When Saturday morning rolled around, many wondered exactly what type of performance we would see from a Gators football team that was forced to quarantine and cease all football activities for the last two weeks. For good reason, there was a lack of confidence from fans and analysts alike. Full disclosure, I didn’t think Florida would cover the 13.5 point spread that Vegas bookmakers had given them.
The defense had become a liability in the weeks before and understanding how such a disruption in the middle of the season could affect a team, it was perfectly understandable to expect a poor performance or even, God forbid, an upset. Confidence waned even more as game time approached, as Florida reported that they would be without 15 players, including 3 starters in the secondary.
However, someone forgot to tell this to the Gators. Although there was a little bit of rust, Florida found their rhythm and the defense turned in their best performance of the year. Grantham’s depleted defense flew to the ball, applied consistent pressure to the quarterback, and only allowed 3 third down conversions on 14 attempts. After weeks of struggling to get into opponents’ backfields, the Gators recorded 2 sacks and 5 tackles for loss. More than this, they were pitching a shutout until midway through the fourth quarter.
Brad Stewart, Jeremiah Moon, and Brenton Cox Jr. led the way for the defense. Stewart and Moon each had six tackles, while Moon added a sack to his total. Meanwhile, Cox asserted himself as a presence in the backfield all night, recording 5 tackles (1 for loss) and 3 QB hurries. On the evening, the Gators defense allowed 248 yards, most of which came late when the game was well in hand.
Although I’ve spent the entirety of this article gushing over the defense, the offense was just as spectacular. It just happens that the defense was such a wonderful surprise. If they can keep this level of play up, Florida will assert themselves as true contenders.
With that said, let’s shift to the offense. The time off clearly impacted the rhythm of the offense. Despite moving the ball easily on their first two possessions, Florida stalled when they got into the red zone, settling for a pair of Chris Howard field goals. They then found themselves trailing 7-6 after Kyle Trask’s arm was hit, causing a short and floating pass that was easily picked off and taken the distance by Jarvis Ware.
Despite the slow start, Florida kept playing their game. With four minutes remaining in the first half, the Gators took the lead and never looked back. Kyle Trask connected with Kadarius Toney on an electric 18-yard touchdown that left Mizzou defenders dizzy. Moments later, Brenton Cox Jr. recovered a fumble to give Florida another shot before the break.
The Gators wasted no time as Trask found Toney once again. This time, for a 30-yard touchdown that split the coverage in two. Indeed, the final four minutes of the first half proved to be one of the most action-packed four-minute periods in the history of football. Florida managed to get the ball back for a third possession and a hail-mary attempt to end the first half. On this play, Kyle Trask took a very late hit, which led to a team-wide brawl as the teams made their way off of the field.
As a result of the scuffle, three players were ejected from the game and likely face suspensions from the league office. Missouri’s Tre Williams and Florida’s Zach Carter and Antwuan Powell never returned from the locker rooms after video review showed the players exchanging blows.
The offensive fireworks continued once the Gators returned from the halftime break, as they capped off an 8-play 75-yard drive with a spectacular 16-yard end around by Toney. In addition to Toney’s career night, Kyle Trask set an SEC record for the most passing touchdowns through the first four games of a season. Even more impressive is the fact that Trask led the league in passing touchdowns before the two-week hiatus. When he returned on Saturday, he still led the league.
When it was all said and done, Kyle Trask finished the night completing 21 passes on 36 attempts for 345 yards, 4 touchdowns, and an interception. Despite having a relatively quiet night, Kyle Pitts still led all Gators receivers with 5 catches and 81 yards on 8 targets. Although he hasn’t put up the video game numbers that he began the season with, Pitts is still proving to be an incredible weapon for the Gators, as he commands the attention of defenders, freeing up one of the other playmakers to run free.
It remains to be seen what the extent of any disciplinary measures handed down from the SEC will be. But this performance bodes well for the Gators as they move forward. Not only did they win the game 41-17 and control the tone for the majority, they did so having endured unprecedented restrictions on their ability to practice and with a depleted roster. The thing is, we’ve still yet to see this team at full strength. That should make every Gator fan extremely happy as we wait for next week’s Cocktail Party.
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