By Jimmy Hyams
There are gut-wrenching losses.
Then there is the way Tennessee fell to Florida on Saturday.
The Vols fought back from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter in a hostile environment against a good defense, only to allow the Gators to complete a 63-yard touchdown pass on the last play of the game to lose 26-20.
Tennessee had plenty of chances to win but shot itself in the foot. The Vols couldn’t score from just inside the 1-yard line with first-and-goal in the third quarter. They missed three field goals. They threw three interceptions. They dropped what could have been a game-winning touchdown pass in the final minute.
Despite all those miscues, Tennessee could have determined its fate in overtime against Florida.
Until the bomb from redshirt freshman Feleipe Franks to Tyrie Cleveland spoiled things for the Big Orange.
Florida coach Jim McElwain seemed content to run out the clock when he allowed over 20 seconds to tick off in the final stages. But with nine seconds left and the Gators 30 yards from field goal range, he dialed up a desperation heave.
Rather than rush three and drop eight into coverage, UT defensive coordinator Bob Shoop had seven men within 20 yards of the line of scrimmage when Franks fired.
Cleveland ran past safety Micah Abernathy and caught the well-thrown ball in the end zone, over Abernathy’s head.
Abernathy should have never let Cleveland get behind him, but he also should have had help. He didn’t.
It was a poorly designed scheme by Shoop.
So for the fourth year in a row, Tennessee outplayed Florida. Somehow, the Gator have won three of those games.
The Vols blew a 9-0 fourth-quarter lead in 2014. Squandered a 13-point lead in the final 10 minutes in 2015. Then let this one slip away on the last play.
Some have compared this Tennessee loss to the Vols win at Georgia on a last-play Hail Mary. The difference is, Georgia had at least five defenders in the end zone trying to bat the ball down. UT didn’t.
The play did remind me, however, of UT surrendering a 47-yard touchdown pass to Georgia a year ago with 10 seconds left while in a Cover Two defense. That allowed a Bulldog receiver to get behind UT’s secondary.
“I’m really proud of players,’’ Tennessee coach Butch Jones said after the loss at Florida. “Our players battled back and showed resolve and resiliency.
“But you can’t have penalties in the red zone (UT had at least three on illegal procedure). You can’t turn the ball over (three times). You can’t have pre-snap penalties. Those are catastrophic.
“But it’s a long football season. We have to come back from it and be better for it.’’
Yep, it’s a long season, made longer by an inexcusable way of losing to a rival.
Florida has never been more vulnerable. The Gators were playing without nine suspended players due to a debit-card caper. A starting linebacker was out of the game. A starting safety suffered a season-ending injury in August. Hurricane Irma had been a distraction to so many players and their families. It also disrupted Florida practice schedule.
Yet, Tennessee couldn’t take advantage.
Tennessee had plenty of chances to win at Florida Field for the first time since 2003.
The Vols had the ball just inside the 1 early in the third quarter and threw a fade route that was nearly intercepted. A Florida penalty then put the ball at the half-yard line, first and goal.
Illegal procedure put the ball just outside the 5, and the Vols threw two incompletions before throwing an interception.
On UT’s final possession – set up by a Rashaan Gaulden interception – John Kelly dropped a middle screen inside the 5 and probably would have scored with about one minute left. Two more incompletions led to a game-tying field goal.
It was one of the few bad moments for Kelly, who was otherwise brilliant. He rushed for 141 yards and one touchdown and had 96 yards on six catches.
After his score, he made his second crucial mistake – he did the Gator Chomp, costing UT a 15-yard penalty on the ensuing kickoff and setting up Florida in good field position for a touchdown.
Another perplexing move by Tennessee was the play calling near the goal line.
The Vols started four possessions in the red zone. They ran 12 plays. Two were runs.
When you’ve got a horse like Kelly, ride him.
I didn’t have any qualms with throwing to Kelly from the 10 with 66 seconds left.
Some argue UT should have run the ball there to consume some clock. But what if Kelly scores on the first run? That negates that strategy.
And in that situation, I’m doing all I can to score a touchdown.
But there were others moments where Tennessee’s strategy wasn’t sound.
And on the last play of the game, it cost them dearly.
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