It’s Tennessee…suddenly
How many times have you heard the following statements?
“I’ll take a one-point win,” and “It wasn’t pretty, but I’ll take it.”
Tennessee’s 23-17 overtime victory over visiting Florida Saturday night was an exercise frustration, exasperation, and in the end, triumph.
Truth be told, Florida should have won this game in a rout. The Gators should have led by at least 24 points at the half. They dominated the eighth-ranked Volunteers everywhere but the scoreboard. At the break, Florida led by a scant 3-0 lead.
Florida left more gifts for Tennessee than Santa Claus. Florida was stopped on a fourth-down play, it fumbled on the six-inch line and there was penalty just before half on a field goal. Tennessee AD Danny White should have placed a tree skirt around the goal post and hung ornaments from the crossbar.
Things were looking dire for the Vols. They struggled to run the ball, pass block and throw the ball effectively. Defensively, Florida, it seemed, always found a crease to run for big gains or a seam for receivers to get wide open.
Even at the end, when Florida converted the game-tying touchdown, its receiver was wide open.
In the end, sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.
The Vols stuffed the Gators in overtime, penetrating their line for big losses and forced a missed field goal. I was a tad concerned when Tennessee continued to run plays when all it needed was three points. In true Tennessee fashion, one might have expected a fumble or interception during the series, allowing Florida another shot at winning it.
Give Dylan Sampson credit for his perseverance. He was not going to be denied, as his final touchdown plunge would attest. Give the Vols credit, too. When it seemed that they weren’t accomplishing anything, they didn’t quit and found ways to secure the victory. I like the way the defense rose to the occasion in the end.
After what we witnessed at Arkansas last week and against Florida in Knoxville this week, both games against beleaguered coaches, I still tend to cast a skeptical eye toward this team. Even after waterboarding the likes of Chattanooga, N.C. State and Kent State, I think many Vols’ fans lulled themselves into a false sense of security. Even at Oklahoma, I still wondered about this team, despite the 10-point victory.
The early part of the season was fool’s gold for the Vols. As Johnny Majors said, the wind blows the hardest atop the flagpole.
Tennessee will find that out very quickly.
Nico Iamaleava may have experienced a dose of confidence tonight, but he’s still a freshman quarterback and, at times, plays like it. Tennessee’s offense if inconsistent and Tennessee’s defense has too many holes in it.
But pundits have often said that in a rivalry game, throw the record books out the window. Perhaps this game demonstrated that axiom as well as any.
There’s much to fix with this team, if it is, indeed, a purported playoff contender. There’s not much time for repairs.
Up next is Alabama.
And the Tide will be in a bad mood when it arrives in Knoxville next Saturday.
Jim Steele is a correspondent for Richardson Media Group and may be reached on X @steelesports, or via email at pressbox1@gmail.com
