Gators finding ways to win close games
McElwain’s tenure features variety of comeback victories.
GAINESVILLE — Call it being clutch. Call it a stroke of luck. Call it coaching acuity.
Whatever phrase is used, one thing is certain: When the game comes down to the wire, Florida coach Jim McElwain and the Gators have found a way to come out with a win.
That was further evidenced in each of the past two weeks, when Florida defeated Tennessee on a last-second touchdown pass from Feleipe Franks to Tyrie Cleveland and when the Gators overcame a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter to defeat Kentucky.
“Our guys keep hanging in there and figuring out a way to play the game,” McElwain said. “They don’t listen to stuff, they just go out and play. That was fun.”
And it’s a spot the Gators have been in often under McElwain.
In McElwain’s first 30 games as Florida’s football coach, 10 of the Gators’ games have been decided by eight points or fewer. Florida is an impressive 9-1 in those games.
While it’s a small sample size for McElwain, that’s a record that borders on an elite status.
In summary: ■ McElwain’s 90-percent winning percentage bests that of former coaches Steve Spurrier (54.8 percent in 31 one-score games) and Urban Meyer (57.9 percent in 19 one-score games) by a long shot.
■ However, with a third of Florida’s games since 2015 being decided by one possession, McElwain’s teams also have shown a greater likelihood of playing in closer games than Spurrier (20.9 percent) and Meyer (24.1 percent).
“This is a team that in my eyes the past two games has proved they’re a fourth-quarter team,” defensive lineman CeCe Jefferson said Saturday. “Football is four quarters and you have to come out and just dominate each quarter, and this team just showed a lot of growth and maturity.”
Here’s a closer look at Florida’s 10 one-score games under McElwain, starting with the most recent.
Sept. 23, 2017: Florida 28, Kentucky 27
The Wildcats held a 13-point lead with just less than 12 minutes to play. Quarterback Luke Del Rio, who replaced starter Franks in the third quarter and threw an interception on his first drive, rallied Florida’s offense and scored two touchdowns on the final two drives. The Gators completed their comeback with a 13-play, 58-yard drive that was capped by a 5-yard touchdown pass from Del Rio to an undefended Freddie Swain with 43 seconds left in regulation.
Sept. 16, 2017: Florida 26, Tennessee 20
It looked like Florida and Tennessee were going to go to overtime. The Volunteers tied the game 20-20 with 53 seconds left, giving Florida just one opportunity to drive down the field and score. And then came the play. With nine seconds left and the Gators on their 37-yard line, Franks rolled to his right and fired a long pass to Cleveland for a 63-yard touchdown.
Nov. 19, 2016: Florida 16, LSU 10
It came down to a goal-line stand. With Florida clinging to a 16-10 lead, LSU had fourth-and-goal from the 1 with three seconds on the clock.
LSU running back Derrius Guice leapt over the line of scrimmage, hoping to give the Tigers the winning TD. Florida safety Marcell Harris stopped him just outside of the end zone.
Florida’s bench stormed the field. The Gators won the SEC East in a road game that was rescheduled and relocated because of Hurricane Matthew.
Oct. 1, 2016: Florida 13, Vanderbilt 6
Not as exciting as the first group of games. Florida edged out the Commodores in a defense-laden contest that featured 13 punts and a 10-point second quarter from Florida.
Nov. 21, 2015: Florida 20, Florida Atlantic 14 (OT)
After FAU tied the game in the fourth quarter on a fumble recovery in Florida’s end zone, the Gators scored in overtime on a touchdown pass from Treon Harris to Jake McGee. The defense stopped the Owls on fourthand-goal at the 12 in their lone overtime possession.
Nov. 7, 2015: Florida 9, Vanderbilt 7
A game-winning 43-yard field goal from Austin Hardin clinched Florida’s first SEC East championship since 2009.
Oct. 17, 2015: LSU 35, Florida 28
Florida and LSU were tied heading into the fourth quarter before Les Miles’ trickery fooled the Gators. A fake field goal turned into a 16-yard rushing touchdown down the left sideline for LSU kicker Trent Domingue with 10 minutes left. Florida could not answer on its final three drives.
Sept. 26, 2015: Florida 28, Tennessee 27
After trailing 27-14 with about 10 minutes left, Florida quarterback Will Grier led the Gators to two touchdown drives late, with his 63-yard completion to Antonio Callaway with 1:26 left to play being the difference.
Sept. 19, 2015: Florida 14, Kentucky 9
Florida had a 14-3 lead at halftime and watched as Kentucky hit two fourth-quarter field goals to get within five points. The defense held firm on its final two drives, with Quincy Wilson intercepting a pass with 33 seconds left.
Sept. 12, 2015: Florida 31, East Carolina 24
The game featured three lead changes before Florida went up by 14 on a Kelvin Taylor touchdown run with just under seven minutes left to play. East Carolina scored on its next possession and forced Florida into a three-and-out to get one last opportunity to tie — or possibly win — the game.
The Pirates marched down the field to the Florida 13-yard line before defensive tackle Joey Ivie stripsacked East Carolina quarterback Blake Kemp. Defensive end Alex McCallister scooped up the ball to seal the game.
INSHORE
■ Though the water releases from Lake Okeechobee have had many anglers reluctant to fish in the St. Lucie and Indian Rivers, there is some good fishing.
■ North of the Jensen Beach causeway and up the Indian River toward the power plant, there is much-cleaner water.
■ In those areas, there are decent schools of mullet and plenty of big jack crevalle slamming them. ■ Best bets for those jacks has been using shiny top-water plugs and working the fringes of the bait schools.
■ In the Loxahatchee River, anglers are reporting an excellent snook and tarpon bite. They are having good luck using live mullet or any artificial bait that resembles mullet.
■ Fishing the Jupiter Inlet has been good for snook and some redfish using finger mullet.
■ Though the surf has been rough, there has been plenty of bait moving along the beaches from South Palm Beach to Delray Beach.
■ Anglers there are catching tarpon, snook, barracuda, Spanish mackerel, pompano, mutton snapper and small sharks.
■ At the Boynton Inlet, anglers are catching snook, tarpon, snapper, redfish and Spanish mackerel. The fish have been hitting both live and dead bait as well as lures and jigs. RedTail Hawks jigs have been deadly at night on the outgoing tide for snook.
■ Anglers in the Intracoastal Waterway are having good luck around the docks using live finger mullet, Cotee jigs and top-water plugs to catch redfish, snook, tarpon, barracuda and small tripletail.
■ Snook, tarpon, jacks and a few redfish have been caught around the Lantana Bridge.