Very rarely in college football do things go according to plan. For every Alabama, which is right where we expected it to be, there is a Florida State, which isn’t.
Throughout the course of a season, there are many moments that lead toward a outcome. Games and plays that might seem inconsequential in real time could be the difference in a division title down the line.
Such was the case in the SEC East this season. Here are six such events that helped Florida get to Atlanta.
Tennessee Hail Mary at Georgia: In one play, Tennessee kept its undefeated record intact and its string of comeback victories alive. After beating Florida the week prior, the Vols overcame a major hurdle and remained in first place in the division. If Joshua Dobbs’ Hail Mary falls incomplete, Tennessee would have conceivably gone 1-3 in its biggest three-game stretch of the year and been further out of the hunt, essentially giving Florida the SEC East in October.
On the other side of the coin, the Bulldogs looked to have a program-defining win under Kirby Smart until that final play. The win would have put Georgia in the driver’s seat in the SEC East and would have made them a bigger factor in the final few weeks.
Jordan Scarlett touchdown at Vanderbilt: A seemingly meaningless game at the time, Vanderbilt played Florida down to the wire – as it did with many teams this season. Jordan Scarlett’s 4-yard touchdown run in the second quarter was the only time the Gators would reach the end zone. That score was the difference in a game that could have played a big factor in the division race.
A Florida loss would have had massive implications later and Tennessee would likely be in control of the division at this point in the season. This was one of the few close victories the Gators had, and it proved to be a big one.
Tennessee’s seven turnovers at Texas A&M: Tennessee’s first loss came the same way many of its wins had: In one pivotal moment at the end of the game. Unfortunately for the Vols, that pivotal moment was a Dobbs interception in double overtime. Turnovers plagued Tennessee throughout the afternoon as it gave away seven possessions to Texas A&M.
Had the Vols managed to hang onto the ball a little more often, the outcome could have easily been more favorable. A win against the Aggies would have cemented the Vols as one of the nation’s top teams at that point in the season and pushed them one step closer to a division title.
Tennessee’s loss at South Carolina: This game might have swung the season unlike any other. Tennessee could survive losses to Texas A&M and Alabama, but this 24-21 loss at South Carolina ultimately doomed the Vols. After earning a big tiebreak advantage with its head-to-head victory against Florida, this loss gave that advantage right back.
If Tennessee hadn’t dropped this game, the Vols would be playing for the SEC East title at Vanderbilt on Saturday night. Instead, Butch Jones is left reminding his team that they are “champions of life.”
Georgia’s game-winning drive at Kentucky: For a brief moment, Kentucky had an opportunity to put itself in prime position for the division. After Florida lost to Arkansas earlier in the afternoon, a win against Georgia would have put the Wildcats a half-game ahead of the Gators in the East. Of course, Florida held the tiebreak over Kentucky, but anything could happen with three games remaining.
Instead of taking advantage of that moment, however, Kentucky failed to stop Georgia’s game-winning drive that ended with a field goal as time expired. Mark Stoops’ team had earned the right to be in that spot, but couldn’t come through under pressure.
Florida’s goal-line stand at LSU: The moment that actually won the SEC East for Florida certainly belongs on this list. Nobody gave the Gators much of a chance heading into a matchup against the Tigers, but they showed they weren’t afraid of anyone. Florida’s final goal-line stand as time expired won it the division and means the Gators will play in Atlanta for the second straight season.
Unlike some of the other teams in the division, Florida stepped up at a crucial time and handled its business.
