It wasn’t pretty, but the end result was picture-perfect for the Tennessee football squad.
The Volunteers erased a 10-point third-quarter deficit and picked up a 23-17 victory over Florida inside Neyland Stadium on Saturday night.
“For us as a football team, love the win,” Tennessee Head Coach Josh Heupel said. “I think the resiliency of the group, down 10 with seven minutes left in the third quarter, offense not playing good at all, but continuing to play, continuing to compete and finding a way to make some plays and get back into the football game, then go into overtime and comeback, reset and go finish the game the way that you are capable of and that you want to. Really proud of our guys.”
Dylan Sampson scored three touchdowns for the Volunteers – including the winning score in overtime.
The running back had 27 carries for 112 yards.
“He’s always had great vision and great pace,” Heupel said of Sampton. “Obviously, he has good long speed and he’s really good between tackles. I think his growth of continuing to grow to understand what we’re doing and physical development, just his strength in the middle of the football field, he’s really strong in between the tackles. He continues to make a bunch of plays for us and finish the game in the right way, which is huge.”
Sampson’s overtime game-winner was set up as the Volunteer defense pushed Florida back on the opening possession of overtime which led to a missed field goal.
The Volunteer defense came up big multiple times throughout the night to stymie the Gators.
“Defensively, elite performance,” Heupel said. “Physicality, strength – most of the night – assignments sound and made plays. James [on the goal line, forcing a fumble. I mean so many things that they did at a really high level, which kept us in the game.”
For the game, Tennessee’s defense forced a pair of turnovers – including a fumble recovery on their own one – in addition to a couple of key fourth-down stops, 12 tackles for losses, and three sacks.
Florida took a 3-0 lead in the first quarter with a Trey Smack 42-yard field goal.
The Volunteer offense was unable to answer and trailed 3-0 at the half.
Florida added to the lead with 7:18 left in the third quarter as Graham Mertz hit Arlis Boardingham for a 13-yard touchdown. That gave Florida a 10-0 lead.
Tennessee, however, answered quickly.
Sampson capped an 11-play drive with a six-yard touchdown run. On the next Florida possession, Arion Carter intercepted Florida quarterback DJ Lagway to set Tennessee up in great field position.
The Vols were unable to find the endzone but Max Gilbert added a 35-yard field goal to tie the game late in the third quarter.
The Volunteer defense forced the Gators off the field quickly on the next drive, and Jermod McCoy’s 17-yard punt return set Tennessee up at the Florida 29.
Sampson scored two plays later for a 23-yard touchdown.
Florida was able to mount a last-second rally and scored with 29 seconds remaining when Chimere Dike caught a Lagway pass for a touchdown to force overtime.
Nico Iamaleava went 16-of-26 for 169 yards, while Squirrel White had 71 yards on five catches. Chris Brazzell had three catches for 49 yards.
