No. 13 Florida Shocked by USF 18-16 in Last-Second Loss
The USF Bulls came into The Swamp in 2022 and missed a field goal to send the game to overtime. They got a chance to redeem themselves and delivered Saturday night.
The No. 13 Florida Gators lost on a last-second field goal to unranked USF in an ugly 18-16 game on a muggy, windy afternoon in The Swamp that neither Gator or Bulls fans will forget — for different reasons.
It was a mostly defensive battle with a combined two touchdowns in the game, all of which came in the second half. An overall disaster of a game for a Florida team (1-1) with playoff hopes, now with no room for error two weeks into the season.
The Gators offense saw glimpses of brilliance throughout the game, with some big plays from playmakers like Jadan Baugh and Vernell Brown III, but wasn’t able to find paydirt through three quarters.
Discipline played a big role in stalling Florida. Two different touchdowns were taken back by penalties in the same drive, forcing the kicking team to come out instead. The Gators had 11 penalties for 103 yards on the night. Tight end Tony Livingston also dropped a wide-open pass at the 1-yard line that would’ve resulted in an opening-drive touchdown for the Gators.
It felt like every time the Gators had a big play there were penalties or poor playcalling to kill the momentum of the drive. It was a lackluster 9-6 lead for Florida at halftime. At least UF kicker Trey Smack got some reps in after a 2-for-5 outing against LIU last weekend.
Sophomore running back Jadan Baugh was a workhorse early, taking five carries for 51 yards in Florida’s opening drive, including four first downs. Brown III continued to impress after having the highlight of Week 1. The shifty wide out showed shades of Percy Harvin with his explosiveness and ability to make plays after the catch. He had five catches for 56 yards, with 38 of those coming after the catch. Brown III also had a 40-yard punt return in the fourth quarter that led to Eugene Wilson III’s touchdown catch to give the Gators the 16-15 lead with as little more than 12 minutes to play.
It was all for nothing. USF quarterback Byrum Brown’s legs allowed the Bulls (2-0) to extend their drives and wear out the Florida defense with their high-tempo offense. Brown finished with 263 yards passing and 69 yards rushing.
Even with some success, USF struggled to get into the end zone. The Bulls’ one touchdown came from a 68-yard bomb that saw Florida defenders Dijon Johnson and Sharif Denson collide, allowing a free lane to score for Keshaun Singleton. It gave the Bulls a 13-9 lead in the third quarter which extended to 15-9 after a poor snap on a Florida punt went behind the end zone.
In the end it was just a sloppy game from Florida. It often felt like the Gators were their own enemy and could only find success in spurts. UF quarterback DJ Lagway had a mediocre game. He missed a few open receivers and threw an avoidable interception. He finished with 222 yards and a touchdown.
Coaching is the main concern. Coach Billy Napier had a tough start to the season last year and has gotten the support from the UF athletic department. The undisciplined game from the team and the loss in a game the Gators were heavily favored has him back on the hot seat after seeing a five-game winning streak come to an end.
The Gators have their first road game of the season next week against No. 3 LSU in Baton Rouge. After the performance Saturday, it becomes a must win to keep playoff hopes alive in Gainesville. It’ll take a leap in quality for Florida to get the win against an elite Tigers roster.
Kickoff in Death Valley is set for Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on ABC, 98.1-FM, 103.7-FM/AM-850 WRUF.
Category: College Football, Feature Sports News, Gators Football, SEC
