The Volunteers' defensive game plan succeeded in limiting the Gators' usually high-powered offense Saturday.
As Florida's defense jogged onto the field clutching to a 23-13 lead with 6:01 remaining in the fourth quarter against rival Tennessee, All-America linebacker Brandon Spikes watched from the sideline.
1. The Gators' defensive tackles were being driven off the ball. Lawrence Marsh, Jaye Howard, Omar Hunter and Terron Sanders shared the snaps in the middle of the defense, and none of them seemed able to establish the line of scrimmage. They have great linebackers, and the defensive tackles just need to hold their ground so the linebackers can make plays on runs, and they could not do that Saturday.
Beating Tennessee never felt so disappointing.
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As Florida's defense jogged onto the field clutching to a 23-13 lead with 6:01 remaining in the fourth quarter against rival Tennessee, All-American linebacker Brandon Spikes watched from the sideline.
Tennessee walked away from The Swamp with a loss, but it may have laid the foundation for how to slow down Florida's potent offense.
It was no Swamp smackdown, but No. 1 Florida did enough to win its school-record 13th straight game Saturday night 23-13.
Florida's secondary said all week it was looking forward to playing against mistake-prone Tennessee quarterback Jonathan Crompton.
Running back Emmanuel Moody is still working to regain his coaches' full trust after fumbling last week.
Just less than eight minutes remaining, down 20-14 at Tennessee facing fourth-and-1 on Tennessee's 28-yard line, and Florida coach Urban Meyer calls a timeout to discuss what to do.
Lane Kiffin and Tim Tebow have something in common.
A year ago, Emmanuel Moody's career at Florida was headed in the right direction.
Florida's 3-3-5 defense couldn't be more aptly named.
After Saturday's 56-6 romping of Troy, it took Florida no time at all to publicly turn its attention to Tennessee.
Through one quarter of play Saturday, Florida looked like far from the team picked by many to win a second national title.
Florida coach Urban Meyer has said repeatedly that he has three starters at the safety position, though that was not the case against Charleston Southern.
Solutions by The State News
