Honestly, if you just looked at the box score for the 2024 matchup between the Vols and the Gators, you’d see a 23-17 final in favor of Tennessee. It looks like a typical, gritty SEC defensive struggle. But man, that doesn't even begin to cover the absolute chaos that went down in Knoxville on October 12.
It was ugly. Then it was intense. Then it was just plain weird.
Neyland Stadium was packed with 101,915 fans—a sea of orange and white "checkerboarded" across the stands—and for about two and a half quarters, they were mostly silent. They watched their eighth-ranked Volunteers struggle to find any rhythm against a Florida team that was supposed to be a 15-point underdog. If you’re hunting for the tennessee versus florida score, you need to understand that this wasn't just a win; it was a survival story for Josh Heupel’s squad.
The Mid-Game Meltdown and the 10-0 Hole
Florida actually had this game in their pocket. They really did.
By the middle of the third quarter, the Gators led 10-0. Graham Mertz had just found Arlis Boardingham for a 13-yard touchdown, but that play was bittersweet—bitter, really—because Mertz went down with a non-contact knee injury right as he threw it. It was a gut punch for Florida, seeing their veteran leader hobble off.
Before that, Florida had basically camped out in Tennessee territory but couldn't buy a touchdown. They fumbled at the 1-yard line. They had a field goal wiped out by a ridiculous 10-second runoff because of an illegal substitution penalty. Basically, Billy Napier’s team was doing everything right until the very last second of every drive.
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How Tennessee Flipped the Script
Tennessee was stuck in neutral until Dylan Sampson decided he’d had enough.
Sampson is the engine of this offense. He finished the night with 112 yards and three touchdowns, but his biggest contribution was just keeping the chains moving when Nico Iamaleava was struggling. Nico finished 16-of-26 for 169 yards, which isn't exactly "Heisman dark horse" territory. He was sacked three times and threw a pick that had the Knoxville crowd feeling very uneasy.
But then, the momentum shifted like a physical weight moving across the field:
- The Spark: Sampson punched in a 6-yard run to make it 10-7.
- The Gift: Florida’s freshman QB, DJ Lagway, threw an interception shortly after, giving the Vols a short field. Max Gilbert nailed a 35-yarder to tie it up.
- The Lead: Sampson ripped off a 23-yard touchdown run with less than ten minutes left.
Suddenly, it was 17-10 Tennessee. The stadium was shaking. You could feel the "Third Saturday in September" (even though it was October) energy finally waking up.
The DJ Lagway Moment
You’ve gotta give it to the kid. Lagway, a true freshman thrust into the loudest environment in college football after Mertz went down, didn't blink when it mattered most.
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Facing a 3rd-and-19 with the game on the line and only 29 seconds left, Lagway stood in the pocket and delivered a strike to Chimere Dike for a 27-yard touchdown. It was a cold-blooded play. The extra point tied it at 17, sending the game into overtime and sucking the air right out of Neyland.
Overtime: The Final Tennessee Versus Florida Score
Overtime in the SEC is a different kind of pressure. Florida got the ball first, but the Vols' defense—which has been the real star of their 2024 season—didn't budge.
James Pearce Jr. and the defensive front harassed Lagway, and Florida was forced into a 47-yard field goal attempt. Trey Smack, who had been solid, pushed it wide right.
That was the opening Tennessee needed.
They didn't get fancy. They gave the ball to Sampson. Five plays later, he was standing in the end zone after a 1-yard plunge. Final score: 23-17.
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Game Stats at a Glance
| Category | Florida Gators | Tennessee Volunteers |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 361 | 312 |
| Passing Yards | 223 | 169 |
| Rushing Yards | 138 | 143 |
| First Downs | 22 | 18 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 1 |
Why This Win Was Historically Weird
If you look at the rivalry's history, Tennessee has been on the wrong side of these "weird" games for decades. Entering 2024, the Gators had won 17 of the last 20 meetings. Usually, it’s Tennessee that fumbles at the goal line or misses the game-winning kick.
This time, the roles reversed.
The Vols' defense held an opponent under 20 points for the eighth straight game. That’s a stat that doesn't get enough love. Everyone talks about Heupel’s "fast-break" offense, but it was the defense—led by guys like Arion Carter and Boo Carter—that actually won this game. They recorded 12 tackles for loss. That is an insane amount of penetration in the backfield.
Looking Ahead: The Rivalry in 2025 and Beyond
Fast forward to November 22, 2025, and the Vols proved that 2024 wasn't a fluke. They went down to Gainesville and handled business with a 31-11 victory.
For the first time in a long time, the momentum in this rivalry has completely shifted toward Knoxville. With the SEC expanding and divisions being scrapped, we won't see this game every single year anymore. In fact, 2026 will be the first time in 36 years that these two don't meet.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're tracking the tennessee versus florida score for betting, historical research, or just to win an argument at the bar, here’s what you should take away:
- Watch the "Middle 8": In the 2024 game, Florida dominated the "Middle 8" (the last four minutes of the first half and the first four of the second) in yardage but had 0 points to show for it because of penalties and the 10-second runoff.
- The Sampson Factor: Dylan Sampson is now officially a Vols legend. His three-TD performance in 2024 was one of the gutsiest RB displays in the series.
- Defense Wins Championships (and Rivalries): Tennessee’s shift from a pure offensive juggernaut to a defensive powerhouse is the biggest story in the SEC.
To dig deeper into the stats of these matchups, you can check out official resources like UT Sports or Florida Gators Athletics for full play-by-play breakdowns of the overtime period.