Collins Cooper lined up for a 32-yard field goal to tie.
John Ward’s report: “The kick is in the air and the kick is… NO-SIR-REE. NO-SIR-REE. Tennessee 20, Florida 17. Pandemonium reigns.”
Marvin West welcomes comments or questions from readers. His address is marvinwest75@gmail.com
