Four hidden plays from the 1st half that led Florida Football to victory over UCF

Florida Football beat UCF 24-13 on Saturday inside The Swamp. There were some key plays, like Jack Pyburn getting a 4th and 1 stop and DJ Lagway delivering a strike to Chimere Dike that helped propel the Gators to the win.

But there were also some plays that flew under the radar that proved to be just as important.

The following are four hidden plays from the first half that were vital in Florida's win.

Florida Ball, 2nd and 10 on UCF 36, 10:33 left in the 1st Quarter

The reality of this game is that Billy Napier's playing calling wasn't any different than what we have seen during his tenure in Gainesville and this play on Florida's opening drive highlights just that.

Florida sent four guys out on curl/hitch routes. All four options basically ran 5-12 yards down the field independently of each other and then turned to face Graham Mertz.

UCF was not fooled and had it covered and the only option for Mertz was a check down to Montrell Johnson five yards behind the line of scrimmage. Johnson was also accounted for and could have been tackled for a loss to set up 3rd and 15.

Instead, Johnson made his guy miss and gained 7 yards to set up 3rd and 3.

UCF Ball, 2nd and 7 on UF 9 yard line, 2:47 left in the 1st Quarter

We had said coming into the game that Florida's ability to stiffen up the red zone was going to dictate their fate because we had concerns about their ability to limit explosive plays.

On the first drive that prophecy played out as UCF marched right down the field and was nine yards away from a touchdown of their own.

On 2nd and 7, KJ Jefferson held a long play action, and the intention was for their tight end along the right side to block and release.

A lot of teams run plays like this, and even in the NFL, this play has a tendency to leave a wide-open tight end for the touchdown.

But credit to Pup Howard on this play, who was not fooled and followed the tight end into the endzone, forcing Jefferson to chuck it out of bounds.

UCF had to settle for a field goal after also failing on 3rd and 7.

UCF Ball, 1st and 10 on the UCF 24, 12:44 left in the 2nd Quarter

Coming off Lagway's bomb to Dike and the subsequent Ja'Kobi Jackson touchdown run, Florida was up 14-3, and there was belief starting to creep in Florida could turn this into a blowout if the defense could get another stop.

On UCF's first play of the drive, they attemtped a double reverse that had the makings of a huge gain if it had made it to the outside.

But Aaron Gates stayed home along the right edge, fought through a block attempt by Jefferson, and stopped the play for a loss.

UCF would go three and out on the drive.

Florida Ball, 3rd and 10 on the UCF 27, 3:33 left in the 2nd Quarter

Sometimes a play that didn't "count" still holds value.

On this play, Mertz is flushed out after a failed screen attempt, extended the play, and eventually found Elijhah Badger on a low throw that Badger was able to scoop up for a catch near the 1st down marker.

The play was called back due to an ineligible man downfield as a result of the failed screen, but by making the catch it at least gave Florida 3rd and 15 rather than 4th and 10.

Mertz would draw UCF offside on the next sequence to bring it back to 3rd and 10 before finding Dike for 1st down.

The drive would then finish with Johnson doing his best Michael Jordan Stretch Armstrong impression from Space Jam to make it 21-3.