Florida reasserted its dominance against a key SEC rival, and coach Ron Zook reassured the Gators’ anxious fans. A 30-13 win Saturday over the Volunteers put the Gators (3-1, 1-0) back where they so often were under Steve Spurrier–in contention for the SEC championship and with a shot at the national title.
“Obviously, it was a big win for us and it gives us an opportunity to get going, get a little confidence,” Zook said Sunday. “We realize there’s a long way to go, and there’s a lot of football to be played.”
The Gators moved up three spots to No. 7 in the AP rankings, while Tennessee fell seven spots to No. 11.
Zook gave the game ball to athletic director Jeremy Foley, who hired his close friend away from the NFL to succeed Spurrier.
“Although there was no pressure on me or anything like that, (the win) was big to him as well,” Zook said of Foley. “He’s feeling the same thing that a lot of other people are feeling.”
Zook says the Gators are improving, and the offense proved him right Saturday. Despite the rain and getting sacked four times, Rex Grossman completed 20 of 34 passes for 324 yards and three touchdowns.
“It’s beginning to click now,” Zook said.
The Gators took control of the game by scoring 24 unanswered points in the last 4:55 of the first half, amid a downpour. The harder it rained, the worse Tennessee played, and Florida took advantage every time.
During the span, the Vols fumbled four straight times. Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer was so disgusted he apologized to Vols fans, many of whom left at halftime.
For Tennessee, it was like a flashback to the futile games in the mid-1990s, when Florida won five straight and the Volunteers’ chances of winning the SEC East were doomed every time they took the field against the University of Florida.
The Vols had made the recent series much more competitive the last four years by winning at home in 1998, and at The Swamp last year.
Now Tennessee will have to wait again this year to see if another SEC team can knock off Florida, which would allow the Vols to sneak into contention for the East title. The Vols also host Miami on Nov. 9.
“It’s not a given that the winner of this game wins the Eastern division,” Zook said. “It gives you a little breathing room.”
Only once has Florida not made it to the SEC title game after beating Tennessee. In 1997, the Gators followed a win over the Vols with losses to LSU and Georgia.
Zook said a 41-16 home loss to top-ranked Miami two weekends ago accelerated the Gators’ preparation.
“We played the No. 1 football team in the nation. We were really able to see exactly where we were and what we needed to work on,” he said.