Tennessee matches program record for margin of victory at Florida in Swamp blowout

Tennessee Football’s 31-11 win over Florida at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium Saturday night matched the program record for margin of victory against the Gators in Gainesville. The previous mark was a 20-0 win in 1955, in just the second trip to Gainesville for the Vols.

Tennessee won 9-7 in Gainesville in 1953, its first trip there, and also won in 1971 (20-13), 2001 (34-32) and 2003 (24-10).

Tennessee entered Saturday night trailing Florida 32-22 in a series that dates back to a game in Tampa in 1916. The Vols were previously 5-17 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and had lost 10 straight. 

Tennessee’s largest margin of victory in the series was the 45-3 win at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville in 1990. Florida’s largest margin of victory is 39, in the 59-30 win in Gainesville in 2007.

Tennessee’s 31 points in the first half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium were the most for the Vols since they had 30 at the break in the 62-37 loss to the Gators in 1995. 

The 31 points at The Swamp in the first half was more than Tennessee had scored in 19 of the previous 22 trips to Gainesville. The 37 points in 1995 was the previous record, ahead of the 34 scored there in 1993 and 2001. 

The two teams have met every season since 1990, but that changes next season under the SEC’s new scheduling model. The next trip to Gainesville won’t be until 2029, with Florida off the schedule next season and again in 2028, after the Gators play in Knoxville in 2027.

Tennessee won 20-0 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in 1955

Tennessee won 20-0 in The Swamp in 1955, after winning 9-7 in 1953, in the program’s first game there. The Vols won 34-32 in 2001 and 24-10 in 2003. 

Florida was a 17.5-point home favorite when Tennessee came to town in December 2001, after the originally scheduled September game was postponed after 9/11.

Travis Stephens ran 19 times for 226 yards and Casey Clausen completed 17 of 25 passes for 168 yards and at touchdown in the win. Clausen threw for 235 yards in the 2003 win, including a 45-yard Hail Mary to James Banks on the final play of the first half.

Vols were nearly perfect in 31-0 first half at Florida

Tennessee’s offense on Saturday night started a perfect 4-for-4, scoring four touchdowns to jump out to a 28-0 lead early in the second quarter. The Vols scored on drives of 75, 60, 67 and 46 yards.

Joey Aguilar was perfect in the first quarter, too, going 9-for-9 for 126 yards and a touchdown. He opened the scoring with a 23-yard touchdown to Ethan Davis on Tennessee’s opening drive. After that it was two DeSean Bishop 1-yard touchdown dives, then a 1-yard Star Thomas touchdown run.

Thomas set up the fourth touchdown with a 52-yard run on third-and-17.

Aguilar finished the first half with 146 yards and the touchdown to Davis while the Vols ran 31 times for 177 yards, averaging 5.7 yards per attempt to go with the three rushing touchdowns. 

Tennessee out-gained Florida 323-110 in the first half, including 190-2 in the first quarter. The Vols went 4-for-6 on third down while the Gators were 0-for-5.