Perhaps the biggest play during Tennessee's victory over Missouri came 565 miles away.

The Volunteers entered the day with hopes of winning the SEC East, but Florida clinched the division with a goal-line stand to upset LSU while Tennessee was still battling in the first quarter.

No. 19 Tennessee managed to overcome that emotional hit as quarterback Joshua Dobbs accounted for five touchdowns -- four of them going for 30-plus yards -- as the Vols beat Missouri 63-37 on Saturday in Knoxville, Tenn.

"The only thing that mattered was being 1-0 this week and controlling what we can control, and that's winning the football game," coach Butch Jones said of the Florida result. "Never addressed it one single time.

"Our goal is to be 1-0 every week and what happens, happens. I'm not going to sit in here and explain."

Tennessee (8-3, 4-3 SEC) is still in contention for a Sugar Bowl berth, which goes to the top-ranked SEC team not in the College Football Playoff. The Vols end their regular season at Vanderbilt on Saturday.

Missouri (3-8, 1-6) ran 110 plays and rushed for 420 yards, becoming the fourth SEC opponent in the past five games to gain at least 350 yards on the ground against an injury-plagued Vols defense.

Dobbs completed touchdown passes of 49 and 57 yards in the first half, scrambled for a 30-yard score late in the third quarter and topped his big Senior Day with a 70-yard touchdown on a zone-read keeper for a 42-30 lead with 13:20 to go.

"They're an explosive team and did some great things tonight," Missouri coach Barry Odom said. "We couldn't come up with enough answers."

Dobbs passed for 223 yards and ran for 190 on just 10 carries. He left the game to a big ovation with 2:24 left.

"There is still a lot to play for," Dobbs said. "We're playing for a 10-win season, which hasn't been done at Tennessee in a long, long time. Our legacy is on the line."

Tennessee's last 10-win season came in 2007 under Phillip Fulmer.

As the Vols push toward double-digit victories, they have issues on defense. They allowed 740 yards to Missouri, the most ever against Tennessee.

"Seven hundred and some yards ... it's hard to say you didn't win a game like that," Odom said.

Tigers running back Damarea Crockett ran for 225 yards, giving him 1,062 for the season and setting a freshman school record. Running back Ish Witter carried 31 times for 163 yards.

Missouri quarterback Drew Lock passed for 320 yards but was intercepted twice.

Tennessee defensive lineman Jonathan Kongbo finished the scoring with a 59-yard interception return with 4:31 to go.

The Vols have overcome their defense by scoring 49-plus points in three consecutive games, all victories.

Missouri rushed for 251 yards at halftime but trailed 21-20.

The Tigers, who have had place-kicking woes all season (5 of 12 on field goal attempts, five missed extra point tries entering the game), struggled again. Ben Tesson, who made his first PAT attempt last week, missed an extra point try after Missouri's first touchdown.

Odom abandoned his kicking game for a while, going for it early in the second quarter on fourth-and-12 from 20. After a false start penalty, Lock threw incomplete into the end zone on fourth-and-17.

Missouri let another opportunity slip by in the second quarter when it lost a fumble on fourth-and-1 from the Tennessee 28. And it was stuffed on fourth-and-2 from Tennessee's 39 in the third quarter.

NOTES: Tennessee starting OL Dylan Wiesman did not dress out after suffering an ankle injury last week. S Todd Kelly Jr. also was out because of an ankle injury, forcing the Vols to use their ninth different starting combination in the secondary. ... Missouri was without starting C Samson Bailey (ankle). ... Missouri DT Markell Utsey suffered a left knee sprain in the second quarter and did not return. ... Tennessee junior DT Derek Barnett had one sack, giving him a career-high 11. He is one sack away from tying Reggie White's school record. ... Tennessee's average home attendance was 100,967, its best mark for a season since 2008 (101,448). ... The Vols have rushed for a touchdown in 26 consecutive games, extending a record set last week.