KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Florida football had a potential statement win within its grasp Saturday at night at No. 9 Tennessee.
But key mistakes, both mental and physical, proved costly as the Florida Gators (3-3. 1-2 SEC) fell short in a 23-17 overtime loss to the Vols (5-1, 2-1 SEC) before 101,915 at Neyland Stadium.
The loss dropped Florida football coach Billy Napier to 2-12 against ranked teams during his three-year tenure.
"We just came up with a handful of plays short," Napier said. "That's where, as a coach, it's a punch in the gut relative to you just want to do everything you can do to help the players."
Among the lowlights:
-- Florida quarterback Graham Mertz fumbled on a quarterback sneak on first-and-goal from the 1-yard line the second quarter, thwarting a potential TD that could have put the Gators up 10-0
-- Florida lined up 12 players on the field on a field goal attempt that could have put UF up 6-0 at halftime. Napier explained it was because an injured player failed to get off the field in time, but replays showed 10 players lined up on the line scrimmage, along with the holder and kicker.
-- Florida called a read option play out of the shotgun on 4th-and-inches from UT's 18-yard line, with quarterback DJ Lagway handing off to wide receiver Eugene Wilson III on a perimeter run play. But the play was stopped for no gain, forcing UF to turn the ball over on downs.
Florida went just 1-for-4 on red zone chances in the first half, coming away with just 3 points.
"You know, we could have maybe had some more points, but we had confidence going into second half that we're gonna be able to clean those things up," Florida wide receiver Chimere Dike said. "And, you know, obviously, looking back on it, you wish you would have in the first half as well. But, you know, those are things that you can't change now. You've got to move on and improve."
UF showed some resolve in the second half, after Mertz and starting running back Montrell Johnson Jr. went down with leg injuries.
Florida extended its lead to 10-0 on a Mertz 13-yard TD pass to tight end Arlis Boardingham. Then, down 17-10, Dike returned a punt 27 yards to UT's 31-yard line with 2:31 remaining. That set up a four-play, 31-yard TD drive, capped by a 27-yard TD pass from Lagway to Dike that cut Tennessee's lead to 17-16 with 29 seconds left. Napier initially showed a two-point play, but changed his mind after UT called a time out, and had Smack kick a game-tying extra point to force overtime.
"We've got the type of character guys in the locker room that is needed, and, you know, definitely a tough one today," Dike said. "But you know, you have two choices. You can either fold or you can respond and keep being better. And I know we're gonna pick the latter."
Florida could end up going forward in a homecoming matchup against Kentucky on Oct. 19 (7:45 p.m., SEC Network) without Mertz and Johnson. At one point, Florida had a true freshman quarterback (Lagway) handing the ball off to a true freshman running back (Jadan Baugh).
"There's no guarantees n this game," Napier said. "You have to put yourself out there, with no guaranteed reward. It takes courage to do that. I think ultimately, there's an opportunity here for our team. I just really believe there's something good on the other side of this."
Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun's Florida beat writer. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1