It was the same story in week four: admirable defense, abysmal offense. The Florida Gators dropped to 1-3 (0-1 SEC) after a 26-7 road loss to No.4 Miami. The Gators are 1-3 to start the season for the first time since 1986.
Florida recorded just 32 yards of offense and one first down in the first half. Despite Miami dominating the start of the game, the Gators’ defense kept them in it with a few big stops in the second quarter. Florida trailed 13-0 at halftime.
To open the second half, Florida’s defense got a stop and followed it up with an 11 play, 80-yard touchdown drive. The Gators’ offense line finally started to get a push up front, paving the way for 70 rushing yards on 10 carries to start the third quarter.
Florida couldn’t have started the game worse offensively but only found themselves down 13-7 with 3:29 remaining in the third quarter.
Momentum started to drastically switch in Florida’s direction after redshirt sophomore cornerback Cormani McClain picked off Carson Beck’s pass on the first play of Miami’s next drive.
The Gators could only pick up one first down after taking over at UF’s 48-yard line, eventually failing to convert a 4th and 3 in Miami territory. From this point on Florida’s offense did not record another first down in their final three possessions. Florida had multiple chances to take the lead in the second half and couldn’t move the ball, finishing with a season low 141 yards of offense vs. Miami.
Miami’s offense wore down a Gators’ defense that played 36:30 minutes on Saturday night, scoring two touchdowns in the 4th quarter to put the game away.
Florida recorded just seven first downs in the contest to Miami’s 21, five of which came on the Gators’ lone touchdown drive. You simply can’t win games against P4 competition, especially a team like Miami, with one good drive.
You also can’t win games without any sort of passing offense. Sophomore quarterback DJ Lagway completed 12-23 passes for a career low 61 passing yards (in games he’s started and finished). We didn’t see Florida turn the ball over, but outside of that it was the same offense we’ve seen all season. Lagway hardly ever went to his second read, overlooked receivers, left the pocket too quickly, and wasn’t accurate with the football.
The Gators were 0-13 on third downs Saturday night.
It’s hard to ask much more from the Florida defense right now. It’s defeating to play so well with no reward. But this is where we are at in year four of the Napier era, and there’s no signs of improvement offensively.
It doesn’t get any easier with Texas on deck either. The Longhorns have one of the best defenses in the country, holding opponents to just 243 yards prior to week four. If Florida’s offense does not drastically during Florida’s bye week, it will get out of hand in Gainesville.