Saturday, September 17, 2022 | Football, Chris Harry
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By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer
THE QUICK SLANT
No. 18 FLORIDA 31, SOUTH FLORIDA 28
WHAT HAPPENED: USF kicker Spencer Shrader missed a 49-yard field goal with 23 seconds left and the 18th-ranked Gators got out of Spurrier/Florida Field with a victory in a game Saturday night that easily could have gone the mega-underdog Bulls' way. The snap on the game-tying kick attempt from Bryce Bernard was just fine, but holder Andrew Beardall fumbled the exchange and Shrader didn't get a clean swing at the ball, which was wide to the right and short. It was the second fortuitous snap for Florida in three plays. Two snaps earlier, USF was at the UF 18 with 44 seconds to go — with a chance to win the game with a touchdown — but Bulls center Brad Cecil grounded a snap past quarterback Gerry Bohanon for a 14-yard loss that, eventually, made Shrader's field goal all the longer, all the more difficult. Florida survived despite two second-half interceptions by sophomore quarterback Anthony Richardson, the first leading to a South Florida touchdown (and two-point conversion) that cut the Gators' lead to just three, and the second coming on a throw into the end zone on a first-and-goal from the USF 5 and the home team trailing 28-24. The Bulls, though, gave the ball right back when Bohanon overthrew his intended receiver and defensive back Tre'Vez Johnson made a diving interception at the USF 28. FourTrevor Etienneruns later the Gators were in the end zone and leading 31-28 with 5:05 to play, setting up the final frantic drive. The Bulls came as 24-point underdogs and with just one win over an FBS team in 21 tries the last three seasons. They left having out-gained the Gators in total offense 402 yards to 329, including 286 on the ground, led by tailback Brian Battie's 17 carries, 150 yards and one score, plus another 102 on 15 carries and a score from Bohanon. Richardson had a second straight uneven game, finishing 10 of 18 for 112 yards, no touchdowns and the two interceptions, and only rushed seven times for 24 yards. UF, though, still ran for 217 yards and three scores, led by sophomore Montrell Johnson Jr.'s six carries and 103 yards. Florida twice trailed in the first half, but rallied back and even opened a 24-10 lead late in the second quarter after sophomore cornerback Jalen Kimberreturned a Bohanon interception 39 yards for a score. The Bulls, though, scored the next 18 points, bridging the halves with aShrader 49-yard field goal with 10 seconds to go and then capitalizing on a Richardson interception on UF's opening second-half possession. Linebacker Dwayne Boyles went 37 yards on the return to set up a six-yard scoring run by Bohanon that was followed by a two-point conversion that closed the UF lead to 24-21. The Gators, meanwhile, went without a first down on its first three possessions after intermission, which allowed the Bulls to surge in front with an 11-play, 51-yard drive finished off by a 1-yard run by tailback Michel Dukes for a 28-24 lead with 11:14 to go. Then came the crazy final 11-plus minutes.
Tailback Nay'Quan Wright scores on a 7-yard run in the second quarter Saturday night. (Photo: Courtney Culbreath/UAA Communications)
WHAT IT MEANS: A second win. That's pretty much it. It certainly wasn't the confidence-building kind of night Richardson and the Gators needed after last week's home loss to Kentucky.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: It's clear, after Richardson's big night in the season-opening upset of then-No. 7 Utah, that defenses are not going to let the Florida quarterback beat them on the ground, so the Gators might as well lean on those three very talented tailbacks to eat up rushing yards. Johnson, the sophomore transfer who followed CoachBilly Napier from Louisiana, Etienne, the collegiate rookie, and Nay'Quan Wright , the redshirt sophomore coming off season-ending foot surgery, combined for 20 carries, 196 yards (that's 9.8 per attempt) and each scored a touchdown.
STAGGERING STATISTIC: The Gators have gone their first three games of the season without a touchdown pass (versus four interceptions). We'll get back to you on the last time that's happened. Actually, we'll get back to you when we find out the last time they went 12 consecutive quarters during any season without a touchdown pass.
UP NEXT: Florida (2-1) steps back into Southeastern Conference play next weekend with a trip to Knoxville, Tenn., where the Volunteers (3-0) will get their latest crack at trying to reverse a maddening series trend for the Rocky Top faithful. UF has won 16 of the previous 17 against UT, dating to the 2005 season, with the lone loss coming in 2016. The Vols, who last week won at No. 18 Pittsburgh, massacred Akron 63-6 Saturday night to stay unbeaten.
