Oct 27, 2018; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Georgia Bulldogs running back D’Andre Swift (7) runs the ball in for a touchdown against the Florida Gators during the second half at TIAA Bank Field. Photo Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
The No. 9 Florida Gators fought all afternoon amid turnovers and defensive breakdowns and yet were even in the game, trailing No. 7 Georgia, 23-17, with 11:12 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Staying that close despite such early turnover issues was a strong sign, even in defeat that this program is taking shape under first year coach Dan Mullen.
The Gators had fought through three turnovers that included a Jordan Scarlett fumble and a Feleipe Franks interception on the first two drives. Then, the defense continued to turn back Georgia back and force field goals until it was worn down late in the fourth quarter when the Bulldogs had touchdown drives of nine and six plays to put the game on ice.
That turnover issue is something Mullen and his staff will look to rectify as the Gators have six turnovers in their last two games after only six in their first six outings.
“If you look at what we did in the game, we turned the ball over, we were minus-three turnover ratio with two of them coming inside our own 10-yard line,” said Mullen. “You can’t do that offensively and you aren’t going to win many games doing that.”
Flip to the defense: Florida had many solid and promising moments on defense despite blown coverage and third down inefficiency. The finest was the goal line defense in the late third quarter after Georgia had taken over on the Florida one-yard line after Franks fumbled there.
Trailing 20-14, the Gators stopped Georgia six times from the one and forced Rodrigo Blankenship’s third field goal of the afternoon. In the mix was a questionable pass interference penalty on C.J. McWilliams on third-and-one which gave the Bulldogs a fresh set of downs.
Junior defensive end Jabari Zuniga was stellar on that goal line series as he figured in three of the six stops.
“The goal-line stand where they had six opportunities to score inside the one-yard-line and they don’t score – that’s what we expect to be,” Mullen said. “We made some plays, but then in other situations we weren’t as clean as we needed to be.”
Defensive secondary woes: The Gators scored almost immediately to start the second half as Kadarius Toney returned the kickoff 51 yards to the Georgia 48 and then Franks found Freddie Swain for a 36-yard touchdown with 13:35 remaining in the third.
It was the Gators first lead, 14-13, but it was short-lived.
Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm then drove the Bulldogs 72 yards in seven plays, eating up only 2:55 and found Jeremiah Holloman for a 12-yard touchdown pass which was Holloman’s second score of the day. Much of Florida’s problems on defense came from a decimated secondary as cornerback C.J. Henderson went out of the game early so that both starting corners (Marco Wilson) were then shelved.
“We are extremely thin in the secondary; being down six or seven guys on the total roster makes it a challenge,” Mullen commented. “We have to look and find people who are ready to take advantage of that opportunity.”
