"Nobody gave us a chance," said splendid Tennessee safety Eric Berry. "We were supposed to lose by 50.

"Tennessee is here for real. That wasn't just gibberish that Coach Kiffin was saying."

It was Kiffin's penchant for gibberish that turned this game into a national curiosity. And if you ask the league leader in revisionist history, that was part of the master plan.

"I think it worked perfect," Kiffin said. "It took all the attention off our players. Allowed them to play free. You don't want pressure on your players. Put it on me."

[+] EnlargeJonathan Crompton
Sam Greenwood/Getty ImagesJonathan Crompton struggled getting the Vols' offense going.

Time to put something else on Kiffin now. A new measure of respect. He and his stellar staff can do more than just recruit; they had their team ready for this enormous challenge.

"They played a lot better than they played on film," Florida cornerback Joe Haden said.