KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Florida was trailing by 10 on the road
in the Southeastern Conference. No problem this time.
The Gators' Chris Leak began the comeback with a touchdown pass
to Dallas Baker. Another strike to Baker in the fourth quarter put
them ahead, and Florida hung on to beat Tennessee 21-20 Saturday in
the kind of confident performance the Volunteers are used to seeing
from their SEC East rivals.
Being tougher on the road -- and ultimately winning -- was an
issue coach Urban Meyer harped on with his players. The Gators
(3-0, 1-0 SEC) were 1-3 on the road in the SEC last year, losing at
Alabama, LSU and South Carolina, and falling behind early against
the Crimson Tide and Gamecocks.
"This win shows our toughness, composure and our senior
leadership. You have to have mental toughness to come back," Leak
said. "It's a great feeling to get a win away from home."
Florida hasn't played in the SEC championship game since 2000.
Winning at Neyland Stadium was a big step toward getting back.
Tennessee (2-1, 0-1) is not completely out of it, but the Vols
will have to depend on other teams losing. Both teams still have to
play Georgia, the pick to win the East again this year.
Florida moved up to No. 5 while Tennessee fell to 15th in the AP
Top 25 released Sunday.
The Gators weren't perfect Saturday, but they stayed steady
while stuffing Tennessee's run game and pressuring Erik Ainge.
The Vols were held to minus 11 yards rushing, the worst running
performance under coach Phillip Fulmer.
"We said coming out of halftime that we needed to find some
balance to take some of the pressure off the passing game," Fulmer
said. "I don't think we took our foot off the gas pedal. Florida
just rose to the occasion."
Tennessee's lead never seemed solid, and the Vols' twice had to
settle for field goals.
Tennessee grabbed the lead with a trick play before halftime.
Ainge handed off to Lucas Taylor, who threw it to LaMarcus Coker
for a 48-yard scoring play. A 1-yard plunge by Montario Hardesty
extended the Vols' lead to 17-7 in the third quarter.
Baker caught a 4-yard pass from Leak to cut it to 17-14. On the
scoring drive, Florida overcame an intentional grounding call by
converting on 2-and-22. The Gators got down to the Tennessee 11 and
brought in freshman quarterback Tim Tebow, who entered the game
seven times and ran each time, mostly for first downs. He ran it
twice, and Meyer called a timeout. Leak came back in and threw the
short pass to Baker.
Tennessee managed 12 plays on its ensuing possession but only
went 43 yards and had to settle for Wilhoit's 51-yard field goal
for a 20-14 lead.
The Gators knew what they had to do. On Florida's next drive,
Tebow kept it alive with a 2-yard run on fourth-and-1 before Leak's
21-yard pass to Baker for the lead with 6:30 to go.
The extra point was key. The Gators had had trouble in earlier
games with the hold on the kicks, but Chris Hetland made it.
Tennessee still had plenty of time to get in field-goal range,
but the Vols' final possession ended with an interception.
With 2:42 remaining, Florida needed a first down to be able to
run out the clock, and the Gators got it.
"I wouldn't say great yet, but those were two very good college
football team going at one another," Meyer said. "That's the way
it should end, in a very close ballgame."