FSU Seminoles running back Trey Benson (3) scores a touchdown against the Florida Gators during their football game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023. (Gabriel Velasquez Neira/WRUF)

Gator Football Drops Season Finale In Frustrating 24-15 Loss To FSU

Jack Meyer November 26, 2023 College Football, Feature Sports News, Gators Football, SEC 1,905 Views

The Florida Gators 2023 football season can be summarized in five words: “So close, yet so far.” Their heartbreaking season finale against the Florida State Seminoles on Saturday night all but confirmed this mantra.

The Gators came up short in a closely contested 24-15 loss to finish off their 2023 campaign. The defeat eliminated any remaining chance of a bowl game berth for the Gators, who finish the year at 5-7. The Seminoles, on the other hand, moved to 12-0 and clinched their first undefeated regular season since 2014.

In what had previously been deemed “The Battle of the Backup Quarterbacks,” neither offensive shot caller saw much success on Saturday night. Gators quarterback Max Brown completed 9 of his 16 passes for 86 yards and zero touchdowns. He also threw a last-minute interception to all but seal the game. On the ground, Brown rushed for -5 yards on 15 carries. Meanwhile, Florida State’s Tate Rodemaker went 12-for-25 for 134 yards and no touchdowns or interceptions.

Montrell Johnson Jr. served as Florida’s main source of offense, finishing the night with 107 yards and one touchdown on 15 carries. Johnson Jr. was the only Gator to record at least 40 yards of offense. Eugene Wilson III led the receiving corps with three catches for 36 yards. Ricky Pearsall, who has served as UF’s top receiver this season, finished with just one catch on the night.

Florida State running back Trey Benson dominated against Florida’s defense all night long. Benson ran for 95 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries. Wide receiver Johhny Wilson chipped in with six catches for 64 yards.

An Offensive Stalemate To Kick Things Off

Florida got off to a less-than-ideal start on their opening drive. Wilson kept the chains moving for the Gators with a pair of crucial third-down catches, but the rest of the offense could not keep up. Brown led the Gators all the way down to the FSU 21-yard line, but after a screen pass to Trevor Etienne went awry and lost nine yards, Trey Smack missed a 48-yard field goal to cap off a shaky start.

The Gators’ defense, however, looked more than alive when they took the field for the first time. On the Seminoles’ opening drive, Florida forced an immediate three-and-out.

On drive number two, Florida’s offense eventually found its groove. After another pair of clutch third-down conversions, Brown hit Hayden Hansen in stride on a 24-yard dot to land in the red zone. The Seminoles initially stopped the Gators in their tracks with a massive sack on a third-and-goal, but the play was negated by a personal foul penalty.

Instead, Johnson Jr. cruised into the end zone two plays later on a five-yard rushing touchdown. After a scoreless first period from both sides, the Gators struck first and took a 7-0 lead less than 30 seconds into the second quarter.

Gators Making Plays On Both Sides Of The Ball

The Florida defense continued its reign of dominance, forcing another quick three-and-out for the Seminole offense. For a brief moment, however, Florida State appeared to have turned the game back on its head. On fourth down, the Seminoles appeared to have executed a successful fake punt to secure their first first down of the game.

Yet once again, FSU fell victim to a costly penalty that erased a game-changing play. This time, it was a delay of game, and the Seminoles had to actually punt the ball away. Etienne kicked off the subsequent Gators drive with two carries for 21 yards to immediately plant Florida back in the red zone, but the offense stalled out from there. Smack came back onto the field and nailed a 35-yard field goal, extending UF’s lead to 10-0.

After each side went three-and-out in their subsequent drives, Florida pinned FSU inside their own 10-yard line on a 62-yard punt from Jeremy Crawshaw. Facing a third-and-long, Rodemaker backed away from his offensive line as he searched for an open receiver. Instead, he was greeted by Princely Umanmielen and Derek Wingo, who combined to drag him down inside his own end zone. Safety. The crowd roared as Umanmielen and Wingo celebrated their two-point contribution to Florida’s lead, which now sat at 12-0.

Florida State Begins To Crawl Back

The Seminoles finally found their offensive rhythm late in the second quarter. Rodemaker found Jaheim Bell wide-open in the middle of the field for a 29-yard gain. He followed that big play up with another one later in the drive, finding Johnny Wilson on a 14-yard sideline snag to make it first-and-goal. Benson finished off the Seminoles’ scoring drive with a one-yard rushing touchdown.

Not to be outdone, Johnson Jr. responded with a massive 52-yard run to flip the field for the Gators. But Florida could not capitalize on the big play. Smack missed a 52-yard field goal in the final seconds of the first half, and UF’s lead remained 12-7.

Florida State’s offense came out of the locker room firing on all cylinders for the second half. After a pair of deep throws from Rodemaker put FSU back into Gators’ territory, Benson broke through Florida’s defense for a 36-yard touchdown. The Seminoles had their first lead of the night, as the score now sat at 14-12.

Nevertheless, the Gators refused to let the game slip away that easily. Facing a third-and-12, Pearsall made an impressive 17-yard catch to keep the chains moving. Johnson Jr. followed him up with a 21-yard blast through the Seminoles defensive line for another first down. After back-to-back small gains for UF, Brown juked his way to a 10-yard first down run of his own. The Gators’ run game fizzled out from there, but Smack drilled a 37-yard field goal to reclaim the lead for UF.

When It All Falls Down For The Gators

Florida’s defensive line got right back to work on the following drive. Desmond Watson blew past the Seminoles’ offensive line for an eight-yard sack on second down. On the following play, Caleb Banks got to Rodemaker right as he threw the ball away for a QB hurry to force an incompletion on third down.

By the end of the third quarter, the game had reverted to a defensive standoff. Both offenses had traded four consecutive punts by the 13-minute mark in quarter number four. The Seminoles finally broke through after Rodemaker found Ja’Khi Douglas on a 10-yard dime to convert on a pivotal fourth down. Florida State eventually knocked in a 19-yard field goal to reclaim the lead.

With 7:17 left on the clock, Brown and the Gators had an opportunity to put together a game-changing drive. But instead, things quickly went south. On first down, Brown went down on a seven-yard sack. He followed that up with an incompletion (and near interception) on second down. Brown attempted to weave through the Seminoles’ defensive line on third down, but instead, he was swiftly wrapped up for another sack. Just like that, Florida had once again gone three-and-out.

In his post-game remarks, Brown took responsibility for the team’s struggles in dealing with Florida State’s pass rush. He also noted that he hopes to improve his ability to read opposing defenses down the road.

Things only got worse when Florida State’s offense retook the field. Gators cornerback Jaydon Hill racked up back-to-back penalties that gave the Seminoles automatic first downs. Early in the drive, Hill was flagged for pass interference on a third-and-10. Three plays later, he was charged with targeting for a late hit on Rodemaker. Rodemaker briefly exited the game as a result of the play, while Hill was ejected for the hit.

Florida linebacker Teradja Mitchell acknowledged the defense’s lapses in discipline as the game went on.

“I think it all comes down to, like I said, execution,” Mitchell said. “We have to execute and we have to be disciplined, and at times, we failed to be disciplined and we failed to execute. That goes back to what I was saying, we have to continue to buy in to what the coaches implement in practice, and we have to execute in those moments.”

Seminoles Put The Game On Ice

Following Rodemaker’s injury, the Seminoles went right back to their ground game. Benson cruised through the Florida defense with ease for his third touchdown of the night. By the time Benson somersaulted into the end zone, the fat lady was singing as loud as ever.

The true dagger came when Florida got the ball back for what ended up as their final drive. After an incompletion and two more sacks for Brown, the Gators faced a fourth and 20 with less than two minutes to go. Brown threw the ball down the middle of the field and directly into the hands of Florida State defensive back Kalen Deloach. From there, the game was all but over. Final score: Seminoles 24, Gators 15.

Gator coach Billy Napier voiced his disappointment with the final result of the game, but above all else, his shared sorrow with the team’s seniors. He emphasized how much value Florida’s veterans have brought to the locker room throughout the season and that their impact on (and off) the field will be missed.

With their 2023 campaign now officially having come to a close, the Gators have already begun to shift their attention towards next year. All eyes will be on Napier and his staff this offseason as they prepare for what will likely be a make-or-break 2024 season.

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About Jack Meyer

Jack Meyer is a third-year student at the University of Florida. He is majoring in Journalism and specializing in Sports and Media.

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