After more than a month of frustration, anger and pain, the Gators are finally back in the win column.
Though their defense was horrendous, they defeated Samford (4-6, 3-4 SoCon), 70-52, on Saturday afternoon in the Swamp.
Here is our instant recap.
How the game was won
Trailing 42-35 at halftime, the Gators finally played with some fire and focus in the third quarter.
Emory Jones’ completions of 16 yards to Kemore Gamble and 14 yards to Jacob Copeland advanced the ball into Bulldogs’ territory. Jones scrambled to his right and found a wide-open Malik Davis in the flat. Davis caught the ball, evaded a few defenders and scored a 49-yard touchdown.
Reserve safety Mordecai McDaniel then intercepted Liam Welch on the ensuing possession.
A 26-yard pass from Jones to Dameon Pierce and a 14-yard completion to Justin Shorter that converted a third down got the Gators into scoring position quickly. Jones connected with Gamble on a play-action to the left for a 7-yard touchdown that gave the Gators their first lead of the game.
After UF stopped Welch on a quarterback draw on fourth-and-2 at the Florida 47, Jones threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Pierce over the middle of the field to give the Gators some breathing room heading into the fourth quarter.
They needed every bit of that breathing room as things tightened up early in the fourth quarter,
Player of the Game
Emory Jones
Jones had the best game of his career, albeit with the caveat that it came against an FCS defense. He completed 28 of 34 passes for 464 yards and a career-high six touchdowns. It was the first time in his career that he surpassed 300 passing yards in a game.
He also added 86 yards and a touchdown on the ground. In doing so, he broke Tim Tebow’s school record for total offense in a game with 550 total yards.
They needed every last bit of his production to win this game.
Play of the Game
Davis’ 49-yard touchdown catch on the opening possession of the second half tied the game, provided a temporary spark to UF’s defense and ignited a third-quarter rally.
It was also an incredible individual play that saw him weave in and out of traffic. He basically willed himself into the end zone.
Stat of the Game
52/42
Coming into the day, 49 was the most points an FCS team had ever scored against a Power Five opponent. Samford broke that record early in the fourth quarter.
Meanwhile, the Bulldogs’ 42 points in the first half were the most ever allowed in a half by the Gators in the program’s history.
Up next
UF (5-5, 2-5 SEC) will hit the road next week to take on Missouri (4-5, 1-4) at 4. The Gators are 5-4 against the Tigers since they joined the SEC prior to the 2012 season and have won two games in a row.