The 30 Lowest Moments for Tennessee Vols Athletics in the Adidas Era

May 21, 2014; New York, NY, USA; SEC Network analyst Jesse Palmer arrives for the 2014 Sports Business Awards at the New York Marriott Marquis. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

22. The Catch that Wasn’t: Vols Lose to the Florida Gators 27-23 in 2000 Off of an Incomplete Pass

It was not a catch! Yes, this one is still hard to get over. Like many Tennessee-Florida games during the Adidas era, this is another one that cost the Vols a chance at an SEC Championship, and perhaps another game could have gone a different way if they had not lost this one, giving them a shot at the national title.

Anyway, sticking to this game, Tennessee defied all odds. They did everything you are supposed to do on the stat sheet to win the game. They dominated the rushing battle. The defense played great all game. They led pretty much the whole game.

But there was one issue on top of a terrible interception thrown by A.J. Suggs that gave the Gators one touchdown. The Vols had been having to settle for field goals and were not converting on short-yardage plays.

But no matter. When they had the ball at midfield with less than five minutes left, you knew they’d be able to hold on. Until they didn’t.

Randy Sanders, in a repeat of 1999, decided to call a toss play to convert a short-yardage situation. He had Travis Henry, a running back who was too strong to ever be tackled before gaining two yards, and he does a toss? Anyway, Tennessee was forced to punt with a 23-20 lead.

But a great punt by David Leaverton put the Gators on their own nine-yard line. Surely Jesse Palmer was not about to lead his version of the Drive, right?

Well, he did just that. A defense that had only surrendered one touchdown all year allowed the Florida offense to go 91 yards on them.

The final few then came off a pass that was dropped by Jabar Gaffney but ruled a touchdown by the refs in a very controversial decision. It was enough to secure Florida a 27-23 victory, and even Steve Spurrier admitted his Gators were extremely fortunate, stating “God smiled on the Gators today.”

For true Vol fans, though, while the incomplete pass-called-touchdown hurt, what was way worse was the team allowing it to get to that point. The 91-yard drive never should have happened. They should have been able to hold onto the ball the previous drive before punting it.

And they should have gotten at least two touchdowns off of those five field goals.

Oh, and Suggs should not have thrown a Pick-Six while Henry should not have fumbled early in the game in Florida territory. In this game, Tennessee handed the win to Florida on a silver platter, and that hurts terribly.

Next: #21: The Injury Bug Bites the Football Team in 2002