GAINESVILLE — The Florida Gators overpowered an overmatched opponent for the second game in a row, topping UCF 24-13 Saturday.
It, like 17-point triumph at Mississippi State two weeks ago, was a fine performance that probably shouldn’t change how you view the 3-2 Gators or Billy Napier’s future. Squint hard enough, however, and you can find signs of growth — incremental steps of progress from beating the state’s newest power program.
The headliner was the beleaguered defense that finished with five sacks — UF’s second-most against a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponent in Napier’s 30 games.
Florida’s rushing defense entered Ben Hill Griffin Stadium ranked No. 110 in yards per game allowed, sandwiched between lowly Kennesaw State and Charlotte. It’s a matchup that could have been trouble against the Knights (3-2) and the nation’s No. 2 ground game.
And, for 15 minutes, it was.
UCF started by running the ball through and around the Gators in a way too many opponents have done under Napier. It was an efficient attack — four yards here, five yards there, never gaining less than three.
Then came a game-changing, two-play sequence early in the second quarter. On third and 1 near midfield, UCF ran RJ Harvey. He went nowhere; Aaron Chiles and Sharif Denson blew the play up for no gain. The Knights took a timeout to think about their fourth-and-short call. The Gators blew that up, too, with Caleb Banks and Jack Pyburn stuffing quarterback KJ Jefferson’s rush up the middle.
Before that sequence, UCF rushed 10 times for 44 yards. After it, the Knights totaled minus-15 rushing yards for the rest of the half. By the time UCF started running effectively in the third quarter, the Gators’ three-score lead seemed safe enough.
So did Napier’s job — at least for one more week.
That’s because the real tests…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/florida-gators-top-ucf-did-030400364.html
Author : Tampa Bay Times, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Publish date : 2024-10-06 03:04:00
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