Florida Shocks Tennessee 26-20 On Final Play Of SEC Opener

Franks Hits Cleveland On Desperation 63-Yard TD Pass

  • Saturday, September 16, 2017
  • Larry Fleming
Tennessee's John Kelly turned in his fourth career 100-yard rushing performance Saturday I a 26-20 loss to Florida in an SEC matchup between nationally ranked rivals. Kelly rushed for 141 yards and a TD and added 96 receiving yards
Tennessee's John Kelly turned in his fourth career 100-yard rushing performance Saturday I a 26-20 loss to Florida in an SEC matchup between nationally ranked rivals. Kelly rushed for 141 yards and a TD and added 96 receiving yards
photo by UT Athletics

Tennessee now knows how Georgia felt last year.

With both teams thinking overtime, Florida quarterback Feleipe Franks threw a desperation 63-yard touchdown pass to Tyrie Cleveland in the end zone on the game’s final play and the Gators shocked Tennessee, 26-20, setting off a crazy-wild celebration at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida.

“The offensive line did a great job giving me protection and Tyrie did a great job getting to his spot and making a ballhawk play,” said Franks, a redshirt freshman.

Tennessee (2-1, 0-1) had tied the game at 20-all when Quinten Dormady hit tight end Ethan Wolf, who fought his way into the end zone for a touchdown with 4:43 remaining.

Aaron Medley added the extra-point kick.

On first-and-10 from their own 37, the No. 24-ranked Gators (2-0, 1-0) inexplicably allowed 20-plus second run off the clock, Franks was flushed from the pocket, moved to his right, stopped just shy of the line of scrimmage and heaved a perfectly thrown bomb to Cleveland, who made the game-winning catch while falling to the ground.

Cleveland beat Tennessee free safety Micah Abernathy on the play and had a step on the defender when he crossed the goal line eyeing the ball.

“I can’t explain it. It’s just crazy. Crazy,” said Cleveland, a sophomore. We run that play every Friday in walk-through. Coach Mac always says, ‘You never know when we’re going to need it.’ So, we just keep practicing it and fortunately it came up big for us.”

Well, the Gators needed it Saturday. And, the play came up big.

“It obviously was not pretty but sometimes as you go through this business, it’s about finding a way to win, and our guys figured out a way to win,” Florida coach Jim McElwain said.

Said Tennessee defensive lineman Kendal Vickers: “I didn’t think they were going to throw the Hail Mary. I definitely thought they might have tried to get in field goal range. Anytime you lose a tough game like that you’re going to be mad. Everybody in the locker room was pretty upset about the loss.”

Vols coach Butch Jones was asked about the Gators’ final play.

“You have to stay the deepest of the deepest and knock the ball down,” he said. “We were in a nickel (five defensive backs) and it’s one of those plays that probably comes around once every so often. Unfortunately, they made the play and we didn’t. But again, there were many plays prior to that we didn’t make.”

In 2016, the Vols stunned Georgia on the game’s final play when quarterback Joshua Dobbs threw a rainbow Hail Mary to a leaping Jauan Jennings in the end zone with no time on the clock for a 34-31 win.

Saturday’s game played before 87,736 fans was void of offense for three quarters. The scoring consisted of three field goals, two by Florida. Vols kickers missed that many field goal tries, the only “hit” being a 51-yarder by freshman Brent Cimaglia.

The final 15 minutes was a wild, wild west shootout.

Florida’s C.J. Henderson intercepted a Dormady pass – one of three picks thrown by the No. 23 Vols’ quarterback – and returned it 16 yards to give the Gators a 13-3 lead 37 seconds into the final period.

Tennessee countered with a 34-yard touchdown run by junior John Kelly, who had a career day with 141 rushing yards – his fourth 100-yard game -- on 19 carries. He also caught six passes for 96 yards. Kelly, the only SEC player to lead his team in rushing and receiving going into Saturday, scored with 8:36 on the clock.

The Vols caught a break on a hustle play when cornerback Justin Martin chased down Malik Davis, who ran 72 yards, and forced a fumble at the 1-foot line. The ball squirted out of the end zone for a touchback and the Vols took over at their own 20.

A few minutes later Florida drove 44 yards in seven plays with Franks finding Brandon Powell on a 5-yard TD strike to give the Gators a 20-10 lead with 5:13 remaining.

The Vols came right back with an answer.

Dormady connected with Kelly on a 52-yard screen pass play that moved the Vols to Florida’s 28. On the next play, Dormady hit Wolf out of the backfield at the 3 and the big tight end crossed the goal line just inside the right pylon for the touchdown.

The Vols covered the 75 yards in two plays, using just 30 seconds to reach the end zone.

Tennessee, trying for its first back-to-back wins against Florida since 2003-04, climbed to within 20-17 at the 4:43 mark.

Franks’ high pass to tight end C’yontai Lewis was tipped into the air, Tennessee’s Rashaan Gaulden intercepted the ball and returned it to the Florida 40.

A Dormady-to-Eli Wolf (Ethan’s younger brother) gave the Vols a first-and-10 at the Gators’ 17.

Florida was hit with an offside penalty.

First-and-five at the 12.

Tennessee lineman Jack Wolfe was flagged on a false start penalty.

First-and-10 at the 17.

Jones again was guilty of a false start.

First-and-15 at the 22.

Kelly gained 4 yards and a facemask penalty on Florida moved Tennessee to the 9.

First down.

Kelly dropped a pass at the 3.

Marquez Gallaway couldn’t make a play on Dormady’s next pass.

Dormady overthrew Kelly.

Medley comes on to salvage the drive with a 27-yard field goal, tying the game at 20-20 with 50 seconds left.

Thinking his team had picked up a first down on Mark Thompson’s 3-yard gain to the Gators’ 37, Florida coach Jim McElwain didn’t call timeout. Precious time ran off the clock.

On third-and-one, Franks drifted to his right, stopped and pulled the trigger on a 63-yard awe-inspiring spiral that Cleveland secured to his chest with both arms while falling to the turf. It was Florida’s first offensive touchdown since a bowl game in January.

What happened next appeared to be every Florida player dressed jumping on top of Cleveland in the end zone.

Abernathy was propped on his hands and knees in total dejection.

SCORING

Tennessee                0 3 0 17– 20

Florida                       3 3 0 20 – 26

First Quarter

UF – FG Eddy Pineiro 27, 7:39

Second Quarter

UF – FG Pineiro 41, 8:11

UT – FG Brent Cimaglia 51, 2:58

Fourth Quarter

UF – C.J. Henderson 16 interception return (Pineiro kick), 14:23

UT – John Kelly 34 run (Aaron Medley kick), 8:36

UF – Brandon Powell 5 pass from Feleipe Franks (Pineiro kick), 5:13

UT – Ethan Wolf 28 pass from Quinten Dormady (Medley kick), 4:43

UT – FG Medley 27, 0:50

UF – Tyrie Cleveland 63 pass from Franks, 0:00

Attendance: 87,736

YARDSTICK

                                              UT                   UF

First Downs                           23                    14       

Rushes-Yds                           33-183            29-168

Passing Yards                      259                 212

Comp-Att-Int                         21-39-3          18-28-1

Plays-Tot Yds                        72-442            57-380

Fumbles-Lost                        0-0                  2-2

Punts-Avg                              3-45.0             5-44.8

Penalties-Yds                        7-54                8-38

INDIVIDUALS

RUSHING – Tennessee: John Kelly 19-141, Ty Chandler 7-30, Carlin Fils-Aime 3-11, Quinten Dormady 4-1; Florida: Malik Davis 4-84, Lamical Perine 11-55, Mark Thompson 7-30, Kadarius Toney 1-5, Feleipe Franks 6-minus 16.

PASSING – Tennessee: Dormady 21-39-3-25; Florida: Franks 18-28-1-212.

RECEIVING – Tennessee: Kelly 6-96, Marquez Callaway 3-46, Ethan Wolf 3-37, Chandler 2-31, Brandon Johnson 4-18, Josh Palmer 1-11, Josh Smith 1-10, Austin Pope 1-0; Florida: Tyrie Cleveland 5-93, Toney 4-40, Brandon Powell 3-40, Josh Hammond 3-22, Moral Stephens 1-10, Mark Thompson 1-4, C’yontai Lewis 1-3.

(Contact Larry Fleming at larryfleming44@gmail.com and on Twitter @larryfleming44)

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