After firing head coach Dan Mullen, the Florida Gators defeated the Florida State Seminoles 24-21. Florida now ends its regular season at 6-6, and the Gators are bowl-eligible. This rivalry game felt like a sloppy matchup, and both teams struggled to get the passing game going. However, the ground attack was quite dependable for both teams. Here’s a recap of Florida’s win over Florida State.
Recap
Offense
Emory Jones struggled throwing the ball in this game. He threw for 150 passing yards and a touchdown, but his three interceptions really kept Florida State in the game. Anthony Richardson played a bit, and he had more than 50 passing yards with a touchdown paired with nearly 30 rushing yards.
Dameon Pierce finally got some good action, and he finished with five yards per carry and a rushing touchdown. Kemore Gamble had a good day with 80 receiving yards and a touchdown. Even after a hard season, the offense shows its ability to hold up against the Seminoles’ defense. Next year, Florida’s offense will likely rely on the running game with Richardson at the helm.
Defense
Florida State’s offense really bounced back following a tough start to the season. Quarterback Jordan Travis had a good day, finishing with 200 passing yards and 100 rushing yards. His game felt eerily similar to Emory Jones, and he still has a good two years in him at the college level.
The Gators’ defense actually held up for most of the game, but it felt like Florida was breaking down when Florida State made one final push during the fourth quarter. Andrew Parchment and Ontaria Wilson were the primary receivers for Travis, each finishing with more than 50 receiving yards.
When the Seminoles’ offense finally got going in the second half, it was just too little too late for Florida State. Florida’s defense made significant improvements from previous games.
Concluding Thoughts
After beating Florida State, Florida now awaits a bowl matchup and Scott Stricklin will likely hire a new coach by the end of the year. The rumors in Gainesville have been focused on Billy Napier as the next head coach at Florida, but Stricklin might have someone else in mind. Still, the bowl game and incoming recruiting class will have a big impact on the direction of Florida’s program; a win in the rivalry game makes it all the better.
(Featured image by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
FL Teams has partnered with “The AJ Show”. AJ covered the Florida Gators vs. Missouri Tigers game! Check out his play-by-play reactions along with smack talk from the game!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K36U49vqElA