No. 8 Tennessee rallies to beat Gators in OT, 23-17

The unranked Florida Gators were better than the No. 8 Tennessee Volunteers across much of the stat sheet Saturday night at Neyland Stadium. But the Vols made the bigger plays when it counted most and escaped with a 23-17 overtime win.

Tennessee is now 5-1 overall, 2-1 in the SEC. The Gators fall to 3-3, 1-2.

The oddsmakers made Tennessee a big favorite. But the Gators opened up a 10-0 lead in the third quarter behind the play of a much-improved defense and the arm of quarterback Graham Mertz (11 of 15, 125 yards, 1 TD). But after Mertz threw his touchdown strike, he left the game with an injury and didn’t return.

Tennessee quickly rallied to make it 10-7, then 10-10. And then the Big Orange went ahead 17-10 in the fourth quarter. But with time running out, Florida freshman quarterback DJ Lagway led the Gators on a game-tying drive. He hit receiver Chimere Dike on a post route for a 27-yard touchdown with 29 seconds left. Florida could have tried to take the lead there but instead kicked.

In overtime, Florida got the ball first but faltered on offense. And then Vols won it shortly thereafter with a Dylan Sampson 1-yard run.

Florida outgained Tennessee 361-312 and had more first downs, 22-18.

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OVERTIME

-Tennessee gained 3 yards on a short first-down throw. On second down, the Vols ran up the middle for a first down to the 14. After a quick pass, Tennessee faced first-and-goal at the Florida 3. On second-and-goal, the Vols punched it in for the win. SCORE: Vols 23, Florida 17

-Florida got the ball first in overtime. Florida quarterback DJ Lagway threw incomplete to the end zone on first down. After a penalty, the Gators then lost 5 yards on a second-down pass in the flat that was covered over. On third-and-20, the Gators ran up the middle for 6 yards. On fourth-and-14, Trey Smack missed a 47-yard field goal to the right.

FOURTH QUARTER

-On third-and-18, Florida quarterback DJ Lagway hit receiver Chimere Dike on a post route for a 27-yard touchdown. It capped a four-play, 31-yard drive. The Gators now have 359 yards to 254 for the Vols. SCORE: Florida 17, Vols 17; 0:29

-After another long punt return by Chimere Dike, Florida has the ball with 2:31 left at the Tennessee 31.

-Florida reached the Tennessee 35 but can’t get anything else going and quarterback DJ Lagway was sacked on third and long, forcing the Gators to punt.

-A terrific 29-yard punt return by Florida’s Chimere Dike has the Gators in business at the Vols 47 with 6:55 left.

-A another three-and-out by the Gators has given Tennessee the ball with 8:09 left at the Vols 26.

–Dylan Sampson’s 23-yard touchdown run has given Tennessee its first lead of the game. Sampson now has 77 yards on 20 carries. SCORE: Vols 17, Florida 10, 9:42

-Tennessee forced a quick three-and-out and after a good punt return will take over at the Florida 29 with 10:11 remaining. The Vols have a lot of momentum right now, but only have 221 yards entering this drive.

-A Vols drive just stalled quickly and they had to punt. Florida ball at the Gators 5 with 12:12 left in the game.

-A Florida drive ends on a DJ Lagway incompletion on fourth-and-3 from the Tennessee 39. A Vols defender got a hand on it. Tennessee takes over with 14:04 left.

THIRD QUARTER

-The Florida defense stiffened after the turnover and held the Vols to a Max Gilbert 35-yard field goal. SCORE: Florida 10, Vols 10; 1:37

-Just like that, Florida committed its second turnover of the game when freshman quarterback DJ Lagway was intercepted by Arion Carter, who returned it 15 yards to the Florida 20.

-Tennessee just answered Florida’s touchdown with a long touchdown drive of its own. Vols running back Dylan Sampson scored on a 6-yard run on fourth-and-1. The drive covered 75 yards on 11 plays. SCORE: Florida 10, Vols 7; 2:57

-The Gators have opened up a two-score lead after an impressive nine-play, 92-yard drive that ended with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Graham Mertz to tight end Arlis Boardingham. After the play, Mertz limped off the field. On the same drive, starting tailback Montrell Johnson was injured. SCORE: Florida 10, Vols 0; 7:18

-Tennessee can’t get anything going on its initial second-half drive. The Vols picked up only 6 yards on three plays and punted it away. Florida will start at the Gators 8. Tennessee has a grand total of 136 yards right now, with only 48 coming on the ground (23 carries).

-Florida loses 7 yards on its first drive of the quarter and is forced to punt. The possession started on the 12 thanks to a Gators penalty on the kickoff.

SECOND QUARTER

-A Florida illegal substitution penalty wiped a Trey Smack field goal on the final play of the half off the scoreboard, as another Gators drive ended with a costly blunder.

-Vols quarterback Nico Iamaleava just through to a well-covered receiver and the pass was intercepted by Florida’s Sharif Denson and returned for 18 yds to the Tennessee 11. Florida takes over with 1:11 left in the half. Iamaleava has had a mediocre half.

-Florida again produced a lengthy drive, this one covering 79 yards. But on first-and-goal at the Tennessee 1, Gators quarterback Graham Mertz was stripped of the ball and the Vols recovered.

-An impressive 72-yard, 11-play Gators drive ended when the Vols stopped Florida on fourth-and-inches at the Tennessee 18. Receiver Eugene Wilson III was stopped for no gain on an end around.

-The Gators began their first drive of the quarter on their own 10 after a Tennessee punt.

-A promising Vols drive that reached the Florida 31 was thwarted by three straight sacks from the Gators’ defense.

FIRST QUARTER

-A 10-play, 27-yard Florida drive ends with a 42-yard field goal from Trey Smack and the Gators have the lead. The drive last 4:51. SCORE: Florida 3, Vols 0; 3:15

-ESPN just announced that starting Vols linebacker Keenan Pili is out the remainder of the game with a lower-body injury.

-Tennessee just went three-and-out on drive No. 2. The Vols punted and Florida takes over at the Gators 49 with 8:06 left in the first quarter.

-The Gators gained 30 yards and two first downs and reached the Tennessee 44 on their first drive, but punted on fourth down.

-Vols quarterback Nico Iamaleava lost the ball on the exchange on the sixth play of the drive and it was recovered by Florida at the Gators’ 26. Florida linebacker Grayson Howard was credited with the recovery. The Vols picked up two first downs and 49 yards on the drive.

-Florida won the toss and deferred. The Gators are kicking off to open the game.