Florida vs. Tennessee: Once nationally relevant rivalry has become site of Tennessee horror and heartache
It’s Tennessee-Florida week, which used to mean SEC East title implications and a national spotlight.
Yes, once upon a time when Peyton Manning wore creamsicle orange and Phil Fulmer stalked the sidelines on Rocky Top, Tennessee’s football program commanded national attention. Nowhere was this more true than ahead of the Vols’ annual September tilt with Steve Spurrier and the Gators, who could count on Tennessee being one of the only true foils to their decade-plus of dominance in the SEC during the 1990s and early 2000s.
Before there was “LSU-Bama,” there was “Tennessee-Florida.”
College GameDay came to both campuses for the game on 4 occasions in the ’90s, a testament to the national implications. Both Florida and Tennessee were ranked in every game they played in the 1990s; in 8 of those 10, both were ranked in the Top 10. In fact, during the Spurrier tenure at Florida, the Gators and Vols played 5 games where both teams entered ranked in the top 5 of the AP or Coaches Poll. In the past 50 years of college football, only Miami-Florida State in the ’90s, Florida-Florida State in the ’90s, Michigan-Ohio State during the “10-year War” in the ’70s and LSU-Alabama in the 2010s have matched that accomplishment.
On multiple occasions, Florida vs. Tennessee under Spurrier and Fulmer resulted in a heartbreaking loss that derailed a season with national championship aspirations. Most notably, Florida’s upset of Peyton Manning and Tennessee in 1997, a game Paul Finebaum still believes cost Manning the Heisman Trophy. The favor was repaid in Tennessee’s gargantuan December upset of No. 2 Florida in 2001, a game that still haunts Gators fans, may have cost Rex Grossman the Heisman Trophy and likely cost Spurrier a shot at the Miami Hurricanes in a Rose Bowl national championship. That was the last game Steve Spurrier coached in The Swamp — at least as head coach of the Gators.
In other words, this was the game of the decade in the SEC in the 1990s and one of the best rivalries in the sport.
On paper, Saturday’s contest doesn’t stack up to those storied games. The Vols remain mired in the malaise that has defined this decade on Rocky Top. Tennessee is 1-2 in Year 2 under Jeremy Pruitt, including the opening day loss to lowly Georgia State, where Rocky Top hit Rocky Bottom.
With Phil Fulmer now the school’s Athletic Director, questions are being asked as to how long Pruitt — who when hired was hardly Tennessee’s first, second or even third choice — will get to carry out his rebuild.
But it isn’t just the Vols being in perpetual rebuild mode that has taken the luster off this rivalry. Florida has taken its share of lumps this decade as well, which, regardless of how this season closes, will be Florida’s worst decade of football from a record perspective since the 1970s.
The easiest way to dull the edges of a once-sharp, shiny rivalry is to see both programs spend a decade mired in mediocrity.
Despite their struggles, the Gators’ dip has felt less permanent than Tennessee’s. Florida’s had flashes this decade, including 2 trips to Atlanta and an 11-win Sugar Bowl season in 2012. Tennessee has only been to 4 bowl games this decade, and its high-water mark as a program since their last trip to Atlanta (2007) was probably an Outback Bowl win over Northwestern in 2015. And today, while Tennessee once again ponders whether it fumbled a coaching hire, the Gators appear to again be an ascending program under Mullen.
As it relates to the Tennessee-Florida game, Florida’s state of rebuild being “less bad”has shown on the scoreboard. From 2005-2015, Florida won every football game they played against Tennessee, including 7 by double digits.
In fact, even when the Gators appeared to be the less complete football team, they’ve found ways to defeat the Volunteers.
In 2013, Florida lost 8 games — its worst season since going 0-10-1 in 1979. No matter. They still buried Tennessee 31-17 in The Swamp.
In Knoxville in 2014, Tennessee led most the game in a defensive struggle that saw Florida’s starter Jeff Driskel post one of the most grotesque stat lines in the history of quarterbacking: 11-23 for 59 yards with 3 interceptions. Florida put freshman Treon Harris — yes, Treon Harris — into the game in the 4th quarter and rallied to win 10-9, a victory that resulted in one of the more epic head coach postgame interview troll jobs in the history of the sport:
In 2015, Butch Jones’s “brick-by-brick” rebuild of the Volunteers appeared to be finally set to reap benefits, with the Vols preseason favorites to win the SEC East and finally snap a decade of futility against the Gators. Florida had a freshman quarterback in Will Grier and a young offensive line and for a while, the game in The Swamp went according to plan for Jones and the Vols, who led 27-14 with 5 minutes to play in the 4th quarter. The Gators rallied for a score and forced a stop, but facing 4th-and-14 in their own territory with 90 seconds remaining, it appeared the Vols’ misfortune was finally set to end. Then this happened:
Tennessee did finally beat Florida a season later, thanks to a furious 2nd-half rally led by Joshua Dobbs, but Vols fans joy would only last a season before it was back to what can only be characterized as astonishing heartbreak.
The Gators won only 4 games in 2017, and appeared ready to cough up one at home to Tennessee in 2017, having blown a 10-point lead in the final 5 minutes. Tennessee’s John Kelly was a wrecking ball, Florida’s defense was exhausted and not a rational soul in the stadium felt like the Gators would win in overtime. Of course, because Feleipe Franks can throw a football 70 yards on a rope — and because Tennessee somehow didn’t play the right defense — there wasn’t overtime.
There’s not enough Tennessee whiskey and George Jones songs to describe or wash away that sadness.
And these are just a few examples of the misery inflicted by the Gators to Tennessee over the past decade, when a Gators program in its own stages of sadness and slow rebuild has found solace in rubbing salt in the wound of their once-proud divisional rival to the north.
On paper, the Vols don’t appear to have much of a chance of avoiding more heartache this Saturday in The Swamp.
Then again, Florida’s wins over Miami and Kentucky continue to prove that this isn’t a Gators team with a large margin for error. Jeremy Pruitt doubtlessly knows Florida’s weaknesses, and he’s a great defensive mind who knows he gets to face a backup quarterback making his first career start. The Vols have nothing to lose, and should enter with a sense of purpose and belief. In the old days, that was a recipe for Tennessee glory and a big Orange upset.
But the old days are long gone.
Neil Blackmon may not be your run-of-the-mill metrosexual, but he still looks good in a tight pair of jorts i bet.
d@mn dude you forgot to let the UGA fans comment first
Yeah, good call. UGA is first in everything when it comes to the SEC East.
thats true they are first at being the biggest douche bag fans in the sec east. Congrats
Ben beat me to the punch so I will just add UGA fans are first at being the most obnoxious, ignorant, delusional D bags of all
Name another sport UGA is in the top 5 in? If you want to see trophy’s take 75 South.
I mean in all fairness I get that UGA is our rival and I get that they are on top in the east and probably second in the sec recruiting at a high level ect. So I expect some smack talk but what I’ve seen UGA fans do is beyond that. I thought maybe just the off season but it’s been just as bad or worse now that the season has started. You would think they some dignity. Granted there are some good UGA fans on here but there is a lot of d bags on here and there appears to be more joining.
It’s easy to understand why the Jawja fans feel that they have to insert themselves on every board asserting how great they are if you take a moment to think about what has happened in the last 39 years since they won a NC. During that long drought they have had to endure teams from their bordering states claim a NC 22 times! Add in their in state rival GT and that’s 23 times in 39 years you sat at home licking your…..well we all know what dawgs like to lick.. while your neighbors celebrated a NC. Now they feel they’re on the brink of finally reaching that lofty goal they can’t help but being a little premature in their boasting. Bless their little hearts it’s really kinda sad especially when one looks at their schedule it’s apparent that they will be denied again this year. Whether it’s to ND this weekend, Florida, A&M, Auburn it’s going to happen. I’m not sure if it’s Kirby “not so” Smart faking a FG or punt, Fromm throwing a pick 6 or a Hail Mary the dawgs will choke. Their braggadocio is certainly premature and kinda reminds me of the pimple faced high school boy on Friday night parking and petting in the back of his parents sedan thinking he is about to score except the pressure is too much and he loses it before he can cross the goal line. You really have to have some pity for them don’t you?
^^^This! All Day!^^^
Are we really believing someone with the name joejort is actually a Gator fan? Ben it’s pretty safe to say this is another of many Gator articles to have a pathetic UGA troll commenting first.
JoeJort
When it comes time to dim the lights, turn-on the soft music, light a candle and pour a couple glasses of MD 20/20 in the double-wide
Which crackhead is your goto sugar-crackdaddy – CO Jones, Joe Marks, NashvilleGator, GatorsDontKNowCrap, Ben7254, UrbanLiar, Mattchew, Gromit?
What’s the pecking order? (pun intended)
Sorry but we have no doublewides here in the navy methhead.
^^^The obsession continues^^^
One minor quibble with the headline… even when this series was nationally relevant, it was also, for the most part, a site of horror and heartache for Tennessee.
True, we beat UT every year that Peyton Manning was there, he literally came back in ’97 for two reasons, one, to win the heisman (he got second by the way), and to beat UF (He also failed in that).
Or like SOS said to be the MVP of the Citrus Bowl
“… Once nationally relevant rivalry has become site of Tennessee horror and heartache”
Substitute “Florida” for “Tennessee” and you’d be talking about Jacksonville.
Lol you’ve only won it the last two years but good try little guy
“… you’ve only won it the last two years but good try little guy”
crackhead – do you actually understand the English language, do you understand what you just typed????
UGA has only “won it the last two years?”
Yes DumbsOfWar everyone but you understands that there is no 2 year dynasty you big time moron
Funny that you’re commenting on an article that is talking about the series/rivalry since the early 90’s. What’s UGA’s record in Jacksonville in the same time frame?
Hahaha oh Georgia trolls. Winning 2 years in a row and act like Florida’s never beaten them in 20 years. Not even close. Florida is 9-1 against Tennessee in the last decade and has beaten the Vols 16 in the last 20 meetings. Florida and Georgia have split the last decade 5 games each and Florida has won 13 of the last 20 against Georgia. So uh, nice try
In my lifetime, the buttsniffers have a losing record to The Gators, so I don’t know what glue you’re sniffing.
As Atlanta is yours! #kirbying
Thanks so much for the trip down memory lane from the 90s. Actually I could have done without it. You depressed Vol fans, it could be worse. Think about this: in the 90s, 10 seasons, vs Fla and Tenn,the Dawgs were a combined 1-17. That is some serious awful right there. A miserable decade.
Yes, you dawgs are especially first when it comes to running your SouthCarolina GameCock Suckers.Where do you rank at winning a National Championship? Lol
Football is cyclical. Teams rise. Teams fall. And then other teams crawl into a dumpster and set themselves on fire for a decade.
The teams that are good now won’t always be, and some of those that now suck or suffer will rise once again, but one thing will always be constant, Vol’s suffering.
Joe and Ben taking turns under covers so they can post.
Jones watching for mama
Gator Jim got his feelings hurt. He wasn’t in on the circle jerk.
Hey jarhead, you’re vulgar.
Not so much vulgar, just really, catastrophically, apocalyptically stupid. I hope they don’t let him handle weapons.
idiot probably didn’t even graduate the 8th grade
Sorry but the marines don’t teach you to be pathetic losers. He’s the epitome of a military imposter. If he is an actual marine, then he should remove the USMC from his name if he’s going to continue acting like he does, because he’s a disgrace to the military.
Hey Gromit. That’s because you are little boy
Vols gets the win. Take that +450 money line.
Get outta here man, I’m not even gonna watch it this year. Love the VOLS and a faithful fan since ’77, but too painful right now to see our team slaughtered. A lesser coach might screw it up, but Mullen is a solid coach so I don’t expect the Gators to fall apart. I’ll record it, and watch or delete.
Quit your cryin Ben and get ready for the mauling both sides of your lines are gonna suffer.
What kind of remark was that first post anyway? A Mullet lap dance in his future? Hopefuly Trask can avoid that the temptation and just play
You know you can reply directly to people right?
@ USMCDAWG. Go and lick deez nuts. You Dawgs are really good at doing that. Georgia’s the teebag capital of the world. YOU forgot to point out that you were the pivot man in your little jerk session.
Nice try Jimblow.
From the mid 90’s to the 2010’s, It didn’t matter who the players were or where the game was played, the Gators just had the Vols number. (The way Florida won some of those games was absolutely incredible, or in Tennessee’s case, heartbreaking)
It begs the question, who is Florida’s most bitter rival? Tennessee or Georgia?
I’m guessing its:
1) Georgia (the cocktail party and
all)
2) Tennessee (see above article)
3) LSU
it really depends on when you were born. If you’re a REALLY old gator these days, Georgia is your biggest rival. We really didn’t play Tennessee much back in the 80’s and before. Not until the league separated into divisions did they become an annual opponent. if you’re a bit younger, then clearly FSU is your biggest rival because in the 1990’s, FSU was the team that was keeping us out of national championships. Everyone wants to say Tennessee, but it was really FSU. Tennessee didn’t win squat in the 1990’s, FSU won 2 national championships.
Honestly if you want to be truly historical like about it, Auburn is a bigger traditional rival to us than UT is, even though we haven’t played them regularly since the 80’s.
Gromit, Tennessee didn’t win squat in the 90’s?
LOL Boxster. I was just going tio read the posts of the trolls on both sides. I think there are a number of florida trolls now that have evened out the “who has the worst fans on SDS” a bit. I try not to tout anything we did prior to the last 15 years or so but when some idiot says Tennessee didn’t do anything in the 90’s I guess I will be the one to remind Vomit that we did win back to back sec championships and oh yeah a national championship. But not much really. What a moron.
Very True, Older Tennessee fans still see Bama as the Arch foe, while younger feel that way about Florida. I miss the annual battle with WarEagle, that was replaced by Florida (cause when I was younger we hardly ever played the Gators.)
I’d LOVE to see Mizzou shift to the West and Auburn to the East!
Im 30 and people my age unquestionably say FSU is #1. If you live in Florida, you regularly encounter FSU and Miami fans. Not necessarily UGA. UGA has also not been as dominant as FSU recently. FSU has a recent natty and Heisman winner and had a 6 year winning streak on us until last year.
I have iPad mini and whenever I hit reply it goes to new post.
I’m not like rest of gator losers and spend all day trying to make a point. I do this while thinking of them in most charming way.
^^^The obsession continues^^^
I’m having a great time trying to decide which state leads the way in inbred imbeciles. It’s SC and Fla, neck and neck.
The trolls are reproducing.
Yet another example of SDS sliding down the tubes.
Letting homers like this take cheap potshots and regurgitating the same stats and trivia EVERYONE IS ALREADY NAUSEATINGLY AWARE OF.
Just title the next article: “1 for 15” and be done with it.
Imagine going 0-4 vs Muschamp lol… poor rocky bottom…
lol the first 7 out of 8 comments on here are Florida fans talking trash about Georgia fans before a Georgia fan even commented lol. Who’s the d bags in this situation? I’m confused
Does that mean y’all mad they commented first?? LOL
Your comment would make sense if joejort were actually a Gator fan, but lets be real, we all know what program he’s actually a fan of.
This might be happening in the Dawg forum as well. You should go check! Never mind, we are not interested in anything Georgia football. The trolls are reproducing. Inbred at that!
Depressing comment thread. No football. Just trolling and insult trading.