NASHVILLE, Tenn. _ Trailing by 18 points and facing their first loss at Vanderbilt since 1988, the No. 14 Florida Gators needed something special.
Coach Dan Mullen's team would respond by repeating history during Saturday's 37-27 win.
Burned by explosive plays to fall into a 21-3 hole, the Gators made some big plays of their own while reeling off 24 consecutive points. Tailback Jordan Scarlett capped the offensive explosion with a 48-yard touchdown run to match the largest comeback on the road in program history.
The 2003 Gators trailed by 18 points at Kentucky and won, 24-21, behind first-year freshman quarterback Chris Leak.
UF quarterback Feleipe Franks would overcome a shaky first half Saturday, including a fumble and an interception, to throw for a career-high 284 yards and two touchdowns.
But for a good bit of the day, Franks and the Gators were out of sorts and on the ropes.
The Gators (6-1, 4-1 SEC) were seven-point favorites and coming off consecutive wins against ranked opponents for the first time since 2012.
With a bye week followed by a matchup against rival Georgia looming, the Gators were poised for a let down in Nashville. UF had not lost at Vanderbilt (3-4, 0-3) in 30 years and had won four of the past five visits by at least 14 points.
Half of the announced crowd of 31,118 at Vanderbilt Stadium was UF fans, who spent much of the first half in stunned silence as the Commodores raced to a 21-3 lead.
But the Gators fought back during a wild first half featuring big plays, momentum swings and both benches clearing. With UF trailing 21-10, a blindside hit by linebacker James Houston during a punt return left Vanderbilt defensive lineman Dare Odeyingbo flat on his back and in need of medical attention.
An ensuing exchange of obscenities between Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason and UF defensive coordinator Todd Grantham then ignited the chaos. Players soon entered the field and coaching staffs mobilized to corral their players to prevent the situation from escalating.
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey watched from the press box as the scene unfolded, delaying the game for at least five minutes.
Following the near-melee, the momentum would shift in the Gators' favor.
With 1:47 to go the Gators marched 77 yards, highlighted by a 63-yard catch by tailback Lamical Perine, setting up a 25-yard field goal by Evan McPherson as time expired.
UF took the ball to open the second half and responded with a three-and-out possession. The Gators' next series was not much better, until Mullen dug into his bag of tricks.
A fake punt on fourth-and-three from the UF 37 led to an 18-yard run by Tommy Townsend. Three plays later, Franks found Van Jefferson for a 38-yard touchdown to cut the Commodores' lead to 21-20.
Behind the big plays, the Gators would end the day with a season-high 577 yards. Vanderbilt finished with just 336, including just 138 during the second half.
For awhile, though, the Commodores' attack had its way with the Gators' defense.
UF did swarm Vanderbilt on its opening drive to force a three-and-out. The Gators then marched down the field using up tempo and a nice miss of perimeter passes. A quarterback keeper by Franks on fourth-and-1 from the Vanderbilt 17 kept alive the drive.
But facing second-and-one two plays later, UF inexplicably called a pass play from the 5-yard line. Franks' pass was tipped at the line and corralled by leaping Commodores cornerback Joejuan Williams. Williams landed on a teammate, popped up and returned the ball 99 yards.
A review by officials determined Williams knee was down, but the Vandy was undeterred.
Starting with a 43-yard run by Illinois transfer Ke'Shawn Vaughn on first down from the 2, Vanderbilt dissected the Gators defense for a nine-play, 98-yard drive. The drive also featured a pair of 15-yard gains by star receiver Kalija Lipscomb, one receiving and one running.
The drive ended when pass rusher CeCe Jefferson was caught in coverage on tight end Jared Pinkney, allowing an easy touchdown for Vanderbilt. Things would get easier for the Commodores.
Vanderbilt caught the Gators in a run blitz to open the next drive. Quarterback Kyle Shurmur found Vaughn with a screen pass in the flat. Vaughn did the rest, outracing the Gators to the end zone.
Following a fumble by Franks at the UF 31, the Commodores scored again in four plays.
Staring at a momentum-killing loss heading into a week off, the Gators instead rallied for their fifth straight win.
