Florida Football: Gators run out of steam, fall to Seminoles
![Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier collars at the officials during first half action as Florida takes on Florida State at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, November 25, 2023. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2F435b3dc9fb7860030c1fdf714100855f187e6daa4bbd78fd12f485f1afbbfc2b.jpg "Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier collars at the officials during first half action as Florida takes on Florida State at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, November 25, 2023. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]")
With bowl eligibility on the line and an offseason of perception to follow, Florida football came out fired up and determined to derail Florida State’s playoff dreams.
But as has been the case all November, the Gators just couldn’t find a way over the finish line and fell to the Seminoles 24-15 inside The Swamp on Saturday night.
Florida Football: It’s how you finish
Florida’s first drive was a near-perfect recipe for dialing up an upset. The Gators went 13 plays with Max Brown in command and drove down to the 21-yard line before a nine-yard loss set up a 48-yard miss from Trey Smack.
FSU, with Tate Rodemaker under center, couldn’t get anything to start. Their first drive was a three-and-out, and on its ensuing drive, the Gators once again marched 13 plays. The drive was aided by a questionable roughing the passer call, and two plays later, Montrell Johnson found his way to the endzone.
The Seminoles followed it up with another three and out, and Florida took advantage to up 10-0. Following a safety to go up 12-0, Florida football had everything it needed to deliver a first-half dagger when Trevor Etienne took the ensuing kickoff to the FSU 46.
It all went south from there for the Gators. Billy Napier dialed up a long developing trick play that led to an intentional grounding and a failed drive ending in a punt.
On its next drive, Florida’s Jamari Lyons was ejected for spitting, granting FSU another 15-yards. The Seminoles would complete the drive to make it 12-7 before the half.
It all went south
The second half was another case of close but no cigar for the Gators. FSU came out of halftime and took the lead on its first drive. The Gators did retake the lead with another Smack field goal, but it would be the last point the Gators would score.
Florida and FSU traded punts twice before FSU engineered a drive to take a 17-15 lead with 7:17 left. Another punt by the Gators and the Seminoles put the game away with a seven-play touchdown drive, aided by a third-down unnecessary roughness call when the Gators hit Rodemaker while going for a slide.
The loss cements Florida’s record at 5-7 and means the Gators will not go bowling for the first time since 2017.