12th-ranked Gators fall 21-16 at Miami
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Once again, Florida flopped against Miami. It just wasn’t intentional this time around. The 12th-ranked Gators dominated just about every statistical category — including turnovers, and that ultimately was what decided everything. Florida turned the ball over five times, came up empty on four red-zone trips and wound up losing 21-16 to the Hurricanes on Saturday in what’s widely expected to be the last time the one-time traditional rivals meet for a long, long time.
“I can’t give it to Miami,” Gators offensive lineman Jonotthan Harrison said. “It is on us.”
Stephen Morris threw two first- quarter touchdown passes to put Miami ahead, and the onslaught of Gators mistakes ensured that the Hurricanes stayed there. The win almost certainly assures that the Hurricanes — dogged for the last 26 months by a still-unresolved NCAA probe — will return to the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2010.
“It’s been such a hard road,” Miami coach Al Golden said. “We’ve just been battling this thing and obviously they’re one of the teams they’ve been battling during this thing. I think you guys can figure that out. It was just a very cathartic moment. It was a great moment for our guys, all those guys that not only chose the University of Miami during this but stood there and fought.”
In 1971, the Gators executed what’s forever known as the “Florida Flop,” when the defense fell to the ground and let Miami score, just so the offense could get the ball back and allow John Reaves to break Jim Plunkett’s record for NCAA career passing yards. This one will just go down as an all-day flop. Jeff Driskel completed 22 of 33 passes for a career-best 291 yards and a late touchdown for Florida (1-1), which had gotten off to a 2-0 start in each of the previous eight seasons. But he had two interceptions, fumbled once and was stopped on a fourth-down try for another giveaway, all part of a messy effort by the Gators.
“It started with me,” Driskel said. “I was careless with the ball.”
Duke Johnson added a 2-yard touchdown run for a 21-9 lead with 3:29 left for Miami (2-0), which has won four straight dating back to last season, the longest such streak for the Hurricanes since 2008.
The offensive numbers were ridiculously one- sided in favor of the Gators. Florida outgained Miami 413-212, had a 22-10 edge in first downs, outran the Hurricanes 122-50, enjoyed nearly a 2-to-1 edge in time of possession and held Miami to an abysmal 1- for-11 showing on third-down chances.