Season Ends, Program Revamp Begins for Gators

The Florida-Florida State rivalry has turned one-sided this decade as the Seminoles won for the seventh time in eight meetings on Saturday. (Photo: Matt Stamey/UAA Communications)

Season Ends, Program Revamp Begins for Gators

Saturday, November 25, 2017 | Football, Scott Carter

After back-to-back SEC East titles, the Gators crash to 4-7 in 2017.

By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Interim head coach Randy Shannon arrived first. Then receiver Josh Hammond, followed by quarterback Feleipe Franks, linebacker David Reese, punter Johnny Townsend and, finally, running back Mark Thompson.

One by one the wounded Gators stepped in front of the cameras and microphones to try and make sense of their 38-22 loss to Florida State, to evaluate a season turned sour and fit only for the scrap pile to anyone wearing orange and blue Saturday.

Hammond perhaps summed up the mood underneath the south end zone stands best.

"It sucks," he said. "A lot of guys are really hurt. Seniors are really hurt."

The season that went nowhere but down, down, down finally reached its grave. The hype of Chompville and the opener against Michigan three months ago in Dallas is nothing more than a blur.

The Gators had a final opportunity Saturday to check out of 2017 with a victory, a chance to snap FSU's recent dominance in the Sunshine Showdown and restore order at The Swamp, where UF last beat the Seminoles in Tim Tebow's final home game eight years ago.

Not to be. Rather than a feel-good moment, more of the same as Florida (4-7) lost for the seventh time in the last eight meetings to FSU (5-6). The Seminoles have now won five in a row overall in the series – the first time they have ever done that – and four in a row in Gainesville.

It didn't matter that for only the second time in the rivalry's storied history, both schools entered with losing records. FSU was the better team, keeping its bid for a NCAA-best 36th consecutive bowl berth alive while prolonging the Gators' misery for another season.

"I think it's very motivating,'' Franks said of ending the season with another loss to FSU. "Obviously it's not the way we wanted to end it."

The start was just as bad.

47008 — Interim head coach Randy Shannon hugs senior receiver Brandon Powell on Senior Day. Powell caught a 4-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter from quarterback Feleipe Franks in his final game in a Florida uniform. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA Communications)

On the first play of the Gators' second possession, FSU's Brian Burns sacked Franks as he cocked his arm backward for a pass. The ball popped forward where it was picked up by defensive back Jacob Pugh and returned 16 yards for a touchdown with 10:52 left in the first quarter.

The Gators answered with a turnover of their own when cornerback Duke Dawson picked off a deflected James Blackman pass and returned it to FSU's 24. Three plays later, Thompson scored on a 10-yard run to tie the game.

The Seminoles reeled off the next 17 points to seize control in the second quarter. Franks, who threw three interceptions, lost a fumble and was sacked five times, was beaten up and beaten down in the period until a late touchdown pass to Brandon Powell 29 seconds before halftime.

The Gators closed to within 24-16 on Eddy Pineiro's field goal late in the third quarter but never got any closer. The last two years following a loss to FSU the Gators could take solace in knowing they were headed to Atlanta to play in the SEC Championship Game.

Not this year.

"Though the records aren't what they have been before, Florida State vs. Florida means a lot,'' FSU coach Jimbo Fisher said. "I'm very proud of our kids for competing in the game. Our offense played well and our defense played outstanding, creating opportunities for our team to score points."

While the Seminoles departed town with their bowl aspirations intact, Florida retreated toward an offseason of uncertainty.

Florida Athletic Director Scott Stricklin continues his search for the program's next head coach following the midseason departure of Jim McElwain and Shannon's four-game run as interim head coach.

Shannon did the best he could with a depleted roster missing more than 25 scholarship players due to injuries and suspensions down the stretch.

"Didn't come out the way we wanted it to be,'' Shannon said Saturday. "The one thing I will say about these guys is they kept playing hard."

If not for last week's 36-7 win over UAB, the Gators would have lost their final seven games. Instead, they dropped six of their final seven following a 3-1 start. Florida sat atop the SEC East on Oct. 7 when LSU, fresh off a stunning home loss to Troy, paid a visit. Florida lost 17-16 and proceeded to lose its final five conference games.

Another loss to FSU won't help on the recruiting trail when the new coach takes over, but the Gators are young on offense and defense. They have plenty of holes to fill, too.

"We are definitely going to rise,'' Franks said. "We can't get any lower."

That's what Gator Nation thought after a 4-8, injury riddled season in 2013 that delivered the program's first losing record in 34 years. It took just four years and two coaching changes for another losing season.

The Gators are where the Seminoles were in their final years under Bobby Bowden. FSU was down and the Gators dominated, winning six in a row over FSU from 2004-09.

Fisher reversed the cycle, beating UF coaches Urban Meyer, Will Muschamp, McElwain and Shannon in recent years.

The Gators' next head coach has a big challenge ahead in taking the Gators back to the top. A good step in the right direction is to beat FSU.

"It's Florida. We're going to be back,'' Reese said. "We're the Gators and we're going to get somebody to come in and be great for us."

The sooner the better.