By JOHN MOOREHOUSE
It’s the end of an era in the Southeastern Conference. With the expansion of the league and the new scheduling format, the annual Tennessee-Florida game becomes a thing of the past after Saturday’s matchup in Gainesville.
Sure, Tennessee is guaranteed to play Florida once every two years, and yeah, the Gators will have to come to Neyland Stadium once every four years — just like every other team in the conference.
But it’s just not going to feel the same, is it?
Tomorrow’s game in the Swamp will mark the 36th consecutive year that Tennessee and Florida have faced one another. In the debut of our new “Friday 5” series (nice logo, right?), we’re taking a look at five of the most memorable games in that 36-year run.
#5) Spurrier returns
Steve Spurrier was a thorn in the side of Tennessee fans for years. As the head coach at his alma mater Florida, Spurrier beat the Vols in eight of 12 meetings. He also loved needling Vol Nation… remember “You can’t spell Citrius without U-T”? Spurrier had much less success the first time he led the Gators into Neyland Stadium. Sparked by a 91-yard kickoff return for a TD by Dale Carter, Tennessee outscored Florida 38-0 in the second half to win 45-3. That remains the biggest margin of victory in the series history.
#4) The slump buster
In hindsight, Butch Jones’ tenure on Rocky Top feels like more of a bad joke. Still, the Vols did snap an 11-game losing streak to Florida — the longest streak either way in the history of this series — on Jones’ watch. Tennessee ended the streak in Knoxville in 2016, rallying from a 21-3 halftime deficit with 35 straight points en route to a 38-28 victory.
#3) The field goal
The 2004 meeting between the Vols and Gators at Neyland came down to the wire. Florida went into the final stretch leading 28-27, after UT kicker James Wilhoit had missed an extra point earlier in the game. Wilhoit went from goat to hero, nailing a 50-yard field goal as time expired to give Tennessee a 30-28 victory. The lead-up to that field goal was mired in controversy. The prior Florida possession stalled out when the Gators got flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct (Dallas Baker drew the penalty for a head slap during a fracas on the field with the Vols’ Jonathan Wade, who initiated the physicality), and then officials failed to restart the clock prior to the punt.
#2) Smells like 98
For all that Tennessee accomplished during Peyton Manning’s time in Knoxville, the Vols captured their one and only national championship in 1998 — the year after Manning left — led by an outstanding defense and ground game, with Tee Martin under center. Beating Florida that year provided the first signature win en route to an undefeated record, SEC championship and spot against Florida State in the BCS title game. It was also one of the more dramatic games in series history. It took overtime to determine a winner, and a missed field goal by the Gators secured a 20-17 victory that sparked a jubilant celebration at Neyland. This was also the first time the Vols beat Florida under Phillip Fulmer since 1992, when Fulmer led the team on an interim basis while Johnny Majors recovered from heart surgery.
#1) December in the Swamp
This game was noteworthy for several reasons. It was an elimination game for the SEC Championship, with the winner claiming the Eastern Division crown. It got moved from its usual early September date to December after the 9/11 terrorist attack postponed essentially every major sporting event the following weekend. Despite the SEC title implications, and a potential spot against Miami in the national championship game also on the line, Tennessee entered the matchup as a 17 1/2 point underdog. Instead, Travis Stephens ran wild for 226 yards and two touchdowns as the Vols scored a stunning 34-32 victory. Of course, Tennessee then squandered that momentum in the SEC Championship, losing to an LSU team that made a second-half comeback propelled by backup quarterback Matt Mauck. This was also the final Vols-Gators game involving Spurrier, who resigned in January to — unsuccessfully — try his hand as an NFL coach. By the way, since this 2001 meeting, Tennessee has beaten Florida just one other time in Gainesville, back in 2003. Heading into Saturday’s matchup, the Vols have lost 10 straight against Florida at the Swamp.