Florida played near-perfect football in the first half and came up with timely defensive stops in the second half on its way to a 29-16 upset victory over No. 11 Tennessee at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. The Gators scored 26 unanswered points in the SEC opener for both teams as the Volunteers' ambitions of winning inside The Swamp for the first time since 2003 dissolved in a series of miscues.
Tennessee struggled with penalties throughout the night (10 for 79 yards) and repeatedly allowed Florida to convert on third downs as the Gators -- and their hostile crowd of 90,751 -- pressured the visitors into numerous execution issues offensively. As for their own offense, the Gators balanced the run and pass with ease while building a commanding edge, then took their foot off the gas in the second half and cruised to victory.
Graham Mertz, Trevor Etienne and Montrell Johnson each scored rushing touchdowns in the first half, while Mertz and Johnson also connected for an 18-yard passing score that extended Florida's lead to 26-7 in the second quarter. The Vols reached Gators territory three times in the third quarter but came away with just three points to show for it as UF's defense stiffened in key moments. Florida stopped all three fourth-down attempts by Tennessee.
Arguably the game's biggest defensive play by either team came in that first half when Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton was intercepted for the first time since 2020. He was hit by Desmond Watson, causing the football to flutter and land in the arms of Devin Moore, who returned it 39 yards with a personal foul placing the ball on the Tennessee's 9-yard line to set up a Florida touchdown.
Pristine first half
Florida scored touchdowns on four consecutive possessions in the first half. Aside from a game-opening drive that ended with a blocked field goal attempt, it was essentially a flawless two quarters of football for the Gators offensively. Florida ran 42 plays in the half, compared to just 22 for Tennessee as the Gators controlled the flow of the game and nearly tripled the Vols in time of possession.
The Gators' multi-dimensional offensive execution marked an encouraging sign after they struggled to run the ball in a season-opening loss against Utah in Week 1. Most notably, Etienne broke loose for a 62-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and had already surpassed 100 yards rushing by halftime. While the Gators demonstrated the ability to run the football against FCS foe McNeese last week, doing so against a respectable Tennessee defensive front marked another step forward for coach Billy Napier's offensive attack.
Florida attempted just four passes in the second half while further relying on its run game as Etienne finished with a career-high 172 yards on 23 carries.
Tennessee's frustrations
The Vols entered ranked 92nd nationally in penalties per game after being flagged 14 times through two contests. They added 10 more to their tally against the Gators, including eight on offense. The offensive line was a repeat culprit as the Vols put themselves behind the chains time after time while trying to generate momentum. Redshirt senior center Ollie Lane was penalized three times alone while starting in place of Preseason All-SEC center Cooper Mays, who was a game-time decision but unable to make his season debut due to continued injury issues.
Among the most costly penalties was a block below the waist call on tight end McCallan Castles late in the third quarter that erased a 13-yard gain into Florida territory as Tennessee was trying to turn a 26-10 deficit into a one-possession game. The miscue resulted in UT facing a second-and-27 and led to a failed fourth-down conversion attempt.
Billy Napier's big win
Napier's tenure began with a bang last season when Florida beat then-No. 7 Utah 29-26 and catapulted to No. 12 in the AP Top 25, but the Gators lost their next five games against ranked foes en route to a 6-7 season capped by three straight losses. This year's Week 1 loss at Utah marked six straight defeats against ranked opponents and brought Saturday night's game into focus for Napier.
With a 2024 recruiting class ranked No. 3 nationally by 247Sports, Florida's had little trouble laying a foundation for the future. But noteworthy on-field results had been lacking since last year's Utes victory until the Vols rolled into town. With Tennessee coming off an 11-2 season, which included a rare victory over Florida last season, pride and overall program momentum were at stake for UF. Ron Zook was the last Florida coach to lose at home to Tennessee, and Napier went 0-4 against the Gators' traditional rivals last season.
In other words, Napier needed this win -- and he got it, becoming the fifth Florida coach since Zook to make a statement by keeping the Gators' streak against the Volunteers alive.
Eugene Wilson III injury
Speedy freshman wide receiver Eugene Wilson III made five receptions on the Gators' opening drive alone and had six total grabs when he left the game in the first quarter with a collarbone injury. Wilson has emerged as one of the Gators' top weapons in the passing game behind Ricky Pearsall and was looking like one of the SEC's top freshmen playmakers before departing Saturday's game.
Mertz's first six completions went to Wilson in a sign of their developing chemistry as Napier deployed the former four-star prospect in creative ways with quick-strike passes designed to stretch Tennessee's defense laterally. Though he played just a fraction of the full game, Wilson's speed and unique skillset helped set the tone for Florida's offens, and he still finished as UF's leading receiver with 44 yards and tied Pearsall for the team lead in total receptions.
Luckily, Wilson and the Gators avoided disaster as Napier confirmed after the game that his clavicle injury was just a bruise with X-rays coming back negative.
