Florida Gators

THE QUICK SLANT
No. 16 FLORIDA STATE 45, FLORIDA 38  


WHAT HAPPENED: Florida State RB Trey Benson scored on a 17-yard run with 4:06 left to play as the host Seminoles withstood a late rally by the Gators to win 45-38 on Friday night at sold-out Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee. The Gators (6-6) fell behind 38-24 after three quarters, but a 1-yard TD run by Montrell Johnson Jr. and a 45-yard scoring dash by Trevor Etienne tied the game 38-38 with 7:41 remaining. The No. 16-ranked Seminoles (9-3) answered with a seven-play, 65-yard drive that ended with Benson's TD run. Benson rushed for 111 yards and three scores. Still, the Gators drove to FSU's 26 on their final possession, but on fourth-and-12, QB Anthony Richardson faced immediate pressure and had to throw the ball into the end zone, where it fell incomplete. The combined 83 points are the most in the rivalry's storied history, which dates to 1958. FSU scored 17 unanswered points in the third quarter, capped by a 6-yard TD pass from QB Jordan Travis to Kentron Poitier that put the Seminoles ahead 38-24. The turnaround stunned the Gators after a back-and-forth first half. Richardson, despite a UF receivers corps missing five regulars due to injury, threw three TD passes in the opening half, and K Adam Mihalek booted a 41-yard FG as Florida entered halftime with a 24-21 lead. Richardson connected with WR Ricky Pearsall for a pair of scores, the first a 52-yard strike in the first quarter 16 seconds after FSU scored the game's first TD. Richardson added a 12-yard TD pass to TE Jonathan Odom later in the quarter to put Florida up 14-7. FSU responded this time with a 29-yard touchdown run by Travis, who escaped a heavy rush and danced his way down the sideline. Once again, Richardson found Pearsall, this time for a 43-yard TD that put the Gators back in front, 21-14, with 9:25 left before halftime. Pearsall finished with five receptions for a career-high 148 yards and two scores. However, the Seminoles answered with another spectacular run by Travis. The Gators blitzed on third-and-10 with FSU at their 11, and Travis avoided four defenders in the backfield, broke from the pocket, and raced to the 1-yard line where he was ruled down. Travis scored on the next play as FSU tied the game 21-21 with 5:44 to play in the first half.
 
WHAT IT MEANS: Florida's three-game win streak over the Seminoles is over. FSU had not beaten the Gators since 2017. The Gators lost their final two regular-season games on the road at Vanderbilt and Florida State, giving first-year coach Billy Napier a 6-6 record in his first regular season. The Gators will try to win a bowl game to finish on a positive note.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The quarterback matchup between Florida's Anthony Richardson and FSU's Jordan Travis was worth the price of admission. Richardson threw three touchdowns in the first half and was 5 of 7 for 151 yards at the break. However, Richardson threw 11 consecutive incomplete passes at one point in the second half to finish 9 of 27 for 198 yards, 3 TDs and 1 INT. He added 41 yards on 10 carries. Travis completed only 43 percent of his passes (13 of 30, 270 yards, 1 TD), but he did not toss an interception and was exceptional with his feet. Travis rushed 15 times for 83 yards and two TDs. The Gators finished with 460 yards of total offense, FSU had 497.

STAGGERING STATISTIC: In the troublesome third quarter for the Gators, they managed minus-2 yards of total offense on their first three drives of the second half (nine plays). The Seminoles gained 162 yards on their first three drives, each ending with a score.

UP NEXT: The Gators, who became bowl eligible by beating South Carolina at home two weeks ago, now must wait to hear their postseason destination next weekend. They finished the regular season 6-6 for the second year in a row and will need a bowl win to finish with a winning record.