When a team gives up 38 points in a loss the natural inclination is to place the blame on the defense.
And don't get me wrong, the Florida defense does have to shoulder their fair share - but with fair being the key word here.
Up 21-3 at the half, Florida's offense went six straight drives without gaining a first down. They had five three and outs and the one interception.
I don't care if you have the 84 Bears or the great Steeler Steal Curtain defenses, you can't keep going three and out and sending your defense back out there against an offense the quality of Tennessee and expect them to hold.
Especially on the road - where once momentum turns and the crowd gets in the game, it becomes a hard hole to dig out of.
There are a lot of things that led to the loss, but what got the ball rolling was the third and one call on Florida's first possession of the second half. Florida probably should have put Appleby under center and let him go for it.
Instead, they tried to go wide and got stuffed. That hurt, but the real killer was Florida going into an overall shell in the second half. The Gators only attempted three passes in the second quarter (two completions and a drop) - but didn't take a single shot down the field until the game was basically over.
It was a tough loss to take, no doubt about it. However, it was on the road to a higher ranked team that was favored.
It isn't like the Gators lost to Georgia Southern here.
The streak is over, but the season isn't.
And don't get me wrong, the Florida defense does have to shoulder their fair share - but with fair being the key word here.
Up 21-3 at the half, Florida's offense went six straight drives without gaining a first down. They had five three and outs and the one interception.
I don't care if you have the 84 Bears or the great Steeler Steal Curtain defenses, you can't keep going three and out and sending your defense back out there against an offense the quality of Tennessee and expect them to hold.
Especially on the road - where once momentum turns and the crowd gets in the game, it becomes a hard hole to dig out of.
There are a lot of things that led to the loss, but what got the ball rolling was the third and one call on Florida's first possession of the second half. Florida probably should have put Appleby under center and let him go for it.
Instead, they tried to go wide and got stuffed. That hurt, but the real killer was Florida going into an overall shell in the second half. The Gators only attempted three passes in the second quarter (two completions and a drop) - but didn't take a single shot down the field until the game was basically over.
It was a tough loss to take, no doubt about it. However, it was on the road to a higher ranked team that was favored.
It isn't like the Gators lost to Georgia Southern here.
The streak is over, but the season isn't.
