It wasn’t the most efficient night for Florida’s offense, but a stout defensive performance led the Gators to an easy victory of Florida State.
Florida capped off its regular season with a third-straight win Saturday night, a 31-11 victory over the Florida State Seminoles that was never truly in doubt.
If there was a game that Florida could afford to be sloppy in this season, it was this one. [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag] started off the game slow and his receivers didn’t help him out too much, either. Fortunately, the running backs came up big, combining for 223 yards and two touchdowns on 35 carries. It’s only the second time this year that Florida has gone over 200 yards rushing, with Montrell Johnson Jr. battling injuries for much of the year.
The defense also continued its dominant run through November by bulldozing through Florida State’s offensive line and getting to the quarterback eight times. The Seminoles fumbled seven times and never had a shot with that kind of turnover margin.
PLANT THE FLAG!
Fumblerooski
Okay, the fumblerooski is a trick play and FSU certainly did not have many tricks in their bag against Florida, but it’s fun to say and the Gators forced eight fumbles on the night, recovering five.
Florida’s defensive front started off the year rough, but that unit has been the key over the past month. Creating pressure against a true freshman quarterback who likes to take off is a tried and true recipe for manifesting havoc, and that’s exactly what happened Saturday night.
Eight sacks, 14 tackles for loss and just one touchdown allowed. What a night for the defense.
Shout out to long snapper [autotag]Rocco Underwood[/autotag] for getting downfield and recovering a muffed punt on special teams, too.
Lagway a bit off, RBs clean up
This was not DJ Lagway’s best game, but the Gators didn’t need it to be to get the win. Getting [autotag]Montrell Johnson Jr[/autotag]. back has been huge, and both [autotag]Jadan Baugh[/autotag] and [autotag]Ja’Kobi Jackson[/autotag] are still doing just fine.
It’s only right for the guy who came over with Billy Napier and returned for his senior year despite being a draft prospect to get the lion’s share of important carries, and Johnson made the most of his 10 against Florida State with 99 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown to put the game out of reach in the fourth quarter.
In fact, Johnson ran so well that Napier could afford to spread the love and get Baugh and Jackson 10 or more carries. Baugh ran it enough late to creep up to 81 yards and led the room with 11 carries. All three rushers finished the night with more than five yards per carry — Johnson at 9.9, Baugh at 7.4 and Jackson at 5.1.
The running backs room in Gainesville is loaded with talent, and everyone but Johnson will be back next season.
Not the best night for Florida receivers
Florida’s passing attack suffered throughout the game, but it’s not all on the quarterback. Yes, Lagway was a bit off, but the bulk of the incompletions tonight can be put on the receivers. Several players dropped balls that hit their hands, and that can’t happen in a rivalry game.
Lagway’s lone interception is a result of a miscommunication by the receivers, too. Veteran guys like [autotag]Elijhah Badger[/autotag], [autotag]Chimere Dike[/autotag] and even Marcus Burke are supposed to make things easier for a true freshman, but Lagway didn’t get much help from them.
Badger and Dike get a pass because they’ve been solid for most of the season, though. It was just a rough night for that group.
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