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The Florida Gators football team took on the No.17 Oregon State Beavers in the Las Vegas Bowl at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday. Oregon State dominated Florida from the start and came out on top in a 30-3 win over the Orange & Blue.
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Florida Avoids a Shutout
With 37 seconds remaining in the game, Florida kicker Adam Mihalek made a 40-yard field goal. The play prevented what could have been Florida’s first shutout loss since 1988.
The 30-3 loss gives Florida back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 1978-79.
Miller Time
The Gators entered the contest down 31 scholarship players. Florida took to the field without starting quarterback Anthony Richardson, All-American offensive lineman O’Cyrus Torrence, Florida wide receiver Justin Shorter and Gators linebacker Ventrell Miller. The four elected to sit out the game, as they enter the 2023 NFL Draft.
Meanwhile, the Gators were led by third-string quarterback Jack Miller III, who made his first collegiate start against the Beavers.
Numbers to Note
The Gators offense largely struggled throughout the contest. Miller threw 13-22 for 180 yards, while Florida standout running back Montrell Johnson led the Gators on the ground with just 11 carries for 14 yards. Florida wideout Ricky Pearsall led Florida’s receiving efforts with four catches for 65 yards. The Gators finished with 219 total yards of offense, including only 7 yards of offense in the second and third quarters combined.
On the other sideline, Oregon State quarterback Ben Gulbranson threw 12-19 for 165 yards, with one touchdown in the air and another on the ground. Beavers running back Deshaun Fenwick led Oregon State in rushing with 20 carries for 107 yards, while Oregon State’s Silas Bolden led the Beavers in receiving with 6 catches for 99 yards and one touchdown.
Beavers Blow it Up
Oregon State got things going with an 8-yard touchdown run from Beavers receiver Tyjon Lindsey, with 2:10 remaining in the first quarter. After a 27-yard field goal from Oregon State’s Everett Hayes to close out the first half, the Beavers again found the end zone on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Gulbranson to Bolden. The Black and Orange now held a 17-0 lead at 3:10 in quarter three.
The Beavers offense showed no signs of slowing down. The Beavers found the end zone on back-to-back drives with an 8-yard rushing touchdown from Gulbranson and a 6-yard touchdown run from Oregon State linebacker Jack Colletto. Colletto scored the final points for the Beavers on the night, as the Gators managed to close out the game by getting on the board with a field goal.
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