The Quick Slant: Florida 36, Virginia 28 (Instant Breakdown)
Monday, December 30, 2019 | Football, Chris Harry
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By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer
THE QUICK SLANT
No. 9 FLORIDA 36, No. 24 VIRGINIA 28
WHAT HAPPENED: Senior tailbackLamical Perine rushed for a career-high 138 yards and scored three touchdowns, Evan McPherson kicked three field goals and their UF defensive mates tightened up after a tough start Monday night against dynamic Cavaliers quarterback Bryce Perkins in the ninth-ranked Gators' defeat of the 24th-ranked Cavaliers in the Orange Bowl at Miami Gardens. True freshman cornerback Kaiir Elam's interception of Perkins at the UF 3 with 5:11 remaining in the game helped preserve a two-possession Florida lead and prevented what easily could have been some late-game drama at Hard Rock Stadium. Instead, the Gators turned that turnover into a clock-killing drive that ended with a 42-yard McPherson field goal and 15-point lead with 2:32 remaining. Perkins led the Cavs to a touchdown with his fourth scoring toss of the game with 38 seconds to go, but UF's Freddie Swain recovered the ensuing onsides kick to preserve the win. Perine, the 5-foot-11, 218-pounder from Mobile, Ala., was named the game Most Outstanding Player after sandwiching first-half scoring runs of 61 and 10 yards around a 16-yard TD reception from Kyle Trask that along with a 23-yard field goal by McPherson had the Gators up 24-14 at halftime. Perkins, who finished 28 of 40 for 323 yards, drew the Cavs closer with his third touchdown toss of the game, a 7-yarder to Joe Reed early in the fourth quarter. Florida, though, answered with a seven-play, 65-yard scoring drive that appeared to end when Perine scored on a 24-yard run for what would have been his fourth TD. Upon review, though, officials ruled Perine's toe touched out of bounds at the 1. On the next play, Trask added to his 305 yards and one TD passing with a 1-yard scoring run that put his team up by 12. On the ensuing Virginia possession, Perkins drove the Cavs to the Florida 17 before Elam's interception ended the threat.
Senior tailback Lamical Perine (2) scores a second-quarter touchdown, his second of score of the game, Monday night against Virginia. (Photo: Paige Santiago/UAA Communications).
WHAT IT MEANS: The 2019 Gators joined UF teams from 1993, '95, '96, 2006, '08, '09 and '12 as the only ones in UF history to win 11 games in a season. Coach Dan Mullen and his players celebrated a 10-win campaign following last year's blowout of Michigan in the Peach Bowl; especially after it followed a 4-7 debacle in Jim McElwain's final (half) season. So 11 and a second straight New Year's Six bowl victory represents remarkable progress, the likes of which Mullen and the program can build on.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Perine didn't have the big senior year many projected for him. Yes, his 538 rushing yards led the team, but the Gators finished last in the SEC in rushing. He made up for some lost time on a very big stage, carrying 13 times for 138 yards and two scores, and catching five passes for 43 yards and a touchdown. How 'bout this achievement? In the history of Florida football only two players have scored a touchdown rushing and receiving in the same bowl game: Perine and a fellow by the name of Percy Harvin, who did it in the 2008 Capital One Bowl against Michigan. Perine did it Saturday night for the second time. He had a 5-yard reception and 53-yard run for scores in last year's Peach Bowl blowout of Michigan, then did pulled it off again against the Cavaliers. Two mega-efforts in two New Year's Six bowls. Nice way to exit a career.
STAGGERING STATISTIC: Florida rushed for 189 yards in the first half. If the game had ended then, that would have been the second-highest ground game total of the season, behind the 231 cranked out in a 45-0 shutout of FBS opponent Tennessee-Martin back on Sept. 7. UF finished with 244 yards on 34 attempts for an average of 7.2 per attempt.
UP NEXT: The Gators (11-2) will head into the offseason (and Year 3 under Mullen) with a ton of momentum and a 21-5 record at Florida over the last two seasons to flaunt during the next recruiting cycle. Florida will open the 2020 season at home Sept. 5 against Eastern Washington.
