College Football

Tennessee vs. Florida 2013 final score: Tyler Murphy leads Gators to 31-17 win

The Gators slogged through an ugly game against the Vols, but will gladly take the win.

By Peter Berkes Sep 21, 2013, 7:00pm EDT

The Florida Gators beat the Tennessee Volunteers 31-17 on Saturday, their ninth straight win in the rivalry. The Gators pulled away in the second half, but the scoreline doesn't really reflect just how ugly the play was.

Jeff Driskel left the game in the first quarter with what looked to be an ankle injury. Naturally, on the play where he was injured, Driskel's pass was picked off by Devaun Swafford, who took it to the house from 38 yards out to give Tennessee a 7-0 lead. However, Tyler Murphy came in and played well, going 8-14 for 134 yards and a touchdown, also rushing for 84 yards and a touchdown. The Gators offense wasn't great, but their ground game was effective. Mack Brown and Matt Jones both had double digit carries and scored touchdowns, and they helped control the clock and keep the defense fresh.

The Vols were also playing a new quarterback, but Butch Jones started Nathan Peterman over Justin Worley by choice. That decision backfired big time for the Vols, as they only amassed five passing yards in the first half while Peterman turned the ball over four times. Worley finally replaced him, but by then it was too late. The Vols finished with six turnovers and only 220 yards of total offense. Their defense was stuck on the field for nearly 40 minutes. That's not a recipe for success.

Box Score Hero:

It has to be Murphy. He looked confident and threatened the defense with both his arm and his legs.

Rankings Ramifications:

The Gators will maintain their ranking in the lower half of the teens

But Did They Cover?

Florida was a 16 point favorite at kickoff, so they did not cover the spread.

For More On This Game:

For more on the Vols, head over to Rocky Top Talk.

For more on the Gators, check out Alligator Army.

Next Week's Schedule:

Tennessee: 9/28, vs. South Alabama

Florida: 9/28, at Kentucky