Special teams mishaps cost Florida Gators in first half at Utah
Although the Gators went through a number of hiccups in the first half, it could realistically be much worse for Billy Napier’s staff.
The Utes currently hold a 17-3 lead, and just prior to halftime, they had the opportunity to tack on another six points but felt just short while rolling out some trickery. They also had a wide-open drop on 3rd and 10 with just 3:00 left in the half, so UF caught some breaks in the process.
For the Gators, however, I would be shocked if special teams is not the primary topic at halftime. If it wasn’t for their miscues in that department, it would likely be a 7-6 game right now.
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Trailing 7-6 and facing 4th and 1, Florida was called for a false start while operating at the Utes’ nine-yard line. The following play, kicker Adam Mihalek missed from 31 yards out. That was at the 13:35 mark of the second quarter.
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Not much longer after that, the Gators were flagged after stopping the Utes near midfield with just 10 minutes until halftime. Why? They had two players wearing the same jersey number, which gave Utah a first down. That was certainly a kick in the gut for Napier’s staff and everyone associated with UF.
Roughly two minutes later, Nate Johnson recorded an electrifying 27-yard touchdown run.
You can also point to the Jeremy Crawshaw punt that traveled just 21 yards out and kept UF on its side of the field. That led to a 51-yard field goal from Cole Becker, so anything different could have resulted in a punt instead.
All in all, the Gators were responsible for some very costly mistakes. Much of it was due to undisciplined play, so it would be a shocker if special teams and penalties are not the primary topics at halftime.
Stay tuned to Gators Online.
