The Gators did not record their first down of the second until 7:30 remained in the game. Tennessee never recovered, and Derek Dooley lost seven of his last nine games before being fired, finishing with a.417 winning percentage that was the worst for a Vols coach in over 100 years.
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The Vols should absolutely be the favorite going forward in the SEC East, and it feels like a win next week against Georgia would unofficially clinch the division title (considering they would have head-to-head wins over the Bulldogs and Florida).
Callaway’s opened Florida’s next series with a 20-yard catch and the Gators soon led 21-0.
The comeback began modestly with a 28-yard Aaron Medley field goal with 2:39 left in the first half.
Then Dobbs went to work.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Jalen Hurts ran and passed for a touchdown and tailback sub Joshua Jacobs scored his first two career touchdowns in No. 1 Alabama’s 48-0 win Saturday over Kent State.
Webb capped touchdown drives for Vanderbilt of 4 and 2 yards to tie the game briefly at 14-14.
A few minutes earlier, Dobbs threw an interception, but wasn’t affected by the turnover. He was not helped by five drops in the first half, including one on third down that turned a possible touchdown play into a field goal.
The Vols were pumped up.
Appleby, a graduate transfer from Purdue starting in place of the injured Luke Del Rio, threatened to become the latest backup quarterback to take down the Vols. Appleby was 10-of-16 passing for 213 yards and the two scores in the first half.
They let the fans savor the moment.
This time, Tennessee delivered the comeback. Honestly, the Vols should have beaten Florida previous year but somehow, someway Callaway turned a 4th-and-14 play with a minute remaining into a game-winning 63-yard touchdown.
On Florida’s next possession, Tennessee defensive back Todd Kelly Jr. intercepted an Appleby pass deep in Gator territory.
– Not but one minute later, Josh Malone got in on the action with a 42-yard pass from Dobbs to extend Tennessee’s lead to 31-21.
“Simple, just execution”, Dobbs said after the game when asked what shifted in Tennessee’s play between halfs.
In the first half of games this season, Dobbs is completing just 50.8 percent of his passes with three touchdowns and three interceptions, and he’s averaging 3 yards per carry. Jauan Jennings went for 111-yards on 3 grabs, and a score. Malone had 91 on four receptions and a TD. Then we have a big play and score a touchdown in the red zone. On the ground, Mark Thoompson rushed for 85 yards and a touchdown in 11 carries while Jordan Scarlett had 62 yards and a touchdown in 11 carries. The two combined for 317 yards rushing last week against New Mexico State.
The win on Saturday moved the Vols to 4-0 for the first time since 2003, with the most important one of the Jones era coming at just the right time: against arch-rival Florida when his team had its back against the wall.
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(AP Photo/Wade Payne). Tennessee head coach Butch Jones yells to his players during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Florida Saturday, Sept. 24, 2016, in Knoxville, Tenn. The second half played out just exactly like Jones planned, as he had told CBS sideline reporter Allie LaForce going into the locker room, and he obviously was able to convince his team there was plenty of game left on the table even while trailing 21-3. On the offensive side, Austin Appleby put some of the Florida minds at ease, scoring on the first drive.
