University of Florida Gators – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by Gregory Reed
In the last three minutes of Saturday’s game against South Florida, Florida had a one-point lead, but two expensive defensive penalties put them in a bad position.
With his right leg, Bulls kicker Nico Gramatica made the No. 13 Gators pay.
When Gramatica, the son of former NFL kicker Martin Gramatica, blasted a 20-yard field goal as time ran out to win 18-16 in the Swamp, the 18.5-point underdog South Florida pulled off its second upset in as many weeks.
In its home opener on August 28, South Florida defeated No. 25 Boise State 34-7, its first triumph over a ranked opponent since 2016. Against ranked teams, the Bulls had lost 18 straight games.
The triumph over the Gators on Saturday was even more remarkable. Since its 23–20 triumph over No. 16 Notre Dame on September 3, 2011, it was USF’s first road victory over a ranked opponent.
The Bulls, along with 1976 North Carolina, 2008 East Carolina, and 2012 Oregon State, are only the fourth team in the AP poll era (since 1936) to win their first two games against ranked opponents while unranked, according to ESPN Research.
Next week, the Bulls visit Miami, ranked fifth. With three victories over ranked opponents, they will attempt to become just the fifth team to begin a season 3-0; the other four were Miami in 1987, Michigan in 1985, Iowa in 1960, and Oklahoma in 1954.
According to USF coach Alex Golesh, “We’ve got to be able to go handle success,” “We simply must keep moving forward. My brother, this isn’t the same South Florida.
Since a 16–14 loss to Stetson in 1938, it was Florida’s first home loss against a Florida school other than Miami or Florida State.
“It’s not good enough,” stated Billy Napier, the coach of Florida. “We need to get to work. You are all aware of it. I am aware of that. Anyone who saw it is aware of it. We were able to accept responsibility for it and resume our work. That’s all.
Napier, whose teams have finished 20–20 in his four seasons, will undoubtedly feel greater pressure after the loss. Florida’s schedule will get even more perilous with four consecutive games against ranked opponents: at No. 3 LSU, at No. 5 Miami, at home against No. 7 Texas, and at No. 19 Texas A&M. The team began the season with a perfect record of 1-1.
If Napier is dismissed, the Gators would owe him $20.4 million, which would include 50% of the money within the first 30 days of his dismissal.
“We made it. Regarding the criticism, Napier stated, “We deserve it.” “You will face criticism if you play football in that manner. I mean, it’s part of the deal. The only thing you can do is go fix it, and tomorrow we’ll get to work on that.”
With less than three minutes remaining, Gramatica had an opportunity to put South Florida ahead, but his 58-yard field goal effort was unsuccessful with 2:52 remaining.
With just 27 seconds remaining, Florida went three and out after regaining possession of the ball at its 40-yard line. DJ Lagway, the quarterback for the Gators, misfired twice, including on third-and-eight to Vernell Brown III. With 2:25 left, Tommy Doman pinned the Bulls at their 11-yard line with a 47-yard punt.
At that point, Florida’s situation collapsed. USF was given a first down when Gators cornerback Dijon Johnson was called for pass interference on second down.
Florida stuffed Alvon Isaac for no gain on the following play. However, following the play, USF offensive lineman Cole Skinner’s face mask was spit in by Gators defensive lineman Brendan Bett, who was dismissed from the game and given a penalty for unsportsmanlike behavior. The Bulls had a first down at their 39-yard line after the 15-yard penalty.
Alvon Isaac broke three tackles for a 29-yard gain on the following play after Byrum Brown gave him a short throw. To reach the Florida 20, Brown fired a 12-yard pass to Joshua Porter.
Two days prior to Betts’ expulsion, Jalen Carter, the standout defensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles, had been kicked out of the game for spitting on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott during the Eagles’ 24–20 victory on Thursday.
Napier remarked, “I haven’t had that conversation with him yet,” toward Bett. “It’s unacceptable, but we’ll examine it carefully. I believe that many of the players in the room share the same opinion that it is inappropriate.
“A man jeopardizes the team when he acts in such a manner. He is prioritizing himself over the others. There will be lessons to be learned because you are compromising in every aspect of the game. Yes, it really is that easy.
For 103 yards, Florida received 11 penalties, some of which were expensive. The Gators threw away two touchdowns on the same possession in the first half due to penalties. Ja’Kobi Jackson’s 20-yard score run was disallowed by a holding penalty, while Lagways’ 14-yard touchdown pass to Tony Livingston was restored by a pass-interference call.
Trey Smack’s 36-yard field goal and a 6-3 lead were all Florida could muster.
“Not good enough, and it’s my responsibility,” Napier stated. “I believe that when you look at the game, we let the red zone hang around because they missed opportunities. The game was undoubtedly influenced by the penalties. It slowed down our drives and prolonged theirs.
Lagway, who helped the Gators finish the 2024 season with a four-game winning run, didn’t seem at ease playing against USF’s defense, and Florida’s offensive line found it difficult to keep him safe. He had one touchdown, one interception, and 222 yards after completing 23 of 33 attempts.
With 2:03 remaining in the third quarter, Byrum Brown threw a 66-yard touchdown to Keshawn Singleton, giving the Bulls a 13-9 lead going into the fourth quarter. With 13 seconds remaining in the quarter, USF had a 15-9 lead after Florida had a poor snap that led to a safety.
After a 40-yard punt return by Vernell Brown, Lagway’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Eugene Wilson II with 12:29 remaining gave the Gators a 16–15 lead.
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Melissa’s career in writing started more than 20 years ago. Today, she lives in South Florida with her husband and two boys.
