How Florida turned a 21-3 lead into a 10-point loss

Florida ran to the locker room Saturday at Neyland Stadium up 21-3, seeming primed to stretch its winning streak over Tennessee to 12 straight games.

Apparently the Gators got lost somewhere in the bowels of the historic field, because whatever team came out to play in the second half was not the same as the first.

The Volunteers proceeded to run their nemesis off the field, making them look like a junior varsity team on the way to an astounding 38-28 victory.

Here's how it happened:

Hurd cuts lead to 11 with wheel route

The comeback got started midway through the third quarter, when Jalen Hurd cut the lead to 11 with a 23-yard touchdown reception. You may notice there isn't a Gator anywhere near him. Keep that in mind as we continue our walk down memory lane.

Wolf snares fingertip grab for TD

After the Volunteers forced Florida's anemic offense to punt - a phrase you could recycle for the entirety of the second half - they promptly marched down the field yet again. The degree of difficulty was significantly higher, but tight end Ethan Wolf was up to the task, using a fingertip grab for an impressive 20-yard touchdown. Down just four, the blowout turned into a tight contest real quick.

Jennings roasts Tabor for 67-yard score

Remember how we discussed Tennessee players running wide open in the secondary? That issue reared its ugly head again for the Gators, as star cornerback Teez Tabor got roasted by Jauan Jennings for a 67-yard, go-ahead score. Neyland Stadium erupted in pandemonium as the Volunteers began to sense their 11-year nightmare was coming to a close.

Appleby throws incredibly awful interception

With starting quarterback Luke Del Rio sidelined for the contest, many wondered how Austin Appleby would fare under center. Through the first 30 minutes, the Purdue transfer proved more than capable, throwing for over 200 yards and two touchdowns. The Gators coaching staff essentially neutered the graduate student, taking away downfield options in the passing game. Through the first 23 minutes of the second half, Appleby threw for just 14 yards, and this terrible interception. In that time the Volunteers went on a 35-0 run.

Malone waltzes untouched for 42-yard touchdown reception

Film session this week isn't going to be pleasant for the Florida secondary. Once again, the Gators allowed a Volunteer receiver to waltz undeterred through the defensive backfield. This time it was Josh Malone for a 42-yard score, extending the lead to 10.

3 wild stats

• The Gators didn't register their initial first down of the second half until the 7:30 mark ... of the fourth quarter!
• Florida entered with the second-ranked passing defense in the nation, allowing just 87 yards per contest. Joshua Dobbs almost quadrupled that total, finishing with 319 yards - 57 more than the Gators had surrendered in total this season.
• Dobbs had topped the 300-yard passing mark just twice in his career entering the day, yet reached a career high against the top-two passing defense.