Gators Get the Win, Vols Get Respect

Lane Kiffin failed in his opportunity to sing "Rocky Top" in Gainesville, but he succeeded in getting some respect from the Gators and the rest of the nation as the Vols fought the Gators tooth and nail, eventually falling 23-13 in the Swamp.

Florida persevered, as the Gator offense was frustrated by Monte Kiffin's defensive scheme.

Tim Tebow may not have tossed his best game as a Gator, throwing an interception and fumbling in the red zone, but he still was the central figure on offense for Florida.

Tebow rushed for a touchdown and made a key third-down run where it appeared he was stopped 10 yards down the field but broke two tackles and rumbled for the first down. It would eventually lead to the Gators' final score.

The elder Kiffin's defense did an amazing job against Florida's top weapons. The D limited Florida to 322 yards, most coming on the ground. Tebow saw his 30-game streak of games with at least one touchdown pass snapped.

Offensively, the Vols ran, ran, and ran some more. The strategy worked, killing the clock, limiting Florida's opportunities on offense, and keeping the ball out of the hands of Quarterback Jonathan Crompton.

In the few opportunities Crompton did have, he tossed two drive-killing interceptions.

Still, the running game for the Vols pounded at Florida's top-flight defense, finally cracking the Gators midway through the fourth quarter and ending Florida's streak of nine straight quarters without allowing a touchdown.

So for No. 1 Florida, it was not the prettiest of victories and a far cry from the blowout most pundits expected.

For Tennessee, it showed their defense is something special, if they could just get some support from their offense they have a chance to be competitive in the SEC.