Beating Tennessee never felt so disappointing.
In a rivalry that goes a long way toward deciding the Southeastern Conference East, both teams are content to take a win any way they can get it, but No. 1 Florida didn't deliver the smackdown that was expected in its 23-13 win against the Volunteers.
"By the players' attitudes going into the locker room (they were disappointed)," linebacker Ryan Stamper said. "We won by 10 points against Tennessee, and Tennessee has a good team. We're used to beating teams by 50 points, but I thought today was a really well-fought match. We haven't had one of those around here in a long time, but I think the hype is a little too much."
Oddsmakers pegged the Gators as more than four touchdowns better than the Vols, but when the dust settled, the real difference between the two teams was clear.
Florida had Tim Tebow, and even on one of the quarterback's worst outings, he was far better than his counterpart, UT's Jonathan Crompton.
Tebow was 14 of 19 for 115 yards and an interception - his second lowest yardage total as a starter - and he registered a 66.8 rating, easily the worst of his career as a starter.
Tebow's nation-leading streak of 30 games with a touchdown pass came to an end, and his fourth-quarter fumble near the goal line caused a 14-point swing.
But Tebow made the plays the Gators needed. He carried 24 times for 76 yards and a touchdown, converting three third downs and a fourth down with his legs.
On Florida's third-quarter touchdown drive, he pulled off a 4-yard scramble on third-and-3 after rolling to his right, doubling back to the left sideline and breaking two tackles behind the line of scrimmage.
"Once it gets to third and 3, you know what's going to happen," UT coach Lane Kiffin said. "They're going to snap it to [Tebow], he's going to run, you're going to have a guy there and he's going to run through him for the first down. I guess the answer is, we need to find a Tim Tebow in recruiting. That would help us probably."
Kiffin's offense struggled with Crompton at the helm in key situations. The Vols had success on the ground, tallying 117 yards, and Crompton picked up most of his 93 passing yards on screens and dumpoffs.
But the only times Crompton was asked to look downfield, he underthrew receivers and was intercepted.
UF's Joe Haden and Ahmad Black were the recipients, snatching second-half interceptions that swung the momentum and sealed the game, respectively.
Haden and Black's interceptions were the longest catches of the game, coming 22 and 25 yards from the line of scrimmage. The Volunteers shut off the Gators' deep passing game, which was nonexistent without wideout Deonte Thompson (hamstring) in the lineup, and Riley Cooper was limited because of a pinched nerve.
"Right now, our receiving corps is not up to Florida standards," UF coach Urban Meyer said. "When Deonte is in, I think it is. There's going to be a lot of urgency this week with that group because it limits you when you don't have a vertical stretch in your offense."
Four other key players were hurt or limited Saturday. Tight end Aaron Hernandez, running back Jeff Demps and defensive end Jermaine Cunningham were all hampered by illnesses, and linebacker Brandon Spikes had to leave the game after aggravating an Achilles strain.
Meyer said Demps' flu-like symptoms were just beginning, so he could miss some time this week, and he expects Spikes to play through the pain next week against Kentucky.
The Gators being less than full strength certainly made life easier for the Vols, but Kiffin pointed to a different reason for his team's inspired performance.
He was hailed with verbal abuse as soon as UT's buses neared The Swamp, and he wouldn't have had it any other way.
"I think it worked perfect," Kiffin said. "It took all the pressure off our players and allowed us to play free. When you come play the No. 1 team in the country in your third game together, you don't want all the pressure on your players. Put it on me. I'm the coach. I don't have to play the game."
That didn't keep Kiffin from noticing, though. He said there were "a lot of F-words that aren't Florida" being yelled at him, and one fan held up a large photo of Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis, who fired Kiffin, as the Vols came out of the tunnel.
"The picture of Al Davis made me laugh," Kiffin said.
