How It Happened: No. 8 Tennessee 23, Florida 17

No. 8 Tennessee scored 17 straight points in the second half to rally from down 10-0, then had to answer again in overtime to beat rival Florida 23-17 Saturday night at Neyland Stadium. Dylan Sampson scored the game-winning touchdown on a 1-yard run in the first over time after Florida missed a field goal on the first possession.

Here’s how it happened, as it happened:

First Quarter

Florida 3, Tennessee 0 (3:15): Florida opened the scoring with a 42-yard field goal late in the first quarter. The scoring drive covered 27 yards on 10 plays, stalling when Tennessee’s Omari Thomas got a 4-yard tackle for loss on third-and-1. Tennessee drove to the Florida 24-yard line on its opening possession before Nico Iamaleava had a fumbled exchange with Dylan Sampson, with the Gators falling on the ball. The Vols forced a punt on defense, but the offense followed with a three-and-out.

Second Quarter

Florida 3, Tennessee 0 (0:00): Florida appeared to kick another 42-yard field goal as time expired on the first half, but the Gators were called for too many men on the field, which resulted in a 10-second runoff with UF having not timeouts left. Omarr Norman-Lott sacked Graham Mertz for a loss of 10 yards on third down, with 26 seconds left. 

Halftime

Tennessee had just 130 total yards at halftime while getting shutout in the first half for a second straight week. The Vols rushed for 41 yards on 21 attempts and Nico Iamaleava went 7-for-10 for 89 yards and an interception.  

Florida had the ball inside the Tennessee 25-yard line but came away with just three points. Mertz fumbled on the 1-yard line, stripped by James Pearce Jr., and the Gators were stopped on fourth-and-1 at the Tennessee 18 when Rickey Gibson III came up with a tackle for loss. 

The Gators had 194 yards at halftime, with 121 pass yards and 73 rush yards on 21 attempts.

Third Quarter

Florida 10, Tennessee 0 (7:18): The two teams traded punts to start the second half, then Florida got back in control. The Gators went on a 92-yard for the game’s first touchdown, with Mertz throwing a 13-yard touchdown to Arlis Boardingham. The drive covered the 92 yards in nine plays, taking 4:14 off the clock. Mertz left the field limping after throwing the touchdown pass, appearing to favor his left leg.

Florida 10, Tennessee 7 (2:57): Touchdown, Tennessee. Finally. Dylan Sampson ran six yards for a touchdown on fourth-and-1 late in the third quarter to get the Vols on the board at long last. The Tennessee touchdown drive went 75 yards in 11 plays, answering the Florida touchdown in 4:21.

Florida 10, Tennessee 10 (1:37): Arion Carter intercepted DJ Lagway on first down on Florida’s following possession and returned it to the Florida 20. The Vols went three-and-out but Max Gilbert tied the game with a 35-yard field goal.

Fourth Quarter

Tennessee 17, Florida 10 (9:42): Dylan Sampson ran 23 yards for the go-ahead touchdown after Tennessee took possession at the Florida 29. The Vols forced Florida to punt out of its own end zone and Jermod McCoy returned it 17 yards to set his team up in scoring position. Sampson scored on the second play of the drive, after Squirrel White caught a six-yard pass. 

Tennessee 17, Florida 17 (0:29): Florida quarterback DJ Lagway threw a 27-yard touchdown pass on third-and-17 with 29 seconds left and the Gators kicked the extra point — Florida initially lined up to go for two, but switched after Tennessee took a timeout. Chimere Dike caught the touchdown pass to tie the game.

Overtime

Tennessee 23, Florida 17 (OT): Florida lost four yards on its possession then missed a 46-yard field goal attempt. Tennessee went 25 yards in five plays to win the game, with Sampson scoring from a yard out.