Gators Run Over Gamecocks On Way To Bowl Eligibility

Saturday, November 12

Gainesville, Fla.

4 p.m.

Florida Gators

6-4 , 3-4

South Carolina

6-4 , 3-4

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

South Carolina

Florida

Offensive lineman Austin Barber lifts freshman running back Trevor Etienne following Etienne's 85-yard touchdown run in Florida's 21-point first quarter on Saturday against South Carolina. (Photo: Maddie Washburn/UAA Communications)

Gators Run Over Gamecocks On Way To Bowl Eligibility

Saturday, November 12, 2022 | Football, Scott Carter

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Gators billed Saturday's matchup against South Carolina as their annual "Saluting Those Who Serve" game, a nod to military members and first responders for the risks they take to do their jobs.

Afterward, it was others saluting the Gators.

Florida played its finest game of the season from start to finish in dismantling the Gamecocks 38-6 in front of an announced crowd of 89,454 at sold-out Ben Hill Griffin Stadium for the regular-season home finale. The Gators stormed out of the tunnel to a 21-0 lead barely 13 minutes into the game.

When it was over, a celebratory mood filled The Swamp on Senior Day as players, coaches and their families mingled for an extended stretch on Florida Field, basking in the moment on a pleasant November evening. Florida (6-4, 3-4) won its second straight game and avenged a miserable loss at South Carolina (6-4, 3-4) a season ago.

As a result, Florida became bowl eligible in its first season under head coach Billy Napier.

"You can't have a good football team unless you got some maturity amongst your seniors, some presence, some ownership, some leadership," Napier said. "We've got a handful of players in this group that I think have been difference-makers.

"It's certainly good that we were able to make a memory for that group — a positive memory."

They didn't waste any time.

South Carolina punted on its first three drives, while Florida marched into the end zone on its opening three series. Quarterback Anthony Richardson scored on a 3-yard run on the Gators' first possession, then threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Ricky Pearsall on the second drive.

Both scoring plays drew a roar from the crowd, but it was freshman running back Trevor Etienne's 85-yard touchdown dash that triggered pandemonium late in the first quarter. Richardson turned and handed the ball to Etienne, who broke through the right side of the line and was off to the races. The scoring run was the longest for a UF freshman running back since John L. Williams raced 86 yards for a score 40 years ago.

"It was a regular little play,'' starting right guard O'Cyrus Torrence said. "Etienne, I honestly didn't expect him to take it all the way because, on outside zone, I'm expecting it to hit outside. But when I felt him cut it inside and I saw him miss the backer, I'm like, 'he's going to the house.' Ain't no way somebody is going to catch him. It was just a good rub-round play, and everybody did their job. We had a hat-for-a-hat, and he had to make one person miss, and he did it."

After running for 291 yards last week at Texas A&M, the Gators dominated the Gamecocks on the ground, churning out a season-high 374 yards rushing. Montrell Johnson Jr. led the way with 161 yards and a touchdown, Etienne added 100 yards on eight carries and Richardson finished with 96 yards on 15 rushes.

Richardson had 102 yards rushing until he was sacked for a 6-yard loss in the fourth quarter, spoiling Florida's bid to have three 100-yard rushers in a single game for only the second time in school history.

Still, no one was hanging their heads about that after Florida's dominant win. The Gators held South Carolina to 237 yards, forced three turnovers, and accumulated 515 yards of total offense. Richardson finished 11 of 23 passing for 112 yards and two scores to win the quarterback battle with South Carolina's Spencer Rattler, who completed 18 of 26 for 145 yards and no touchdowns.

"We've been trying to get this going all year,'' Richardson said of the total team effort. "It's definitely a blessing for us. We're more than excited to be on the same page as a unit, as a team. We're thankful that we're doing it correctly. There's always things to improve on. We know that."

By the time the Gamecocks scored on a fake punt less than two minutes before halftime, Florida led 24-0 and was well on the way to sending the 19 seniors honored before the game out with a win in their final home game.

"I was just happy to see how they came out and dominated on defense, especially,'' said sixth-year senior linebacker Ventrell Miller, who finished with four tackles and two for loss. "I appreciate those boys for sending me out the right way."

during the Gators game against the South Carolina Gamecocks on Saturday, November 12, 2022 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Fla. / UAA Communications photo by Maddie Washburn — Defensive lineman **Desmond Watson** stiff arms South Carolina quarterback **Spencer Rattler** after his strip and fumble recovery in the third quarter, one of three Gamecocks' turnovers in the period. (Photo: **Maddie** **Washburn**/UAA Communications)

The Gators have not allowed an offensive touchdown in six consecutive quarters since trailing 24-20 at Texas A&M. The defensive turnaround, combined with Richardson's recent improvement and the decisive running game, has the Gators trending upward. They have an opportunity for a strong finish heading into next week's road game at Vanderbilt.

Napier attributed the team's improved play to the intangibles he has preached all season.

"There's an ownership that is different,'' he said. "I think the football is improving because the people are improving. I think that guys are playing the game with the right intent."

And, of course, averaging 332.5 yards rushing the past two games has helped.

"It's what we've done in the past. It's what we're good at,'' Napier said. "You've got to play to the strengths of your team. In this game in particular, if you take a look at how you beat South Carolina, you got to win the line of scrimmage and the edges. You got to rush the ball effectively, and you've got to stop the run. We certainly did that."

The Gators made believers out of Gamecocks coach Shane Beamer, who defeated Florida 40-17 in his first season in Columbia. The loss rocked the Gators, who entered the game as an 18-point favorite.

The Gamecocks were overmatched from the start Saturday, their only score coming when punter Kai Kroger threw a 48-yard touchdown pass to Dakereon Joyner on a fake punt. South Carolina turned the ball over three times in four snaps in the third quarter, negating any chance of a second-half comeback.

"When you can't run the ball, you can't stop the run, and you lose the turnover battle, that is going to happen," Beamer said. "Completely unacceptable. Disappointing, to say the least."

Meanwhile, in the home locker room, the mood was festive. The Gators seem to have their groove back after back-to-back losses to LSU and Georgia put their bowl aspirations in jeopardy.

That is no longer a concern.

"When you put that Gator logo on, nine times out of 10, you are going to make a bowl game," senior safety Trey Dean III said. "So, that's really second nature. When I signed my letter of intent, I knew I was going to be playing in a lot of big games."