DeSean Bishop rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries and No. 20 Tennessee won for the first time at Florida in 22 seasons on Saturday night, thrashing the Gators 31-11 in Gainesville, Fla.
Quarterback Joey Aguilar completed his first 10 passes and finished 17 of 22 for 204 yards with a score for the Volunteers (8-3, 4-3 Southeastern Conference), who dominated in leading 31-0 at halftime.
They also notched a win on Florida’s campus for the first time since Sept. 20, 2003, when they beat the Gators 24-10, ending a streak of 10 consecutive losses.
Tennessee closes its regular season at home next Saturday against No. 14 Vanderbilt, which moved to 9-2 with a 45-17 home win over Kentucky.
For the Gators (3-8, 2-6), DJ Lagway was 11 of 17 for 116 yards and a score. Jadan Baugh had 96 yards on 18 rushes and a scoring reception.
Florida plays its final 2025 game at home against rival Florida State next Saturday with the Seminoles (5-6) needing a win for bowl eligibility.
The visitors from Rocky Top were crisp on offense from the start, as Aguilar took them 75 yards in nine plays. On the final play of the opening drive, he flipped a swing pass that Ethan Davis caught then rumbled 23 yards for a 7-0 lead at 11:28.
The Volunteers were equally effective on their second drive, a seven-play, 60-yard march that culminated with Bishop’s over-the-top, somersault leap on a third-and-goal at the 1-yard line with 5:33 left.
Tennessee held a 190-1 edge in total yards in the first quarter.
On the fourth play of the second, Bishop scored again from short. Star Thomas (nine carries, 71 yards for the game) then set himself up for a short plunge at the 9:14 mark after a 52-yard run on third-and-17.
Tennessee’s Max Gilbert connected from 26 yards for a 31-0 half that saw the Volunteers hold a 323-110 advantage in total yards.
Florida’s Trey Smack redeemed himself from an earlier miss by hitting from 46 yards at 2:06 for the third quarter’s only points, and Baugh caught a 33-yard strike in the fourth as Florida made it 31-11.
–Field Level Media
