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Florida Gators fall flat to No. 5 Florida State in season finale

On3 imageby:Keith Niebuhr•11/25/23•

On3Keith

Billy Napier | FSU Week

GAINESVILLE, Fla. —  The Florida Gators got off to a hot start but couldn’t hold on as the No. 5 Florida State Seminoles improved to 12-0 with a 24-15 win in The Swamp. The loss is the fifth in a row for a Florida team that went into its bye week 5-2.

Last Saturday, Florida’s Graham Mertz and FSU’s Jordan Travis — the team’s quarterbacks — each sustained season-ending injuries within a couple hours of each other. That means backups Max Brown of Florida and Tate Rodemaker of FSU have been thrust into starting roles — and the spotlight.

Brown completed 9-of-16 pass attempts for 86 yards and one interception. Rodemaker was 12-of-25 for 134 yards.

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FOURTH QUARTER

–A 19-yard field goal by Ryan Fitzgerald gives FSU the lead. (FSU 17-15, 7:17)
— A pair of defensive penalties helps extend the Seminoles’ drive. Running back Trey Benson scores from 26-yards out to make it a two possession game. (FSU 24-15, 2:48)

THIRD QUARTER

-A 37-yard field goal by Trey Smack has Florida back in front. It came at the end of a 56-yard drive. One big play came on a third-down pass from Max Brown to Ricky Pearsall. (UF 15-14, 5:58)

-FSU has taken the lead after a 75-yard, six-play drive. The points came on Trey Benson’s 36-yard touchdown run. (FSU 14-12, 12:31)

SECOND QUARTER

-The Gators missed a 52-yard field goal as time expired. That’s two missed kicks for Florida.

-FSU is on the board after a 10-play, 90-yard drive that was aided by a 15-yard unsportsmanlike vs. Florida. Trey Benson scored on a 1-yard rush. (UF 12-7, 0:26)

-Florida has sacked FSU quarterback Tate Rodemaker in the endzone for a safety (UF 12-0, 5:08)

-FSU picked up its first first down of the game and reached the FSU 34, but could get no further and had to punt. Florida takes over at the Gators 23.

-Florida has moved ahead 10-0 on a 35-yard field goal from Trey Smack. The Gators faced 4th-and-1 and opted to kick following a timeout. (UF 10-0, 10:21)

-The Gators have forced another three-and-out. FSU faked the punt and converted — but was flagged for delay. Then, the ‘Noles actually did punt and it went 16-yards before falling in the stands. Florida took over at the FSU 40.

-Florida capped a 13-play, 70-yard drive that consumed 7:04 off the clock with a 5-yard touchdown run from Montrell Johnson (UF 7-0, 14:31)

FIRST QUARTER

-The first quarter ended with Florida facing 3rd-and-10 at the FSU 10. So far, the drive has consumed 60 yards on 11 plays.

-Florida held FSU to a three-and-out on the ‘Noles’ first series.

-The Gators got three first downs on their opening drive and got deep into FSU territory. However, the ‘Noles stuffed a third-down play for a loss and Florida then missed a 48-yard field goal. The drive consumed more than seven minutes.

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