It took them several months, but the Volunteers have finally fallen.

No. 8 Florida absolutely rolled over top-ranked Tennessee on Tuesday night in a massive statement win for the Gators. Florida picked up a dominant 73-43 win over Tennessee at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center, which marked the Volunteers’ first loss of the season. It was the first time Florida had beaten a No. 1 team at home in program history.

That paved the way for a new team to overtake them in the rankings next week and kept the door open in the SEC after the Vols’ historic start.

Florida dominated in the first half and got out to a 34-15 lead in the first 20 minutes. The Gators held Tennessee to just 4 of 29 from the field in the first half, too, and 0 of 14 from beyond the arc. The Vols didn’t even get on the board until a Felix Okpara free throw nearly seven full minutes into the game. Nothing was working at all.

Though Tennessee improved slightly in the second half, it was way too late. Florida still came out of the locker room on a 30-15 tear to put the game away with more than five minutes left on the clock. Tennessee was way too out of it to make a difference.

Alijah Martin led the Gators with 18 points and six rebounds, and Denzel Aberdeen added 16 points off the bench. Florida went just 6 of 20 from the 3-point line, but it out-rebounded Tennessee by 18.

Chaz Lanier led Tennessee with 10 points and seven rebounds after he shot 1 of 9 from the 3-point line. Zakai Zeigler was the only other player to hit double figures. He had 10 points and a rebound, and went 1 of 6 from behind the arc. Tennessee finished the game shooting just 21% from the field and 4 of 29 from the 3-point line as a team.

Tennessee had been the top-ranked team in the country for over a month. The Vols entered conference play with several major wins under their belt, including double-digit victories over Louisville, Baylor, Syracuse and Miami. They even beat then-No. 23 Arkansas by 24 points on Saturday, which pushed them to 14-0 for the first time in more than 100 years.

The Gators entered Tuesday night needing to make a statement. While they started out the season a perfect 12-0, they didn’t play a single ranked team in that stretch. Then they fell on Saturday to No. 10 Kentucky in their SEC opener.

But after Tuesday night, it’s clear their start wasn’t a fluke. While Tennessee will be fine after putting this off night behind it, the Gators are clearly ready to compete with the top tier in the SEC.

A Hendersonville police officer has been decommissioned and temporarily suspended from duty pending an internal investigation after he was stopped by a Sumner County deputy Monday and charged with driving under the influence and assault on an officer, authorities confirmed Tuesday.

According to an arrest affidavit, Steven Wilson was driving 104 miles per hour in a 65-mile-per hour zone on Highway 86, and he continued on toward Exit 6 after a deputy activated his overhead lights and siren in an attempt to stop him.

Wilson was seen with “bloodshot-watery eyes” and the odor of intoxicating beverage was coming from his vehicle once he did pull over, the affidavit said.

When he was asked to get out of his car, Wilson asked Deputy Oscar Vazquez to turn off his body camera, the affidavit notes. It also said that when Vazquez refused, Wilson grabbed at the deputy’s body camera repeatedly and eventually grabbed at Vazquez’s left wrist.

Body camera footage also shows Wilson grab his car keys off the hood of Vazquez’s cruiser and begin walking back to his car before Vazquez grabbed Wilson, the affidavit said.

A struggle ensued, and Vazquez is heard asking responding officers to “step it up” in coming to the scene, the affidavit notes of the footage.

At least four responding deputies and a Hendersonville police officer arrived and struggled to gain control of Wilson, who was warned he would be Tased, the affidavit said.

Four deputies were ultimately able to take Wilson to the ground and handcuff him, the affidavit said.

Vazquez suffered a cut near the pinky finger of his left hand while trying to handcuff Wilson, but he did not seek medical attention for the wound, according to documentation from authorities.

Wilson did not consent to a blood test, but the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office obtained a warrant for one and conducted a blood draw shortly before 4 a.m. on Monday.

A search of Wilson’s car revealed two small Jack Daniels bottles and two unopened White Claw beverages, authorities noted.

“Based on the speeds he was traveling, his intoxication, and his action during the traffic stop, I believe that Mr. Wilson was a danger to himself and the public,” the affidavit said.

Reach reporter Craig Shoup by email at cshoup@gannett.com and on X @Craig_Shoup. To support his work, sign up for a digital subscription to www.tennessean.com.

A strong cold front brought freezing temperatures and some snow showers to Middle Tennessee this week.

While the precipitation was expected to taper off Monday evening, moisure left on the roads could freeze overnight, the National Weather Service in Nashville reported.

Williamson County Schools reported car accidents, black ice events and road closures.

Here’s what Middle Tennessee schools are closed on Tuesday.

Middle Tennessee school closings and delays

• Cheatham County Schools: two-hour delay
• Franklin Special School District: closed
• Williamson County Schools: closed