As the boos rained down and the clock ticked down to halftime Saturday, it was hard to imagine the wild postgame celebration that would come just a couple hours later following Tennessee's first win over Florida since 2004.
For a half it looked like the losing streak against the Gators was headed to a dozen. It appeared that even Tennessee players didn't believe they could beat Florida as they dropped passes, committed penalties and missed tackles while falling down 21-3, prompting the boos from the crowd.
Despite the deficit the Vols didn't panic and came out of the locker room for the second half a different team.
"That team in the first half wasn't us," Tennessee head coach Butch Jones said. "And every man to a man knew it. And when they came back out in the second half they were not going to be denied."
Joshua Dobbs threw for four touchdowns and ran for another in the second half as Tennessee ran off 35 unanswered points on the way to a 38-28 win.
It was the third time in four games this season the Vols have rallied back from a double-digit deficit to win.
"We were just shooting ourselves in the foot," Dobbs said. "We just had to do the little things and execute. Play our brand of football."
The Vols scored touchdowns on five of six possessions in the second half and the defense clamped down, holding the Gators to just eight yards in the third quarter.
When Juauan Jennings' corralled a juggling grab and tight roped the sideline for a 67-yard touchdown that gave Tennessee the lead early in the fourth quarter, the celebration was on.
"I was eight years old when James Wilhoit made the field goal the last time we beat them," safety Todd Kelly Jr. said. "I just kept thinking what it would be like if we did that."
The win ends the streak and proves this is a different Tennessee team. They could've hung their heads or packed it in at the half. But instead they fought back, proving once again that it's a 60 minute game.
Before the second half Saturday the Vols hadn't played much pretty football this year. But this team has learned how to win ugly and, most importantly, learned that they're never out of a game.
"They heard all the talk about however many straight games and they heard the boos," Jones said. "They could've hung their heads, but the showed their resolve and I am so proud of them."
It was an emotional scene after the game as some former Tennessee players even broke down in tears while congratulating the team on finally beating Florida. But there was also a strong sense that this team's mission of winning the SEC was only just beginning.
The schedule doesn't get any easier with trips to Georgia and Texas A&M the next two weeks before coming home to host no. 1 Alabama. But after Saturday, I wouldn't count the Vols out.
"We're building something special here," Jones said triumphantly outside the locker room after the game.
On Saturday it was a victory celebration 12 years in the making. And it opened the door for even bigger victories to come.
