Gators GameDay: No. 8 Florida 20, Florida Atlantic 14 (final/overtime)

Saturday, November 21

Gainesville, FL

12:00 PM

Florida Gators

10-1 , 7-1

Florida Atlantic

2-9 , 2-5

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Florida Atlantic

Florida

Gators GameDay: No. 8 Florida 20, Florida Atlantic 14 (final/overtime)

Sunday, November 22, 2015 | Football

Box Score

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- No. 8 Florida earned a 20-14 overtime victory over Florida Atlantic on a 13-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Treon Harris to redshirt senior tight end Jake McGee on Saturday in The Swamp. The Gators complete the regular season by hosting No. 14 Florida State next Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN.

The Owls (2-9) had blocked the extra point to keep their deficit at six points and the Gators (10-1) forced three straight incompletions from the 12-yard line to complete the contest. Head coach Jim McElwain now has the most wins by any first-year Florida football coach.

FAU won the coin toss prior to overtime and elected to go on defense first. A 9-yard quarterback draw by Harris was followed by a 3-yard rush by junior Kelvin Taylor (25 carries, 98 yards, one TD) down to the 13-yard line. From there, Harris connected on a sideline route to McGee, who powered his way past a couple of defenders into the end zone for his fourth TD of the campaign. The Owls blocked the point-after attempt by redshirt junior Austin Hardin to set the stage for the game's final possession.

FAU had tied the game with 8:03 remaining in regulation when freshman Ocie Rose pounced on a fumble in the end zone after Harris was hit by junior Trey Hendrickson inside of the 9-yard line. The extra point by junior Greg Joseph tied the contest.

With the Owls at midfield and the clock nearing the five-minute mark, redshirt sophomore Nick Washington forced a fumble by redshirt senior quarterback Jaquez Johnson that was recovered by redshirt junior Marcus Maye. It was the third turnover that Florida claimed on the afternoon.

With the Gators driving at the outset of the fourth, FAU senior Sharrod Neasman picked off Harris in the endzone to snuff out a potential scoring drive. However, Florida's defense came up with an interception soon after by sophomore Jalen Tabor at the 21-yard line to set up the hosts in prime field position. The Gators came away empty-handed when Hardin misfired on a 34-yard field goal attempt wide right.

Trailing 14-0, the Owls had edged closer with 2:06 remaining in the third on a 10-yard touchdown pass on third down and 10 from Johnson to redshirt sophomore Kalib Woods to complete a nine-play, 75-yard scoring drive. The teams had been scoreless at the break.

The Gators had taken a two-touchdown lead with 5:34 remaining in the third quarter on a 53-yard scoring strike from Harris to freshman Antonio Callaway and a successful extra point by Hardin. The drive covered 91 yards in four plays and marked Callaway's fourth TD reception of the campaign.

A forced fumble on a hit by senior Antonio Morrison and a 48-yard fumble return by sophomore Taven Bryan set up a one-yard touchdown run by Taylor as the Gators opened the scoring with 9:44 left in the third quarter.

The Owls had a first and 10 at the Gators' 41-yard line, but redshirt freshman quarterback Jason Driskel, the younger brother of former Gator signal-caller Jeff, was blindsided by Morrison and the ball squirted free. Bryan rumbled down the field just outside of the end zone and Taylor notched his 13th rushing touchdown of the year two plays later.

In the first half, each team missed a field goal, there were nine punts, and on third downs, the Gators were 0-for-6 and the Owls were 1-for-7. Through two quarters, redshirt sophomore Johnny Townsend averaged 48.6 yards over his five punts for Florida, with four inside of the 20 and a pair longer than 50 yards, and FAU held a 150-69 advantage in total offense.

Although a 52-yard punt return by Callaway moved the Gators down to the 18-yard line in the second quarter, a 33-yard field goal attempt by Hardin hit the left upright. On FAU's ensuing possession, the Owls moved 51 yards in 10 plays before Joseph missed a 45-yard field goal wide right to keep the game scoreless.

Florida had received the opening kickoff and picked up back-to-back first downs on completions by Harris to Taylor (12 yards) and McGee (11 yards). However, the drive stalled when the Owls registered consecutive sacks of Harris and forced a 49-yard punt by Townsend. Plagued by four penalties, FAU then had seven plays for 14 yards before punting.

On its second possession, Florida used a pair of runs by Taylor to reach the Owls' 36-yard line before the drive stalled and Townsend was called upon. After FAU was pinned at their own 10-yard line, Driskel took over under center. With the Owls facing a fourth down and six from the 29, redshirt junior Dalton Schomp faked the punt and rushed up the middle for 12 yards to extend the drive. The Gator defense stiffened and a seven-yard sack of Driskel by junior Jarrad Davis was the final play of the first quarter.