Florida football were underdogs against No. 11 Tennessee on Saturday night despite playing from the friendly confines of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. But the Gators pulled off the upset victory with an utterly dominant second quarter, giving coach Billy Napier arguably his biggest win since arriving in Gainesville last fall.

As Napier saw it, Florida's 29-16 win over the Vols was a validation of the all-encompassing principles he and his staff have been preaching.

“Now we need that spark, that's all, something that allows our players to taste a little bit of the fruits of their labor,” Napier said, per ESPN's Chris Low. “It validates your plan. It validates what you're selling to some degree, the things that you continue to harp on,” said Napier, who had been under scrutiny, at least in the eyes of some, after a less-than-stellar first season with five losses in his last seven games.

The Gators went 6-7 last season during Napier's debut, crumbling down the stretch after an impressive start. He believes Florida's past struggles have laid a foundation for more success to come, beginning with Saturday's pivotal win.

“Success is a dirty process and ultimately it's rewarding,” Napier reflected. “You have to go through some ups and downs along the way.”

Florida's victory was more dominant than the score suggests. After falling behind 7-6 early, the Gators ran off 20 straight points in the second quarter, out-gaining Tennessee by nearly 200 yards heading into halftime. The Vols never got closer than two touchdowns.

Florida football running back Trevor Etienne had an incredible game with a career-high 172 rushing yards, including a 62-yard touchdown. Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III threw for 287 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, no doubt struggling to digest the loss after previously declaring he “doesn't lose in Florida.”