Over 100 years ago, Florida and Tennessee faced each other for the first time in history. Although both programs were early members of the SEC, Tennessee’s immediate dominance prevented the series from being much of a “rivalry” at the time.

The Volunteers won their first ten matchups against Florida, while the Gators took nearly 40 years to pull off their first win. The series became an annual matchup in 1992, when the SEC became a 12-member league and split into two divisions. 

Despite Tennessee’s early success against Florida, the Gators lead the all-time series 32-21. Over the past 20 years, the Volunteers have only beat the Gators three times. 

Over time, the intensity of the rivalry grew, partly due to the conference and national championship implications stemming from the game’s result. On 11 occasions, both programs have been ranked among the top 10 teams in college football at the time that they faced each other.

Here, we’ll look back at some of those landmark games that helped define the rivalry.

1969 Gator Bowl: “Super Sophs” Pull Off The Upset 

Powered by their eventual record-breaking passing offense, the Gators faced off against the Volunteers (SEC champions) in the Gator Bowl, for a rare postseason match-up.

Led by future NCAA all-time passing yards leader John Reaves and Florida’s current career receiving yards leader Carlos Alvarez, the two sophomores helped the Gators pull off a 14-0 upset against the Volunteers, just their second win of all-time against Tennessee. 

Just days after the game, Tennessee’s head coach Doug Dickey, a former Florida quarterback, left the program to return to his alma mater as the Gator’s head coach.

This game signaled a turning point in the series, as Florida would go on to win six out of their next ten matchups.

1991: “Faxgate”

Leading up to the game, rumors began to circulate surrounding former Tennessee assistant coach Jack Sells sharing confidential strategic information with Gators defensive coordinator (and future head coach) Ron Zook.

Based on an investigation by a Knoxville newspaper, Sells faxed copies of Tennessee ‘s offensive game-plan to Zook just three days before the two teams faced off. 

Florida would go on to win the game 35-18, forcing Tennessee’s offense to turn the ball over five times.

The incident was later officially investigated by the NCAA, but nobody was punished.

1998: Down Go The Goal Posts

With head coach Steve Spurrier leading the way, Florida had built up a five-game winning streak against Tennessee, notably beating Peyton Manning every time that they faced him.

 At that point in time, the Gators were the second-ranked team in the country, while the Volunteers were the sixth-ranked team, fresh off an SEC Championship season. 

After Manning left for the NFL, his predecessor Tee Martin helped break Florida’s win streak, by pulling off a 20-17 overtime win at Neyland Stadium. 

Martin went on to have one of the most efficient passing seasons in NCAA history, leading Tennessee to their second straight SEC championship, and their first National Championship in over 30 years.

2000: Tennessee’s Record Crowd Comes Short

Throughout this era, Florida and Tennessee assumed complete dominance of the SEC. One of the two teams reached the SEC championship every year from 1992 to 2001. 

In 2000, the sixth-ranked Gators faced off against the eleventh-ranked Volunteers in front of over 108,000 fans, setting a record that still stands today at Neyland Stadium

Although Tennessee held the lead well into the fourth quarter, Gators quarterback, Jesse Palmer, connected with wide receiver  Jabar Gaffney for a touchdown with just 14 seconds left on the clock. Florida went on to win the game 27-23.

Although the game was won in an exciting fashion, it did not go without controversy. While the play was ruled a touchdown, Gaffney did eventually lose control of the ball after it was swatted away by a Tennessee defensive back. However, the officials determined that Gaffney held possession long enough for it to be ruled a catch.

Editor’s note: As part of The Tennessean’s season-long, all-access series about the Brentwood Academy football program, we chronicled Tennessee-bound quarterback George MacIntyre’s first game in Knoxville, a 63-26 victory against Knoxville Catholic. To follow along with the series, please subscribe to The Tennessean here.

KNOXVILLE − The lights at Hollin Field flickered on the moment the clock struck 6 p.m. Thursday, an hour before Brentwood Academy senior quarterback George MacIntyre made his football playing debut in a city he’ll call his second home come Dec. 15.

The lights were shining on the Tennessee recruit long before then, though.

A couple of hours before the Eagles’ 63-26 victory at Knoxville Catholic High School, MacInytre chatted at length with a local TV reporter outside his team’s locker room.

An hour later, before MacIntyre so much as stepped foot on the field for pregame warmups, two men holding cameras glued their lenses to his every move.

That number had swollen to eight by the time MacIntyre weaved his way through traffic that included curious Tennessee fans hoping to catch an up-close glimpse before he marched onto the field with fellow captains Jacob Atkins, Darryl Hammond and Gavin Schaffer for the pregame coin flip.

Not to mention the blue and white ABC-5 truck with the satellite dish stuck to its roof it parked on the track behind the home team’s sideline, or the other local TV truck next to it that was there to televise the game.

None of the pomp, none of the circumstance phased MacIntyre.

“He’s so low-key about it,” MacIntyre’s father, Matt, said after situating himself at the tippy-top of the visiting bleachers before the game.

His play was anything but, though. He was 13-for-16 passing for 246 yards and two touchdowns.

‘Come here and handle business’

So, George, were you excited about Thursday?

About playing where you’ll soon be staying?

About the fact that your soon-to-be college coach, Josh Heupel, had a front-row seat for the show from the Brentwood Academy sideline?

Like, at all?

“A little bit,” he said. “I didn’t put much thought into it.

“We play a lot of long road games − Memphis, Chattanooga. It’s just the first time we’ve been in Knoxville. My thought was to come here and handle business.”

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The kid of few words let his play do the talking.

And talk it did.

Loudly and clearly.

Not a game of cat and mouse

MacIntyre planted both feet firmly on his own 15-yard line and barked out last-second orders before he took his first snap. Ball in his right hand, he surveyed the scene, cocked his arm and locked eyes with sophomore receiver Kesean Bowman.

Before eyes on him could blink, before those cameras could click, the ball went from MacIntyre’s right hand into Bowman’s hands, ending in the end zone 80 yards away.

This sort of scene repeated itself often.

MacIntyre to Bowman. MacIntyre to Neo Clifton. MacIntyre to Bowman again.

MacIntyre to William Cypers for a touchdown in the third quarter, too.

“There weren’t too many plays where I thought we were the mouse and the other team was the cat,” MacIntyre said.

MacIntyre and the Eagles (5-3, 1-2 in Division II-AAA East) were the cats this time.

Cats who are going into fall break, with an off week next week.

MacIntyre stayed behind in Knoxville after Thursday’s game. Plans to take in the Volunteers’ game Saturday against Florida, then head to the beach for a few days away from football.

Thursday night, though, was the first of what MacIntyre and the Volunteers hope will be plenty of great performances in Knoxville.

Paul Skrbina is a sports enterprise reporter covering the Predators, Titans, Nashville SC, local colleges and local sports for The Tennessean. Reach him at pskrbina@tennessean.com and on the X platform (formerly known as Twitter) @paulskrbina. Follow his work here.

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Tennesee Titans head coach Brian Callahan has made it clear that Will Levis is the team’s starting quarterback after suffering a shoulder injury in Week 4’s win over the Miami Dolphins. But how long will his time at the top of the depth chart last?

According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Mason Rudolph could soon take over the starting job regardless of Levis’ health. An anonymous coach in the AFC South told Russini that “it’s only a matter of time” before the Titans make the decision to move Levis to the bench.

“Callahan says it’s Levis’ job, but a coach in their division shared: ‘It’s only a matter of time before Mason Rudolph takes over,’” Russini wrote.

When Levis exited in the win over Miami, Rudolph didn’t exactly provide the Titans with explosiveness, but he helped steady the offense in a way that Levis, who currently leads the league with nine turnovers, couldn’t.

Against the Dolphins, Rudolph finished 9 of 17 passing for just 85 yards but brought a calming presence to the offense and, most importantly, didn’t turn the ball over.

Callahan told the media that Levis’ injury is “improving,” but it remains to be seen if his performance on the field will do the same.

“He got a little treatment – he was here for most the week, and the weekend he got out for a day or two like everybody else did,” Callahan said via team reporter Jim Wyatt. “He is improving, so we’ll see where he’s at when we practice on Wednesday. He’s definitely better than he was after the game.”

Levis, who logged a full practice coming off the bye week, will get his next shot at showing he’s deserving of the starting job when the Titans host the Indianapolis Colts in Week 6.

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