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How It Happened: No. 20 Tennessee hammers Florida at The Swamp, 31-11

IMG_3593by: Grant Ramey2 hours agoGrantRamey
Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar (6) looks down the field during a college football game between Tennessee and Florida at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida., on Nov. 22, 2025.
Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar (6) looks down the field during a college football game between Tennessee and Florida at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida., on Nov. 22, 2025.

Tennessee Football went 4-for-4 on touchdown drives to start the game, built a 31-0 halftime lead and coasted to a 31-11 win over Florida Saturday night at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville.

Joey Aguilar threw for 204 yards and a touchdown and the Vols (8-3, 4-3 SEC) rushed for 248 yards and three touchdowns as a team in the win. Here’s how it happened, as it happened:

First Quarter

Tennessee 7, Florida 0 (11:28): Tennessee marched down the field to start the game, going 75 yards in nine plays and taking a 7-0 lead on a 23-yard touchdown pass from Joey Aguilar to tight end Ethan Davis. DeSean Bishop ran six times for 30 yards on the drive and Davis had two catches for 35 yards, including a 12-yarder on the first offensive snap of the game.

Tennessee 14, Florida 0 (5:33): Tennessee’s defense got a three-and-out and the offense quickly went back to work. The Vols went 60 yards in seven plays and scored on a 1-yard run from DeSean Bishop. The drive catches of 19 and 14 yards for Chris Brazzell and a Mike Matthews 20-yard run after Bishop took a direct snap.

Second Quarter

Tennessee 21, Florida 0 (13:08): Tennessee methodical start continued into the second quarter, when DeSean Bishop jumped over the pile for a 1-yard touchdown run to cap a 12-play, 60-yard scoring drive to build the lead to 21-0. Bishop’s tough running converted a fourth-and-1 at the Florida 13-yard line four plays before his score.

Tennessee 28, Florida 0 (9:14): Tennessee’s defense stopped Florida on fourth-and-1 near midfield and Star Thomas did the rest. He ran for 52 yards on third-and-17, getting tackled at the 1-yard line, then scored one play later on a 1-yard run.

Tennessee 31, Florida 0 (0:00): Tennessee’s nearly perfect first half ended with Florida misses a field goal wide right and the Vols turning it into three points on the other end. Tennessee went 72 yards in eight plays after the missed field goal and Max Gilbert kicked a 26-yarder of his own to extend the lead to 31-0 at halftime.

Third Quarter

Tennessee 31, Florida 3 (2:04): Trey Smack got Florida on the board with a 46-yard field goal late in the third quarter. It helped the Gators extend their Football Bowl Subdivision record of 472 straight games without being shutout. The streak dates back to the 1988 season.