OGT-Florida Gators at Vanderbilt Commodores 11/19/2022 12 pm SECN

Florida Gators (6-4, 3-4 SEC) at Vanderbilt Commodores (4-6, 1-5 SEC)
November 19 // 12 p.m. Nashville, Tenn.
FirstBank Stadium (40,350)

SEC Network
Play-by-Play: Taylor Zarzour
Analyst: Matt Stinchcomb
Reporter: Alyssa Lang
Channel (Cox): 68 / 1068 [HD]
Channel (DirecTV): 611 [HD]

Gator Sports Network from LEARFIELD
Play-by-Play: Sean Kelley
Analyst: Shane Matthews
Reporter: Tate Casey
Station Freq.: Local Affiliates
Sirius Channel: 384

 

TEAM INFORMATION​

FLORIDA
Head Coach: Billy Napier
Career Record: 46-16 (27-5 Sun Belt) [5th season]
Record at UF: 6-4 (3-4 SEC) [1st season]
Bowl Record: 2-1
Rankings: RV (AP) / RV (Coaches)
2022 Record: 6-4, 3-4 SEC

VANDERBILT
Head Coach: Clark Lea
Career Record: 6-16 (1-13 SEC) [2nd season]
Record at VU: same
Record vs. UF: 0-1
Rankings: NR (AP) / NR (Coaches)
2022 Record: 4-6, 1-5 SEC

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: Florida leads, 43-10-2
Last Meeting: No. 20 Florida 42, Vanderbilt 0
(October 9, 2021 - Gainesville)
Recent History: Florida, W8 - UF has won 30 of last 31 meetings since 1989
In Nashville: Florida leads, 20-7-1
In Gainesville: Florida leads, 23-2-1
Neutral: Vanderbilt leads, 1-0

 

NUMBERS OF NOTE
​

374 / 6.1 / 225.7
Florida is coming off its most rushing yards (374 vs. South Carolina) in an SEC game since running for 418
yards vs. Georgia on Nov. 1, 2014. Florida ranks second
in the FBS with

6.1 yards/carry and 11th with 225.7 yards
game. Vanderbilt is allowing 4.8 yards per carry (13th in
SEC, 113th in FBS) and 164.3 rushing yards per game (10th
in SEC, 90th in FBS)

 

THE STORYLINE
​

• Week 12 marks the 56th meeting between Florida and Vanderbilt including the 19th matchup in Nashville.

• Florida wields a 43-10-2 series lead with wins in 30 of the last 31 meetings, highlighted by an eight-game win streak.

• The Gators have won 15-straight games against Vanderbilt in Nashville dating back through 1992 (30-year span).

• The last time UF and VU met (Oct. 9, 2021) was the last time Florida shut out an opponent (W, 42-0).

• This is the first meeting between UF HC Billy Napier and VU HC Clark Lea as head coaches.

• QB Anthony Richardson’s 6.6 yards per carry ranks second among FBS QBs -- Vandy’s Mike Wright (8.3 YPC) ranks first.

• Florida has been among the best offensive teams in the nation in road games this season (at No. 11 Tennessee, at
Texas A&M), ranking third in the FBS with 543.0 yards/game and ninth with 37.0 points/game in away contests.

• In road games, Richardson’s 327.0 passing yards/game ranks fifth in the FBS.

• UF is coming off its top-two rushing totals of 2022, combining for 665 yards (291 at Texas A&M, 374 vs. South Carolina)

• Florida’s defense has not allowed a point in the last six quarters (spanning 20 possessions).

• In the last six quarters, UF has allowed just 343 yards (76 passing) while holding teams to 4-for-19 on third down (21.1%).

• Across the team’s last seven games, Florida is averaging 475.0 YPG, 244.1 passing YPG, and 231.0 rushing YPG.

• The Gators’ 6.1 yards per carry ranks second in the FBS and is in line to tie the school record set in 2008.

• Florida’s 225.7 rushing YPG ranks 11th in the FBS, fifth in the Power Five and second in the SEC (behind Ole Miss).

• Florida has rushed for 200-plus yards in seven games including five of the last six contests. The Gators have also
rushed for 100 yards in 12-straight games dating back to 2021.

• The Gators boast three of the top-seven rushers in the SEC in yards per carry: Richardson (second - 6.6), RB Trevor
Etienne (fourth - 6.4) and RB Montrell Johnson Jr. (seventh - 6.1).

• Florida is one of two FBS teams (alongside Oregon) with three qualified players averaging over 6.0 yards per carry.

• In their first seasons as Gators, the duo of Johnson Jr. and Etienne has combined for a rushing touchdown in all 10
games this season while scoring 14 total rushing touchdowns.

• Richardson is one of six FBS players (four in P5) with 1,900 passing yards and 550 rushing yards this season.

• Richardson is one of five FBS players (four in P5) with nine-plus passing TDs and nine-plus rushing TDs.

• Richardson’s nine rushing TDs rank second among SEC QBs and tied for sixth among FBS QBs.

• G O’Cyrus Torrence is the top-rated guard in the nation at 88.6, according to Pro Football Focus (has never allowed a sack).

• Florida has turned the ball over one time in its last 51 possessions (spanning the last four games).

• Florida boasts four come-from-behind wins this season (vs. No. 7 Utah, vs. USF, vs. EWU, at Texas A&M).

• Florida has scored in 433 consecutive games dating back to 1988 -- an NCAA record and 56 games longer than any
other college football team in the history of the sport.

• UF opened the season with a 29-26 upset of No. 7 Utah, which tied for UF’s highest-ranked victory in a season
opener in program history. Napier became the first UF HC to defeat a ranked team in his first game at the helm

 

DETAILED LOOK AT RICHARDSON’S 2022 CAMPAIGN​

• The five-highest passing yardage totals of RIchardson’s career (453 at No. 11 Tennessee, 240 vs. EWU, 185 vs.
LSU, 271 vs. No. 1 Georgia, 201 at Texas A&M) have all come in the last seven games.

• Richardson has not thrown an INT in the last four games while throwing six TDs -- 113 attempts without a pick.

ANTHONY RICHARDSON’S 2022 SEASON (FIRST THREE GAMES VS. LAST SEVEN GAMES + ROAD SPLITS)
Statistic FIRST THREE GAMES LAST SEVEN GAMES AWAY GAMES (FBS Rank)
Passer Rating / Efficiency 89.0 143.5 148.8 (22nd)
Passing Yards/Game 141.0 218.3 327.0 (5th)
Passing Touchdowns 0 11 4
Interceptions Thrown 4 3 1
TD/Interceptions 0.0 3.7 4.0
Rushing Yards/Game 44.7 64.3 70.0
Rushing Yards/Carry 5.6 6.9 5.8 (12th - QBs)
TEAM Yards Per Game 353.0 475.1 543.0 (3rd)
TEAM Yards Per Play 6.0 7.1 6.6
TEAM Points Per Game 25.3 34.7 37.0 (9th)

• Week 11 vs. South Carolina: Passed for 2 TDs and 112 yards, rushed for 96 yards and 1 TD on 15 carries (6.4 YPC).

• Richardson posted his fourth game of the season with three-or-more total touchdowns (two with four).

• Week 10 at Texas A&M: Richardson passed for 200-plus yards for the fourth time in his career and finished
with two passing TDs and two rushing TDs each for the second time this season.

• At Texas A&M, Richardson’s 60-yard TD rush marked his third TD rush of 45-plus yards this season and across
the last 10 seasons, he owns each of Florida’s five-longest touchdown rushes by a quarterback:
» Oct. 15, 2022 vs. LSU: 81-yard TD rush; Sept. 11, 2021 at USF: 80-yard TD rush; Sept. 4, 2021 vs. FAU: 73-yard
TD rush; Nov. 5, 2022 at Texas A&M: 60-yard TD rush; Sept. 3, 2022 vs. Utah: 45-yard TD rush

• Week 9 vs. No. 1 Georgia: Notched his third-career 200-yard passing game with 271 yards.

• Week 7 vs. LSU: Richardson passed for 150 yards and rushed for 100 yards for the third time this season.
» He is one of three Florida players to accomplish the feat in the last 25 years (Tim Tebow, Emory Jones).
» Richardson’s 81-yard touchdown run to open the fourth quarter marked Florida’s third-longest TD rush since 1996 and the longest by a UF QB in that time.
» T-11th-longest TD rush in FBS in 2022; Second-longest TD rush in FBS among QBs in 2022

• Of Richardson’s 30 career touchdowns (18 passing, 12 rushing), he has:
» Six TDs of 70-plus yards, 11 TDs of 40-plus yards and 13 TDs of 25-plus yards.
» Three TD rushes of 70-plus yards, four TD rushes of 60 yards and five TD rushes of 45 yards
» Three 75-plus-yard TD passes, six 40-yard TD passes, seven 30-yard TD passes and eight 25-yard TD passes

• Weeks 4 & 5 (at No. 11 Tennessee, vs. EWU): Richardson threw for 693 yards, four TDs and two INTs while rushing 18 times for 107 yards and two TDs - equating to 800 total yards and six multi-purpose TDs.

• Week 4 at No. 11 Tennessee: Richardson completed 24-of-44 passes for 453 yards and two touchdowns while rushing 17 times for 62 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

• Week 4: Richardson finished with 515 total yards of offense, which ranks third all-time in a single game in
program history. His 515 yards of offense is the top mark in the SEC and ranks second in the P5 this season.
» 1. Emory Jones, 550 vs. Samford (2021) 2. Tim Tebow, 533 vs. Cincinnati (2009)

• Week 4: Richardson’s 453 yards passing ranked ninth in a single game in program history and ranks fifth in the P5 this year (third in FBS). Richardson broke his previous career high of 168 yards passing by 285 yards.

• Week 4: Richardson became the first Florida quarterback to pass for 450-plus yards and two-plus passing touchdowns while rushing for 50-plus yards and two-plus rushing touchdowns in a single game.

 

JOHNSON JR. + ETIENNE REINVIGORATING RUN GAME
​

• In their first seasons as Gators, RB Montrell Johnson Jr. (116 carries, 710 yards, 6.1 YPC, 9 TD) and RB Trevor
Etienne (89 carries, 567 yards, 6.4 YPC, 5 TD) have been highly efficient leading UF’s running game.

• They are one of three RB duos in the FBS to have rushed for over 500 yards each on over 6.0 YPC this season.

• The RB duo has combined for 39 of Florida’s 65 explosive rushes (10-plus yards) this season (60%).

• Johnson Jr. is coming off back-to-back 100-yard rushing games, including a career-high 161 yards last week vs.

South Carolina. He is the first UF RB with consecutive 100-yard games since Jordan Scarlett in 2016.

• Johnson Jr. is going for three-straight 100-yard games, which would be the 16th instance in UF history (first since ‘15).

• Etienne also rushed for a career-high 100 yards in Week 11, as Johnson Jr. and Etienne became Florida’s first pair
of 100-yard rushers in 22 games (9/4/21 vs. FAU).

• Etienne’s 85-yard TD rush was the seventh-longest TD rush in school history, and the longest by a UF player since Lamical Perine’s 88-yard TD run vs. Auburn in 2019. It was also the second-longest TD run by a freshman in school history, and the tied for the eighth-longest TD rush in the FBS this season.

• Etienne, Johnson Jr. and QB Anthony Richardson all rushed for 95+ yards and scored a rushing TD in Week 11.

• Etienne’s 6.4 YPC ranks fourth in the FBS among true freshmen.

• Johnson Jr. ranks T-third in the SEC and T-21st in the Power Five with nine rushing touchdowns.

• Johnson Jr. has eight rushing TDs across the last eight games with rushing TDs in seven of the last eight.

• Florida has eight games with three-plus players scoring a rushing TD since last season (third in SEC).

• 10 Power Five players have rushed for over 6.0 YPC while scoring at least nine rushing touchdowns this season.
Johnson Jr. and Richardson are two of those players, with Richardson being one of three QBs

 

PRODUCTION ON THE OFFENSIVE LINE
​

• The Gators’ 12 sacks allowed are tied for the 22nd-fewest in the FBS (11th in P5) and rank fourth in the SEC.

• Since the start of last season, Florida has out-sacked its opponents by a plus-29 margin, and the Gators’ 26
sacks allowed are tied for the 10th-fewest in the FBS (second in the SEC behind Georgia).

• Two UF offensive lineman are graded inside the top-10 at their position according to Pro Football Focus: G
O’Cyrus Torrence (#1, 88.6) and T Austin Barber (#7, 82.9).

A BALANCED RECEIVERS ROOM
​

• On Senior Day, TE Jonathan Odom recorded his first-career reception and touchdown vs. South Carolina.

• With Odom recording his first receptions of 2022, 19 different players have caught a pass for UF this season.

• WR Caleb Douglas made his first-career start vs. South Carolina, becoming the first true freshman to start at
WR since Kadarius Toney (9/23/17 vs. UK). Douglas led UF with three receptions and 53 yards in Week 11.

• Five UF receivers have led or shared the team’s weekly lead in receiving yards: WR Justin Shorter (five), WR
Xzavier Henderson (two), WR Ricky Pearsall (two), WR Trent Whittemore (one) and Douglas (one).

• Shorter’s 471 yards receiving lead the team, while Henderson’s 38 catches pace the squad (by 15).

• Henderson has led or owned a share of the team lead in receptions in eight of 10 games.

• Henderson set a career high with 110 yards receiving vs. UGA (Oct. 29), notching the first 100-yard game of his career.

• QB Anthony Richardson connected with Henderson for a 78-yard touchdown pass vs. UGA in Week 9 – setting
a new career passing long for Richardson and a new career receiving long for Henderson.

• The score was UF’s longest pass play since Austin Appleby’s 85-yard TD pass to Mark Thompson on Jan. 2, 2017 vs.
Iowa. It tied for UF’s 11th-longest pass since 1996 and is tied for the 20th-longest TD pass in the FBS this year.

• Shorter ranks first in the SEC and second in the FBS with 22.4 yards per catch (behind UNC’s Antoine Green).

• Shorter has had a 30-yard reception in five of his last six games. He has three catches of 40-plus yards.

• Shorter is the first UF player since Kadarius Toney and Kyle Pitts in 2020 with multiple 50-yard receiving TDs in
the same season.

• Pearsall has recorded a reception in 25 consecutive games. He ranks sixth in the SEC with 18.3 yards per catch.

• Pearsall’s 76-yard TD run vs. Eastern Washington is the longest rush by an FBS WR this season and ranks t-10th
in the FBS across the last five seasons (third-longest run by a UF wide receiver in the last 25 years).

 

RICHARDSON’S TIME CAPSULE
​

• QB Anthony Richardson earned SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors in Week 1 after setting a career high
with three rushing TDs while passing for 168 yards, becoming the first UF QB to rush for three-plus TDs and
pass for 150-plus yards in the same game since Tim Tebow vs. Georgia on Nov. 1, 2008.
» Richardson became the first UF QB to rush for three-plus TDs in a contest since Emory Jones accomplished
the feat vs. Vanderbilt on Nov. 9, 2019.
» Richardson is one of three UF QBs since 1996 to rush for three TDs and pass for 150-plus yards in the same
game, joining Jesse Palmer and Tim Tebow (twice). He is one of 14 FBS QBs to do so since 2021.

• Richardson entered ‘22 as a projected 1st-round pick (13th) by ESPN’s Mel Kiper, and now sits at No. 15.

• Richardson’s 7.9 YPC ranked fourth in the FBS among QBs with 50-plus carries last season.

• Richardson also ranked t-ninth among FBS quarterbacks with 57.3 rushing yards per game in 2021.

• Against USF last season, Richardson completed a 75-yard TD pass and 41-yard TD pass (both in first half), as
well as breaking off an 80-yard TD rush.

• Richardson is the only player in the last 11 seasons with an 80-yard run and 75-yard pass in the same game -
since Nebraska’s Taylor Martinez on Oct. 7, 2010 vs. Kansas State.

• Richardson’s 80-yard TD rush in the fourth quarter vs. USF tied for the 10th-longest touchdown rush in
Florida football history. It was also the longest rush by a UF quarterback in the last 25 years, as well as the
third-longest TD rush by an FBS QB in 2021.

• Richardson’s 75-yard TD pass to Jacob Copeland in the first quarter was Florida’s longest passing play since
January 2, 2017 vs. Iowa in the Outback Bowl – until he did it again in Week 5 vs. EWU (75 yards to Shorter

 

OFFENSIVE GRAB BAG
​

• Over the last five seasons, the Gators rank ninth in the Power Five with 453.6 scrimmage yards per game and
12th in the Power Five with 34.1 points per game, ranking third and fourth in the SEC, respectively.

• Since 2018, UF ranks eighth in the P5 in passing efficiency (153.0) and 11th in TD-INT ratio (2.86).

• Florida has out-gained its opponents in 17 of 23 games dating back to last season .
• The Gators have had 500-plus yards in three of their last seven games and in 15 of their last 34 games.

• Florida has amassed 400-plus total yards in six of 10 games this season, as well as 22 times in its last 33 games,
and 35 of the last 52.

• Florida rushed for 200-plus yards 25 times in its last 61 games including 13 times since 2021.

• UF scored 30-plus points 38 times in 61 games since 2018 (62.3%), and 30-plus in 25 of the last 37 (67.6%).

• UF scored 40 points nine times in the last 61 games and six times in 23 games the last two seasons.

• The Gators have scored 50 points seven times in the last 61 games

 

LONG-TERM DEFENSIVE TRENDS​

• Florida ranks second in the SEC and seventh nationally in sacks since the 2018 season with 174 - trailing only
Pittsburgh (220), Clemson (217), Alabama (200), Miami (183), Ohio State (178) and Oklahoma State (176).
» Since the start of last season, Florida has out-sacked its opponents by a plus-29 margin.
» Since 1996, UF is 13th in the FBS with 848 sacks and rank second in the SEC behind Alabama at 872.

• UF has held opponents to a 54.0 passing completion percentage since 1996, which ranks seventh-lowest in the FBS
and third in the SEC.

• Since 1996, The Gators are third nationally in interceptions with 408 and lead the SEC with the next closest team,
Alabama, 20 picks behind.
» Florida is fourth in the SEC with eight interceptions this season.
» The Gators have recorded an interception in five games this season - No. 7 Utah (1), No. 20 Kentucky (1), USF (2),
Missouri (2) and No. 1 Georgia (2).

• Florida’s defense has produced 559 turnovers since 2000, leading the SEC and tied for 7th in the country.

 

DEFENSIVE YOUTH​

• Ten Florida defensive players have made their collegiate debuts through the first ten games of the season,
including 11 that appeared for the first time as a Gator.
» Five players - LB Shemar James, DL Chris McClellan, S Miguel Mitchell, DL Tyreak Sapp and S Kamari
Wilson - all made their collegiate debuts in the season opener vs. No. 7 Utah and have appeared in every
game this season.
» James started at LB, becoming the first Gator true freshman to start a season opener since Marco Wilson
vs. Michigan in 2017 and the first true freshman LB since David Reese II vs. South Carolina in 2016.
» James ranks sixth on the team in tackles (36), t-fifth in sacks (1.0) and t-sixth in QB hurries (3).
» At No. 11 Tennessee, James recorded his first-career sack in the first quarter, getting to Tennessee QB
Hendon Hooker for a six-yard loss. The sack also marked his first-career TFL.
» Wilson earned his first-career start vs. Eastern Washington. The last true freshman to start for the Gators
at safety was Trey Dean III in 2018 vs. Colorado State.
» Freshman LB Jack Pyburn and Sophomore DL Keenan Landry both made their college debuts vs. Eastern
Washington as Pyburn had a solo tackle. Freshman OLB Bryce Capers later made his debut vs. South Carolina.

• Georgia transfer DB Jalen Kimber made his UF debut and finished with two tackles vs. No. 7 Utah.
» His 39-yard interception return TD vs. USF in the second quarter represented Florida’s first pick-six since
CJ Gardner-Johnson’s 30-yard interception return TD against Michigan in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl on Dec.
29, 2018. The pick-six marked Florida’s 51st since 1996.

• Sophomore CB Jason Marshall Jr. has started all ten games this season for a total of 17 all-time and has played in
all 23 games in his career.
» Four other underclassmen have earned their first-career starts this season in DL Desmond Watson (at No.
11 Tenn.), DL Justus Boone (vs. Eastern Washington), JACK Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr. (at Texas A&M) and S
Miguel Mitchell (vs. South Carolina).

• Six of the 19 turnovers forced by the Gators have come from underclassmen - Powell-Ryland (2), Jalen Kimber (1),
Miguel Mitchell (1), Desmond Watson (1) and Kamari Wilson (1).
DEFENSIVE YOUTH

• The Gators have produced 19 turnovers this season with at least one each game, including six with multiple - two
interceptions and a forced fumble vs. USF, two forced fumbles at No. 11 Tennessee, two interceptions vs. Missouri, two
interceptions and a forced fumble vs. No. 1 Georgia, two forced fumbles at Texas A&M and three forced fumbles vs.
South Carolina.
» Last season, UF only had nine turnovers gained through the first-nine games and finished the season with 13 total.
» The last time the Gators produced at least 19 turnovers in a season was in 2019 when they finished with 23.
» Against South Carolina, Florida caused three-consecutive turnovers to start the second half as USC only ran a total of
four offensive plays - the non-turnover play was zero-yard rush.

• The 19 total takeaways have resulted in 70 points for the Gators, including the game-sealing interception vs. No. 7 Utah
and the game-winning touchdown vs. USF.
» The Gators rank first in the SEC in turnovers gained and second in turnover margin.

• Ten of the turnovers caused marked career firsts for a group of Gators: Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr. (forced fumble vs.
USF), Jalen Kimber (interception vs. USF), Ventrell Miller (forced fumble at Tenn.), Amari Burney (forced fumble at
Tenn.), Miguel Mitchell (forced fumble vs. Eastern Wash.), CB Jaydon Hill (interception vs. Missouri), Jadarrius Perkins
(interception vs. UGA), Rashad Torrence II (forced fumble vs. USC), Desmond Watson (forced fumble vs. USC) and Kamari
Wilson (forced fumble vs. USC).
» The first turnover of the season by the defense was Burney’s game-winning interception vs. No. 7 Utah in the
season opener.

• Burney (four), Hill (two), Powell-Ryland Jr. (two) and Umanmielen (two) have forced multiple takeaways this year.

• The fumble forced on the Vols’ opening drive by Miller marked the second game in which Florida caused a fumble on
the opponent’s opening drive - vs. USF, Powell-Ryland Jr. forced a fumble.

​