Can Tennessee football turn bitter to sweet at The Swamp? Ranking 5 worst Florida showings.
Tennessee rarely has looked worse under coach Josh Heupel than it did in a 30-13 victory over FCS opponent Austin Peay on Saturday at Neyland Stadium. Naturally, fans were looking for an explanation.
Several excuses were available. There was a weather delay, and the team didn’t get to run through the “T.” Also, how can you get psyched up to play a team that just lost to Southern Illinois by 26 points? One more thing: the Vols might have been looking ahead to next Saturday’s SEC opener against Florida.
My explanation is related to the Florida game. The mere thought of having to play a game in The Swamp probably threw the Vols off their game.
Never mind how incompetent the Gators might be this season. Put them in The Swamp with Tennessee and they turn into superheroes. At least, that’s how it has been since 2003. That’s the last time the Vols won there.
They have lost to good Florida teams and bad ones during that stretch. They have been embarrassed in lopsided losses and stunned by last-minute defeats.
Why do I bring that up? Because you can’t appreciate the sweet without the bitter.
Imagine how sweet a victory in The Swamp would be for Tennessee. The lackluster showing against Austin Peay would be forgotten, and an unbeaten September would become probable.
However, to fully appreciate the sweetness, you need to remember the bitter. So, I thought a review might be in order since the Vols could be on the verge of ending a nine-game losing streak in Gainesville.
Here’s how I rank Tennessee’s five worst experiences in The Swamp:
1995: Florida 62, Tennessee 37
Peyton Manning’s historic Tennessee career was blemished by his failure to beat Florida in three starts. But the Gators’ success against Manning-led teams often had more to do with their own offense.
In 1995, Manning passed Tennessee to a quick touchdown on its first possession. Late in the second quarter, the Vols were up 30-14 and seemingly on their way to a rousing victory.
But the Gators struck back with a vengeance. They scored 48 consecutive points on their way to a 62-37 victory.
That was UT’s only loss in an 11-1 season that left them third in the final Associated Press poll. But it wasn’t the only time a trip to The Swamp cost the Vols an unbeaten regular season.
1997: Florida 33, Tennessee 20
How big was this game? Big enough to cost Manning the Heisman Trophy, which was won by Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson.
Even in the defeat, Manning put up impressive stats – just as he did in his two other starts against the Gators. However, Tony George’s 88-yard interception return for a touchdown was a pivotal play in the game.
“The Lord’s still smiling on the Gators,” then-Florida coach Steve Spurrier said afterward.
The Vols went on to win 11 games and the SEC championship. But their fifth consecutive loss to Florida knocked them out of the national championship race.
1999: Florida 23, Tennessee 21
Most folks thought the Vols were capable of winning back-to-back national championships. Florida put an end to that line of thinking in the second game.
A defensive end had more to do with the outcome than anyone else on the field. Florida’s Alex Brown had five sacks and an interception.
UT looked as helpless against him as it once did against the passing of Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel.
Florida’s victory ended Tennessee’s 14-game winning streak. The Vols later were eliminated from the title chase by a 28-24 loss to Arkansas in mid-November.
2007: Florida 59, Tennessee 20
Based on the score, you wouldn’t have guessed Tennessee had a shot in the third quarter. The Vols had cut Florida’s lead to 28-20.
But Florida returned Arian Foster’s fumble for a touchdown, and a stampede followed.
The game helped build Tim Tebow’s Heisman Trophy resume. He completed 14 of 19 passes for 299 yards, rushed for 61 yards and accounted for four touchdowns.
His confidence against UT’s defense was best illustrated when he dropped back in his own end zone and unloaded a 49-yard pass to Percy Harvin, who made a diving catch near midfield.
2015: Florida 28, Tennessee 27
Tennessee had no business losing this game. And with someone other than coach Butch Jones calling the shots, it probably wouldn’t have lost.
He made a series of boneheaded decisions that contributed to Florida overturning a 13-point Vols lead in the fourth quarter. His decision to kick an extra point – instead of going for a two-point conversion – was his most puzzling.
A two-point conversion would have put the Vols up by 14 points. However, it took a 27-14 lead with the extra-point kick. Jones’ postgame explanation for his decision made as little sense as his call on the field.
“We have a chart that's pretty standard in football, that maps it out," Jones said. "We just felt at that stage of the game, we had great confidence in our defense of getting off the field. We felt very comfortable with that decision."
ADAMS: I didn't think Tennessee football could lose to Florida. Austin Peay changed my mind
In fact, the “chart” said otherwise.
The Gators won the game with 1:26 to play when they converted the extra point after quarterback Will Grier had teamed up with freshman Antonio Callaway on a 63-yard touchdown pass
John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or john.adams@knoxnews.com. Follow him at: twitter.com/johnadamskns.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Can Tennessee football turn bitter to sweet vs. Florida at The Swamp
