Postgame Analysis: Florida Gators (3-3, 1-2) v. Tennessee Volunteers (5-1, 2-1)

The Gators find a way to snatch a victory from themselves on a night when they were the better team. 

Montrell Johnson Jr. (1) and Damieon George Jr. (70) (Noah Lantor picture)

By Loren Meadows, GatorBaitMedia.com, Football Analyst

KNOXVILLE — Following a solid win that saw his defense take a step forward, the Billy Napier-led Florida Gators were poised to take yet a second step of improvement against one of their most bitter rivals. While the Tennessee Volunteers were a double-digit favorite at home, it was believed that this game would be closer than most expected but would still belong to the home team. What occurred was a game that ended in the better team leaving in the loser’s circle and another week of head-scratching, second guessing and wondering what might have been. 

What We Thought: The Florida defense would continue to improve and contain a Volunteer offensive attack that had struggled in their last contest on the road. While scoring almost two touchdowns more at home, the Florida defense would make life hard for quarterback Nico Iamaleava, forcing him into erratic off-platform throws with varied pre-snap looks and post-snap pressures. The Gator secondary would be good enough where the talented quartet of Vol receivers would have some success but fail to have their way with an improving Florida secondary.

Offensively Florida would be challenged by the SEC’s top defense and the dominant front led by one of the nation’s top edge rushers who would look to feast on an offensive line dealing with health and depth issues. Florida would need to be sound in the middle of its offensive line as well as the Volunteers could send as many as six interior linemen at Florida center Jake Slaughter, testing one of the nation’s top linemen in terms of pass protection.  If Florida was able to hold its own in the trenches, this game was there for Florida’s taking. 

What We Got: To their credit, the Florida defense played well enough to win this football game. They played well enough to win a lot of football games. The Gator defense was able to force Iamaleava into his worst passer rating of his career, at home, where he has played his best. Iamaleava was 16 of 25 passing for just 169 yards and one interception. His 16.9 QBR was one of the lowest by a Tennessee quarterback under Josh Heupel and the Florida defense was able to pressure Iamaleava and confused him with different looks that forced late and errant throws. Florida would also sack Iamaleava three times, adding to their solid performance. Florida also reduced the SEC’s top rushing offense to a shell of itself, holding the Volunteers to 143 yards rushing, 124 off of their season average. Additionally, the Florida defense limited explosive plays with a 24-yard catch by Squirrel White standing as the longest play of the evening and only one of three that went further than 20 yards. Offensively, Florida was able to run the football with more success than teams that had previously played the Volunteers. Florida gained 138 yards on the ground, more than double the 67 yards per game the Volunteers had surrendered on average.

Graham Mertz, who would leave the game due to injury, continued his efficiency finding success against the secondary completing 11 of 15 passes for 125 yards and one touchdown. Due to his injury, Florida would turn to back-up DJ Lagway who would show flashes of his future greatness, driving the Gators down the field for the tying score after a superb punt return by Chimere Dike. The 30-yard return was another welcome sight for Florida as the special teams are beginning to make their mark for an “organization” that had been devoid of any game-changing plays by those units. 

Florida will look back on this game and lament three separate drives that tell the tale that should have never been a double-digit spread to begin with. The Gators would take at least 17 points off of the board with head-scratching play calls (again), inexcusable turnovers and near misses on third and fourth and short.

A game that was 3-0 at half time should have been at worst 17-0 and took the Neyland crowd out of the game and gave a defense that was playing its best ball even more ammo to give the Volunteers fits.

To its credit, Florida would be in this game literally to the end when they could have easily laid down after a disappointing outcome in first half.

The Skinny: 4th and 1 at Tennessee, 3rd and 1 at Tennessee, 4th and 17 at Missouri, the Arkansas field goal debacle, the Kentucky beatdown, the No Show in Nashville. This is unfortunately becoming a recurring theme for an “organization” that has been given all the tools possible to bring this thing together and get the Florida Gators back to respectability. In each game, particularly in head-scratching losses there seems to be a moment where those that know and cover the game are left to question why?

The answer that follows is usually a long-winded philosophical attempt to take responsibility for what amounts to be very little. While things happen and no one is perfect, the fact that a group of longstanding Florida fans that attended the game noted that Billy Napier would find a way to “mess things up” shows a pattern of expectation for erratic decision making.

People will remember the fourth down calls, the Mertz fumble and the missed overtime field goal when lamenting the outcome. Unfortunately there were 12 men on the field (again), the time out after a turnover that preceded it and the poor explanation by Napier that somehow that is something that happens because an injured player chose to stay in the game and then his backup ran onto the field. Nah coach that ain’t it, and if so, shame on you. They teach the holder to count prior to a field goal or extra point, right? 11 is the same in Gainesville and everywhere else correct?

These things cause you to lose games in hostile territory and it seems that there is always something that rears its ugly head with this team under Napier. The Gators lined up for a go-ahead two-point conversion that would have doubled down on Napier’s “scared money don’t make money” moniker that many have waited three years to show its face. But after the Volunteers called time out to catch their breath, Napier decided once again to questionably play for overtime on the road, in a game that should have been over hours before.

You don’t have more than one two-point play ready to go coach? Near misses and excuses are becoming the norm with Napier and it could be his undoing.

For three years the Gators have had a roster that is equipped to win at least 7-8 games and failed make it happen. There is a pattern here and that will be the issue moving forward. Florida is better, but the inability to get out of their own way may cause the Gators to spiral downward as the next eight weeks could be toughest in school history. How will it play out? Head-scratching minds want to know. 

Final Score: Florida 17 Tennessee 23 OT (Prediction Florida 28-Tennessee 24)