If this isn't rock bottom for the Gators, it's whatever is next

(Photo by Chris Spears)

“I need your help, Barry Manilow

I'm miserable and I don't know what to do

Sing me a song, sing it sad and low

No one knows how to suffer quite like you” – Ray Stevens, “I Need Your Help Barry Manilow”

Rock bottom. If Florida’s 31-11 loss to 20^th-ranked Tennessee (8-3, 4-3 SEC) isn’t rock bottom it’s whatever is close. If you’re a Gator fan you’re suffering about now and you could use some help from Barry Manilow, who has crooned a few sad and miserable songs in his day.

For a team that has battled top ten teams such as Texas A&M, Georgia and Ole Miss to a near standstill, this one wasn’t nearly as close as the score might indicate. Tennessee dominated the first half then pretty much ran out the clock in the final two quarters before a crowd of 90,465 at The Swamp. From the opening kickoff when the Vols marched down the field to score their first touchdown to end a 9-play, 75-yard drive, the Gators looked overmatched.

Tennessee was ahead 21-0 before the Gators even managed a first down. It was 31-0 at the half. The Gators did outscore the Vols 11-0 in the second half, but for all practical purposes, the game was over after Florida’s second play from scrimmage.

Already trailing the Vols 7-0, after the Vols opening drive, it was second-and-14 from the 21 when DJ Lagway found Jadan Baugh wide open in the left flat at the Florida 31. With plenty of green grass ahead, Baugh wasn’t stopped until he was pushed out of bounds at the Tennessee 37, a 42-yard play that had The Swamp rocking.

Instead of a big play that put the Tennessee defense on its heels, however, the zebras threw a flag, calling left tackle Austin Barber for holding. Rather than a first down deep in Tennessee territory, it was second and 24 back at the UF 11. A pair of 2-yard plays – a run by Lagway and a pass from Lagway to Baugh – forced a punt. It would be a long time before the Gators put together anything positive whether on offense or defense.

“It’s hard to dig yourself out of a hole when you have a big play and all of a sudden now you're moving behind the sticks,” Florida interim head coach Billy Gonzales said. “You go back through, and I'm just looking at some of the, where we got the ball, we got the ball on the one drive on the minus-5. And one of the other ones I think we got it a little bit further back as well, too.”

Tennessee followed that with a 7-play, 60-yard scoring drive for a 14-0 lead with 5:33 left in the first quarter. The Vols would score again with 13:08 left in the half after a 12-play, 67-yard touchdown drive.

Down 21-0, the Gators finally got a first down with 12:28 left in the half after a pair of 6-yard runs by Baugh that put the ball on the UF 37. Three plays later, the Gators faced fourth-and-1 at the 46, Lagway tried the middle of the line but the pile didn’t move and Tennessee took over on downs.

Four plays later, in large part to a 52-yard run by Star Thomas, the Vols went ahead 28-0. They would score again as time ran out at the end of the half on a 26-yard field goal.

“They came out and they scored on the first four drives,” Gonzales said. “Our drives were nowhere near where we needed them to be.”

After forcing Tennessee’s first punt of the game, the Gators took over at their own six with 4:33 left in the half. Consecutive plays of 14 yards (Lagway to Tony Livingston pass) and 16 on a run by Baugh gave the Gators some breathing room. Two plays later, Lagway broke out of the pocket for a 38-yard gain to the Tennessee 12, but the drive fizzled out. A Lagway run lost a yard followed by an incompletion and a 7-yard sack that moved the ball in reverse back to the 20. Smack came on to try a 38-yard field goal, but he missed wide right, ending a streak of 14 consecutive makes dating back to game two against South Florida.

Florida did put together two second half scoring drives. In the third quarter the Gators forced a punt and took over at their own one. With Baugh carrying six times for 36 yards and passes of 10 yards to Hayden Hansen and 20 to J Michael Sturdivant, the Gators moved to the Tennessee 30 but the drive bogged down.

Smack came on to kick a 46-yard field goal with 2:04 remaining in the third quarter, extending Florida’s NCAA record streak of 472 games since the Gators were last shut out.

In the fourth quarter, the Gators got their only touchdown on a 33-yard Lagway to Baugh pass with 8:15 left in the game. Key plays on the 7-play, 68-yard drive were a 10-yard run by Baugh and a 13-yard pass from Lagway to Hansen.

The Vols outgained the Gators 452-261. Tennessee, which came into the game averaging more than 300 yards per game throwing the ball, only threw 22 passes good for 204 yards and a touchdown. The Vols ran the ball 51 time for 248 yards with DeSean Bishop leading the way with 116 yards for two touchdowns on 24 carries.

Florida’s only real offensive spark came from Baugh, who finished the night with 96 yards on 18 carries to go with two catches for 35 yards and the TD. Baugh has now run for 904 yards through 11 games.

If there is a positive, it is the season will come to a merciful end next Saturday against arch-rival Florida State (5-6) at The Swamp. The Gators are doomed to their fourth losing season since 2020, but they can ensure that Florida State will suffer its second consecutive losing season if they are able to muster up a victory.

SEC FOOTBALL

No. 3 Texas A&M (11-0, 7-0 SEC) 48, Samford (1-11) 0: The Aggie defense pitched a shutout and allowed Samford only 77 total yards. Marcel Reed threw for three touchdown passes for A&M.

No. 4 Georgia (10-1, 7-1 SEC) 35, Charlotte (1-10) 3: Georgia held Charotte without a touchdown. The UGa defense allowed only seven first downs and 169 total yards.

No. 8 Oklahoma (9-2, 5-2 SEC) 17, No. 23 Missouri (7-4, 3-4 SEC) 6: Oklahoma’s defense shut down the Mizzou offense, holding the Tigers to a pair of field goals as the Sooners inched closer to a berth in the College Football Playoff. John Mateer threw for two touchdowns and Tate Sandell kicked his 22^nd straight field goal for Oklahoma.

No. 10 Alabama (9-2, 6-1 SEC) 56, Eastern Illinois (3-9) 0: Alabama outgained Eastern Illinois 539-34. The Panthers mustered 14 passing yards and 20 rushing yards against the Alabama defense.

No. 12 Vanderbilt (9-2, 5-2 SEC) 45, Kentucky (5-6, 2-6 SEC) 17: Diego Pavia made a Heisman statement with 484 passing yards for five touchdowns and another 48 on the ground for a sixth TD responsibility. Tre Richardson caught six passes for 159 yards and three touchdowns.

No. 17 Texas (8-3, 5-2 SEC) 52, Arkansas (2-9, 0-7 SEC) 37: Arch Manning threw for 389 yards and four touchdowns, plus ran for another as Texas handed Arkansas its ninth straight loss. Arkansas actually outgained the Longhorns 512-490.

LSU (7-4, 3-4 SEC) 13, Western Kentucky (8-3) 10: LSU got a fourth quarter field goal from Damian Ramos that proved the difference in the game as the Tigers went white knuckles against WKU of Conference USA.

Auburn (5-6, 2-5 SEC) 62, Mercer (9-2) 17: Auburn started true freshman Deuce Knight, who threw for 239 yards and two touchdowns while running for 162 and four more touchdowns.

South Carolina (4-7, 1-7 SEC) 51, Coastal Carolina (6-5) 7: LaNorris Sellers threw for 274 yards and two touchdowns plus ran for 82 and two more touchdowns to lead South Carolina.

Next week’s games

Friday

No. 5 Ole Miss (10-1, 6-1 SEC) at Mississippi State (5-6, 1-6 SEC)

No. 3 Texas A&M (11-0, 7-0 SEC) at No. 17 Texas (8-3, 4-3 SEC)

No. 4 Georgia (10-1, 7-1 SEC) at Georgia Tech (9-2)

Saturday

Florida State (5-6) at FLORIDA (3-8, 2-6 SEC)

LSU (7-4, 3-4 SEC) at No. 8 Oklahoma (9-2, 5-2 SEC)

No. 10 Alabama (9-2, 6-1 SEC) at Auburn (5-6, 1-6 SEC)

No. 12 Vanderbilt (9-2, 5-2 SEC) at No. 20 Tennessee (8-3, 4-3 SEC)

No. 23 Missouri (7-4, 3-4 SEC) at Arkansas (2-9, 0-7 SEC)

Kentucky (5-6, 2-6 SEC) at Louisville (7-4)

Clemson (6-5) at South Carolina (4-7, 1-7 SEC)