Tennessee Falls to Gators for 11th Straight Time

Staff Photo by Mike Stanley

The Tennessee Volunteers may never beat the University of Florida ever again… ok, maybe not exactly, but if you are Vol Nation you have to begin to wonder, right? Tennessee fell now for the 11th straight time to the Gators. But this time… this time was a little different than the other 10 in “the streak.”

Tennessee was favored (1.5 points), which that alone made it different, but Tennessee was confident that this was the year to end the streak to Florida. In fact, Tennessee held a 13 point lead in the 4th quarter with just over 10 minutes to play. Tennessee finally outrushed the Gators for the first time during this streak, racking up 254 yards to Florida’s mere 109 yards, 63 of which came on one run in the first quarter. Tennessee had only averaged 50 yards per contest in the previous 10 games.

Against the Oklahoma Sooners, the gripe was play calling. Against Florida, that can’t be the case. Tennessee ran the ball down Florida’s throat most of the game, and when it came time for the Vols to need plays they left no stone unturned, breaking out trick plays and connecting on them beautifully.

This game lies on the defense; they needed a stop on 4th and 14… yes, 4th and 14, and Tennessee could not get the stop. Instead, Florida scored a Touchdown on that 4th and 14 to the tune of 63-yards with just over a minute remaining. Defensive Coordinator, John Jancek, took the blame on the loss and probably rightfully so, but it lies on the guys between the lines really.

However, even after all of that, Tennessee still had a chance to win the game. Maybe it was a slimmer than good chance, but a chance nonetheless. Aaron Medley narrowly missed, and by narrowly I mean you could barely fit a piece of paper between the football and the goal post, but narrowly missed the game winning field goal, and the Vols lost, 28-27.

Arkansas comes to town this week, a 1-3 Arkansas team, and while this game to the fan base doesn’t mean as much as an Oklahoma or Florida game, it definitely needs to. Because if the Vols were to fall to the Razorbacks, the highly heralded Vols could actually miss a bowl game with only North Texas, Vanderbilt, and South Carolina being the remaining “lock” games for the Vols.

Now, am I saying the Vols are missing a bowl game? No. But, what I am saying is that this Arkansas game is probably the most important game of the year to date.