Opportunistic defense kept Florida within striking distance against No. 2 Georgia
Saturday’s game between Florida and Georgia drew plenty of emotions from start to finish, resulting in a 34-20 victory for Kirby Smart and the No. 2-ranked Dawgs.
On the Gators’ side, that was especially the case when quarterback DJ Lagway was carted off in the second quarter with a hamstring injury. That was the turning point in the game, as Florida was leading at the time and on the move again. Momentum was definitely favoring the Gators.
And although a loss is a loss, the Gators’ defense held strong for much of the contest. I don’t think many can argue that. They kept the team within striking distance for all four quarters and gave third-string walk-on quarterback Aidan Warner a chance until late.
“I feel like first half we did what we was supposed to do: went out there and executed,” Trikweze Bridges said after the game. “Had a lot of turnovers. The team was — Georgia was not prepared, ready for us to do that.
“At the end of the day, that’s our mentality every week, week in and week out. We just got to go out there and dominate.”
All in all, there were several key defensive moments that had Florida knocking on the door for an upset.
– Georgia’s Carson Beck threw three interceptions in the game, including one to Devin Moore that was returned nearly 20 yards. That led to a DJ Lagway touchdown pass to Aidan Mizell that put Florida ahead 7-3. That is when the Gators started to pick up some real momentum.
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– Just four offensive plays later, Beck was intercepted again, this time by Aaron Gates, who then advanced the ball 30 yards. That was another key play that led to more Gators points on the following drive, as kicker Trey Smack connected from 32 yards out to extend Florida’s lead to 10-7.
– During Georgia’s first drive of the second half, Beck was intercepted for the third time when Jack Pyburn came up big around midfield. Florida’s offense had a three-and-out on the following drive, but it showed that the Gators were not ready to simmer down after the extended break.
– Georgia went on to score touchdowns on the next two drives, and while the game certainly could have drifted away from Florida at the time, the defense kept clawing. That was definitely the case when freshman linebacker Myles Graham came up with a third-down sack early in the fourth quarter. At the time, Florida only trailed 20-13 and then tied the game just a few drives later.
With Saturday’s loss in Jacksonville, the Gators are now 4-4 overall and 2-3 in the SEC. They have lost four straight to Kirby Smart’s program. That is what will be remembered most, but the Gators’ defense has stepped up as of late and is the reason why the game was competitive until midway through the fourth quarter. And with Lagway out indefinitely, they will be relied on even more going forward.
Stay tuned to Gators Online.
