Post game discussion

2023 Florida Football Postgame Notes​

Florida 29, No. 11 Tennessee 16
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Steve Spurrier-Florida Field – Gainesville, Fla.
THE OPENING DRIVE

● Florida kept No. 11 Tennessee winless in The Swamp dating back to 2003, as Florida has won 17 of the last 19 matchups vs. the Volunteers including 10-straight victories in Gainesville.
o The Gators totaled 300-plus yards of offense against Tennessee for the ninth-straight game
including 14 of the last 15 meetings.
o UF has surpassed 100 rushing yards in 17 of their last 18 matchups against UT.

● Across the last three home games in the rivalry (2023, 2021, 2019), the Gators have outscored the Volunteers, 101-33, putting the average outcome at 33.7 to 11 – a 22.7-point spread.

● The Gators delivered their second ranked victory of the Billy Napier era and the first since Napier’s
Gators coaching debut vs. No. 7 Utah in 2022.

● Florida achieved these feats in front of the 12th-largest crowd in program history (90,751) including the second-biggest attendance in The Swamp in the history of the UF-UT rivalry.

● The Gators held the Volunteers to their third-fewest points in the Josh Heupel era.

OFFENSIVE NOTES​

• WR Eugene Wilson III connected with QB Graham Mertz on the first-six completions of Florida’s
opening drive, effectively setting career highs in receptions (six) and yards (44) before the Vols
even touched the ball.

• RB Trevor Etienne rushed for a career-high 172 yards on a career-high 23 attempts while posting the third 100-yard rushing game of his career (first of 2023).
o Etienne‘s previous career high was 129 yards at Florida State on Nov. 25, 2022.
o Etienne accounted for six of Florida’s eight explosive plays.

• Etienne tied the game at 7-7 with a 62-yard touchdown scamper in the first quarter, the second-
longest rush of his career and his longest since breaking off an 85-yard touchdown run against
South Carolina on Nov. 12, 2022.
o Etienne provided four explosive rushes of 10-plus yards in the first half while rushing for 119
yards on 11 carries (10.8 YPC).

• Mertz completed 17-of-20 passes (85.0%) for 146 yards and one touchdown in the first half,
equating to a passing efficiency of 162.8.
o Mertz finished with a 79.0% completion percentage – his third-straight game over 70% --
while completing 19-of-24 passes for 166 yards and one touchdown.

• Mertz scored his first rushing touchdown as a Gator (ninth of career) to put UF ahead, 19-7.

• Mertz has thrown a touchdown pass in 18 of his last 21 games.

• RB Montrell Johnson Jr. put Florida ahead, 12-7, with a four-yard touchdown run in the second
quarter – the 23rd rushing score of his career and his 11th as a Gator (first of 2023).
o He scored his second touchdown of the night with an 18-yard touchdown reception in the
second quarter.

• Johnson Jr. and Etienne have combined for at least one touchdown in 14 of 16 games together,
scoring 23 total TDs (rushing TDs in 14 of 16 games).
o The duo has combined for 21 total rushing touchdowns.

• Following tonight’s performance, the Gators have rushed for 100-plus yards in 13 of their last 16
games dating back to last season including each of the last two games this season.

• WR Ricky Pearsall recorded a catch in his 31th-straight game, the ninth-longest streak in the FBS.
DEFENSIVE NOTES

● Through three games under new DC Austin Armstrong, Florida is allowing an average of 15.7 points and 256.3 total yards per game.

● The Gators held Tennessee to seven points, 122 yards (30 rushing), five first downs and 8:28
possession time in the first half.
o Conversely, Florida totaled 281 yards (135 rushing), 16 first downs and 21:42 possession time
in the opening half.

● CB Devin Moore gave Florida its first turnover of the season with his first-career interception, which he returned 39 yards.
o DL Desmond Watson was credited with the QB hurry and QB hit on the play.

● DL Tyreak Sapp notched his first-career sack in the second-quarter, setting a new career-high in
tackles-for-loss in the process.

● S Jordan Castell (10) and LB Scooby Williams (eight) both set career highs in tackles.

● The Gators recorded one sack in tonight’s game.
o Since the start of 2021, Florida has out-sacked its opponents by a plus-25 margin.
o Florida’s 182 sacks since 2018 season ranks second in the SEC and tenth nationally.

● Since 1996, the Gators are fifth nationally in interceptions with 410 and lead the SEC with the next closest team, Alabama, 12 picks behind.

● With one takeaway vs. Tennessee, Florida’s defense has now produced 101 turnovers since 2018,
which ranks fourth in the SEC.
o The Gators have produced at least one turnover in of 13 of 16 games in the Napier Era.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES​

● Florida was not for punt across five drives in the first half (MFG, TD, TD, TD, TD).

● K Adam Mihalek was unsuccessful on a 46-yard field-goal attempt on UF’s opening drive as well asUF’s first extra point.

● K Trey Smack hit his first-career field goal on a 27-yarder to extend Florida’s lead to 29-10 in the
fourth quarter.

● P Jeremy Crawshaw punted three times for an average of 35.7 yards with all three kicks inside theopposing 20-yard-line.

Explosive Plays (8)​

● Trevor Etienne: 12-yard rush, first quarter

● Trevor Etienne: 62-yard rush, first quarter

● Kahleil Jackson (from Graham Mertz): 18-yard reception, second quarter

● Trevor Etienne: 15-yard rush, second quarter

● Trevor Etienne: 13-yard rush, second quarter

● Montrell Johnson Jr. (from Mertz): 18-yard touchdown reception, second quarter

● Trevor Etienne: 19-yard rush, fourth quarter

● Trevor Etienne: 19-yard rush, fourth quarter
Series Updates

● Tonight’s game represented the 54th all-time meeting between Florida and Tennessee including the 23rd in Gainesville

● With tonight’s victory, the Gators improved to 32-21 in the all-time series vs. Tennessee and 17-5 inGainesville.

● Florida has won 17 of the last 19 matchups vs. the Volunteers including 10-straight victories in
Gainesville.

• HC Billy Napier improves to 1-1 against UT HC Josh Heupel in their second meeting as head
coaches.

• The Gators have totaled 300-plus yards of offense against Tennessee in nine-straight games and in14 of the last 15 meetings

• UF has surpassed 100 rushing yards in 17 of their last 18 matchups against UT.

THE STREAK​

● Florida has scored in 439-consecutive games -- which is an NCAA record and 54 games longer
than any other college football team in history.
o The Gators broke Michigan’s record of 365-consecutive games (1984-2014) against LSU on
Oct. 7, 2017.
o The last time Florida was shut out was on Oct. 29, 1988 vs. Auburn (L, 16-0).

GAME DETAIL​

● Florida Game Captains: #65 Kingsley Eguakun, #23 Jaydon Hill, #6 Shemar James, #15 Graham
Mertz,

● Coin Toss: Tennessee won the toss and deferred; Florida received and defended the north end
zone.

● Attendance: 90,751