The 30 Lowest Moments for Tennessee Vols Athletics in the Adidas Era
Nov 9, 2013; Gainesville, FL, USA; A view where the Florida Gators play, the swamp, during the first quarter against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
26. Tennessee Vols Football Team Loses to Florida Gators 23-21 in 1999, Ending 14-Game Winning Streak
This is another Tennessee-Florida game that the Vols probably should not have been in, but five turnovers by the Gators and great special teams by Tennessee along with a few lucky plays kept it close.
The reason this one hurt, though, is because it had been so long since Tennessee had lost at the time. They were the defending national champions and had won 14 straight. Quarterback Tee Martin was undefeated as a starter.
Even worse is not just the feeling of losing for the first time in so long, but how the game could have been won and was handed to the Vols on a silver platter. Florida had jumped out to a 23-7 lead but let Tennessee cut it to 23-21 in the fourth quarter, and if you were watching this game into then, you just knew Tennessee was going to pull it out, even with the fact that they had not beaten Florida in The Swamp since 1971 at the time.
It was just what the Vols had been finding ways to do since the start of the 1998 season. And right on cue, a Florida interception had Tennessee very close to field goal range down by only two. After running it and gaining six yards on first down, the win was in sight.
Then came a series of inexplicable play calls by new offensive coordinator Randy Sanders. Despite a great run by Lewis on first down, he took a shot off of a play-action on second down. Everybody was baffled, but no matter. Then came third and three, and he played two-down ball by calling an up-the-middle play there.
And on fourth down, a toss to Jamal Lewis was the call, and Lewis was stuffed by a Gator defense that had gotten into the Tennessee backfield all night. The 14-game winning streak was over.
Tennessee had gone down.
And the most painful part about it was that they did not take what Florida handed to them. This cost the Vols another shot at the SEC title and possibly the national title.
Next: #25: Football Loss to Florida in 1996