KNOXVILLE, TN – It’s Football Time in Tennessee once again.
The No. 8 Tennessee Volunteers return home to Neyland Stadium after an extended time away to host the Florida Gators on Saturday night in front of a checkered crowd.
Tennessee rattled off four straight wins to start the season but hit a roadblock last week with an unexpected loss to Arkansas in Fayetteville. The Vols will look to bounce back in front of their home crowd on Saturday but Florida is never an easy opponent.
Florida always feels like a bit of a season-defining game for Tennessee and after the Vols’ loss to Arkansas last weekend, this year is certainly no different. Expect a hard-fought game between these two rivals on Saturday night in Knoxville.
Tennessee (4-1, 1-1 SEC) Season Results:
Game 1: Chattanooga (3) @ No. 15 Tennessee (69) – W
Game 2: No. 14 Tennessee (51) vs No. 24 NC State (10) – W
Game 3: Kent State (0) @ No. 7 Tennessee (71) – W
Game 4: No. 6 Tennessee (25) @ No. 15 Oklahoma (15) – W
Game 5: No. 8 Tennessee (14) @ Arkansas (19) – L
Follow along with Rocky Top Insider’s live thread covering the scoring plays and big moments from the game on Saturday:
CURRENT SCORE: 4th Quarter – Tennessee 17, Florida 10
Live tweets on X -> https://twitter.com/RockyTopInsider
More from RTI: How The ESPN College Gameday Crew Picked Florida at Tennessee
Pregame
Inactive for Tennessee: S Jourdan Thomas, LB Edwin Spillman, LB Ben Bolton
Florida won the toss and the Gators will kick to start the game.
First Quarter
Tennessee Drive 1: FUMBLE – UT 0, UF 0
- 7 plays, 49 yards
- TOP: 2:28
- Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava fumbles the handoff exchange in Florida territory
Florida Drive 1: Punt – UT 0, UF 0
- 5 plays, 30 yards
- TOP: 2:34
- Florida’s offense moves the ball into Tennessee territory before being stopped on third and long.
Tennessee Drive 2: Punt – UT 0, UF 0
- 3 plays, -3 yards
- TOP: 1:52
- A first down holding call put Tennessee behind the eight ball as the Vols punt it from their own red zone.
Florida Drive 2: FIELD GOAL – UF 3, UT 0
- 10 plays, 27 yards
- TOP: 4:51
- Florida capitalizes on the good field position and puts up a 42-yard field goal for the first points of the game on either side.
SECOND QUARTER
Tennessee Drive 3: Punt – UF 3, UT 0
- 9 plays, 25 yards
- TOP: 3:55
- Tennessee advances to field goal range but an untimely sack pushes the Vols way back and out of range. Jackson Ross on to punt.
Florida Drive 3: TURNOVER ON DOWNS – UF 3, UT 0
- 11 plays, 72 yards
- TOP: 6:04
- Florida looks for the 4th and 1 conversion from the Tennessee redzone but fails to pick it up on the RB sweep. Turnover on downs as Tennessee’s defense bends but doesn’t break.
Tennessee Drive 4: Punt – UF 3, UT 0
- 5 plays, 18 yards
- TOP: 1:40
- Tennessee misses on a pair of deep shots as the Vols’ fourth drive stalls out after just one first down.
Florida Drive 4: FUMBLE – UF 3, UT 0
- 7 plays, 79 yards
- TOP: 3:18
- Florida’s Graham Mertz fumbles the ball on the QB sneak from the one yard line. Tennessee recovers and the play stands after the official’s review.
Tennessee Drive 5: INTERCEPTION – UF 3, UT 0
- 7 plays, 25 yards
- TOP: 2:07
- Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava fires an interception across the middle of the field and Florida has great field position with time winding down to halftime
Florida Drive 5: HALFTIME – UF 3, UT 0
- 3 plays, -8 yards
- TOP: 1:11
- Florida is unable to capitalize on the Tennessee turnover despite starting the drive in field goal range.
HALFTIME – Florida 3, Tennessee 0
Florida Drive 6: Punt – UF 3, UT 0
- 3 plays, -19 yards
- TOP: 1:47
- Tennessee comes up with a huge sack to stall out Florida’s first drive after just a handful of plays.
Tennessee Drive 6: Punt – UF 3, UT 0
- 3 plays, 6 yards
- TOP: 1:41
- Tennessee’s drive stalls out before the Vols can reach midfield. Jackson Ross is on for the punt and will boot it to the Gators.
Florida Drive 7: TOUCHDOWN – UF 10, UT 0
- 9 play, 92 yard drive
- TOP: 4:14
- Graham Mertz connects with TE Arlis Boardingham for the 13 yard touchdown. The first endzone trip for either team tonight
Tennessee Drive 7: TOUCHDOWN TENNESSEE – UF 10, UT 7
- 11 plays, 75 yards
- TOP: 4:21
- Dylan Sampson punches it in on 4th and 1 for the six-yard touchdown. Gilbert’s PAT is good. Vols are on the board after nearly three full quarters.
Florida Drive 8: INTERCEPTION – UF 10, UT 7
- 1 play, 0 yards
- TOP: 0:10
- Florida QB DJ Lagway is intercepted by Tennessee linebacker Arion Carter on the Gators’ first play of the drive
Tennessee Drive 8: FIELD GOAL GOOD – UT 10, UF 10
- 4 plays, 3 yards
- TOP: 1:10
- Iamaleava misses Squirrel White on the third down passing attempt, Max Gilbert knocks through the 35-yard attempt to tie the game.
Fourth Quarter
Florida Drive 9: Turnover on Downs – UT 10, UF 10
- 7 plays, 37 yards
- TOP: 2:33
- Florida advances the ball into Tennessee territory but can’t convert the 4th and 4 as Jermod McCoy was in coverage.
Tennessee Drive 9: Punt – UT 10, UF 10
- 3 plays, 2 yards
- TOP: 1:52
- Tennessee’s drive barely gets going as Jackson Ross pins the Gators back deep on the punt.
Florida Drive 10: Punt – UT 10, UF 10
- 3 plays, -3 yards
- TOP: 2:01
Tennessee Drive 10: TOUCHDOWN TENNESSEE – UT 17, UF 10
- 2 plays, 29 yards
- TOP: 00:29
- Dylan Sampson breaks off a 23-yard touchdown run to give Tennessee the lead with less than 10 minutes on the clock.
Florida Drive 11: Punt – UT 17, UF 10
- 3 plays, 7 yards
- TOP: 1:33
Tennessee Drive 11: Punt – UT 17, UF 10
Florida Drive 13: TOUCHDOWN FLORIDA – UF 17, UT 17
- 4 plays, 31 yards
- TOP: 2:02
- DJ Lagway to Chimere Dike for a 27-yard touchdown on third-and-18.
Tennessee Drive 13: Clock runs out.
- 5 plays, 23 yards
- TOP: 0:29
OVERTIME
*Tennessee wins the toss and elects to play defense first.
Florida Overtime Drive No. 1: FIELD GOAL NO GOOD
- Four plays, -4 yards
- Trey Smack’s 47-yard field goal is no good.
Tennessee Overtime Drive No. 2: TOUCHDOWN TENNESSEE
- 5 plays, 25 yards
- Dylan Sampson scores on a one-yard touchdown run.
