College Football Rewind: 5 most important games from 2001 season
3. (5) Tennessee 34, (2) Florida 32
This is one of the games that got moved to the first week of December due to 9/11. This was the premier rivalry in the SEC at the time and this edition of the game did not disappoint.
Head coach Steve Spurrier had the Gators ranked No. 2 heading into this game, despite a loss to Auburn earlier in the season, and Florida had a chance to clinch the SEC East with a victory over the Volunteers and go to the SEC championship to play LSU and have a chance to play Miami in the national championship.
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Rex Grossman and Jabar Gaffney had big days for the Gators, but it was Vols running back Travis Stephens who would prove to be the difference-maker that day, carrying the ball 19 times for 226 yards and two touchdowns.
Tennessee held a late 34-26 lead when Grossman led the Gators on a late touchdown drive to cut the lead to two points. The Gators were stopped on the two-point conversion attempt and the onside kick failed and Tennessee won, sending them to Atlanta to face LSU.
Florida started the year ranked No. 1 and was playing well towards the end of the year and looked like the No. 2 team in the country. Their loss in this game shut the door on any national championship hopes that they had and that is why this game ranks third on the list.