Top 10 Memorable Games Between Steve Spurrier and the Tennessee Vols

Sep 12, 2015; Knoxville, TN, USA; Neyland Stadium home of the Tennessee Volunteers on the banks of the Tennessee River prior to the game against the Oklahoma Sooners. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

7. 2000: Florida Beats Tennessee 27-23

It was a game marred in controversy. The catch that wasn’t is what Vols fans call it.

Jesse Palmer threw a “touchdown” pass that Jabar Gaffney clearly dropped on second down to give the Gators a 27-23 lead over Tennessee with six seconds left in the game. Outside of the terrible call, this game was tough for the Vols to swallow.

Tennessee was a young football team at the time and breaking in a new quarterback, but they had a solid offensive line and great running game, which they relied on heavily in this match-up. Unfortunately, they could never close the deal inside the 10-yard line, and that made all the difference.

The Vols jumped out to a 9-0 lead after four trips to the red zone, but an Earnest Graham touchdown run, which was questionable in its own right, cut the lead to 9-7. But Alex Walls nailed a fourth field goal to make it 12-7 at halftime. That field goal was the third time Tennessee had a drive stalled inside the five-yard line, and with five trips into the red zone they only had 12 points: four field goals and a turnover.

A Jeff Chandler field goal in the third quarter cut it to 12-10, and then another crucial Tennessee turnover, a pick-six by A.J. Suggs to Lito Sheppard, gave Floria a 17-12 lead.

Tennessee responded with a touchdown of its own and then another field goal, but despite playing great all game, two things stopped them in the end. With a chance to run some clock, a terrible play call by Randy Sanders a second straight year kept them from converting a third and short. They punted it and pinned Florida inside the 10.

But after playing great all day, the defense could not stop Florida from going 91 yards on that final drive. Yes, the call was a bad call, but  it never should have come down to that. Spurrier himself admitted that God had smiled on the Gators that day and they were very fortunate to win.

The game cost Tennessee another shot at an SEC title when the conference was in a rare down year.

Next: #6: Tennessee Beats Florida 31-14 in 1992