Gators erase early deficits, escape with win
Two of the best teams in Florida football history previously barely escaped Vanderbilt with a win.
Time will tell whether Dan Mullen’s 2020 squad reaches the heights of the school’s 1996 and 2006 squads, two of the program’s three national title teams.
But Saturday in Nashville the struggle was real once again for the Gators.
UF erased two early deficits and eventually pulled away from winless Vanderbilt for a 38-17 win behind another nice day from Kyle Trask and Kadarius Toney. Trask finished with 383 passing yards and three touchdowns while Toney had 191 all-purpose yards.
The No. 6 Gators (6-1), though, were unable to get comfortable until midway through the fourth quarter due to another shaky day by Todd Grantham’s defense.
Impressive Vanderbilt freshman quarterback Ken Seals capitalized, while outdueling the record-setting Trask for much of the first half. Seals opened the game 10-of-11 passing and led his team to leads of 7-0 and 10-7.
The Commodores’ first touchdown drive was clinical, featuring 11 plays for 75 yards, culminating with a 16-yard touchdown catch by Chris Pierce.
Trask answered the Commodores’ score with a workmanlike drive himself, capped by a 27yard touchdown pass to Toney, the senior’s eighth touchdown of the season. With UF tied 10-10 late in the half, Trask finally asserted himself and showed why he is receiving strong consideration for the Heisman Trophy, the sport’s top individual award.
During a seven-play, 85-yard drive that required fewer than two minutes, Trask completed all five of his throws for 83 yards. Senior receiver Trevon Grimes ended the drive with a leaping 34-yard catch requiring every inch of his 6-foot-5 frame and vertical leap to come down with the football.
The touchdown gave the Gators a 17-10 lead and some muchneeded momentum heading to the locker room.
After receiving the kickoff to open the second half, Florida settled down to put together third-quarter scoring drives of 75 and 91 yards.
Mullen needed a daring play call to help get his team going. Facing fourth-and-1 from their own 34-yard line, Mullen gave the football to tailback Dameon Pierce, who had to fight his way for 2 yards and a first down.
Trask followed with three completions for 49 yards, including a 36-yard hookup with Toney. Pierce scored on a 1-yard run five plays later. A 46-yard completion to Penn State transfer receiver
Justin Shorter highlighted the Gators’ next scoring drive.
Seals’ 58-yard touchdown throw to Pierce late in the third quarter trimmed Florida’s lead to 31-17. A fumble by Toney on the Gators’ next possession gave the Commodores (0-7) another chance, but Seals could not capitalize as Florida stayed on track for a Dec. 19 trip to the SEC title game.
FSU COVID CONFUSION
The Clemson football team was in Tallahassee on Saturday morning all set to face Florida State University.
Several members of the staff, including some equipment managers, trainers and members of Clemson’s social media team, were already at Doak Campbell Stadium preparing for the noon kickoff when the decision was made that the game would not be played.
Clemson AD Dan Radakovich said Saturday morning that FSU did not want to play because of a Clemson player testing positive Friday when the ACC administered its third-party tests.
The player was isolated and arrangements were being made for him to return to Clemson when the game was postponed, according to Radakovich.
“They, Florida State and their medical group, decided that this was, given where they are, a risk to continue to play the game, because this person may have infected others. That it could infect them during the game,” Radakovich said outside the team hotel in Tallahassee. “Although we have not seen in any competition up to this point any infections being able to be pointed to competition.”
Clemson offered alternatives to play the game later this weekend, according to Radakovich. But FSU declined the offer.
“After going back and forth a little bit and saying, ‘Look, we’ll get tested today and play tonight. We’ll get tested today and play tomorrow.’ That wasn’t satisfactory,” he said.
For now, the game has just been postponed. Radakovich said that FSU and Clemson will meet next week about possibly making up the game. Both teams have an open date on Dec. 12.
However, Radakovich didn’t sound optimistic about Clemson making a return trip to Tallahassee.
Radakovich estimated that the trip cost Clemson between $250,000 and $275,000.
Would Clemson be willing to come down again?
“Somebody would have to pay the cab fare,” Radakovich said.