Post-Game Discussion: South Carolina 6 vs. FLORIDA 38

2022 Florida Football Postgame Notes
Florida 38, South Carolina 6
November 12, 2022
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Steve Spurrier-Florida Field – Gainesville, Fla.
Gators Run Wild to Clinch Fifth-Consecutive Bowl Berth

• Florida’s win today makes the program bowl eligible for the fifth-straight season and for the eighth time in the last nine campaigns.

• The Gators totaled their most rushing yards (374) in an SEC game in over a decade – since running
for 405 yards vs. Kentucky on Sept. 24, 2011.
o This is Florida’s third-highest rushing total in an SEC game since 1996.
o Florida’s 374 yards rushing was the team’s most since running for 400 yards in the 2021
season opener vs. Florida Atlantic (Sept. 4, 2021).

• Florida turned in its first 300-yard rushing performance of the season and third since the start of the 2021 campaign.

• The Gators had two 100-yard rushers in the same game for the first time in 22 contests, as Montrell Johnson Jr. (161 yards) and Trevor Etienne (100 yards) both surpassed the century mark.
o Last time: Sept. 4, 2021 vs. Florida Atlantic  QB Anthony Richardson (160) & RB Malik Davis
(107)

• Three different Gators rushed for over 95 yards, as QB Anthony Richardson finished with 96 yards rushing on 15 carries.
o Richardson, Johnson Jr., and Etienne each scored a rushing touchdown.

• Florida averaged 6.9 yards per carry, while South Carolina rushed for 1.9 yards per attempt. Gators Offense

● Florida fumbled on its final possession of the game, ending a streak of 50-consecutive offensive
possessions without a turnover.
o It was Florida’s first turnover since Week 7 vs. LSU.

● The Gators’ 6.1 yards per carry ranks second in the FBS and is on track to set a school record.

● Florida’s 225.7 rushing yards per game ranks 12th in the FBS.

● Florida scored its most unanswered points to open a game (24) since Oct. 9, 2021 vs. Vanderbilt (42-0).

● Florida scored 21 points in the first quarter against a Power Five opponent for the first time since Sept. 24, 2011 at Kentucky.

● First Half Superlatives:
o Florida outscored South Carolina, 24-7.
o Florida out-gained South Carolina, 362-112.

▪ UF out-rushed USC, 281-24.
o The Gators totaled 16 first downs while the Gamecocks had six.
o Florida won the time-of-possession battle, 16:55 to 13:05.

● The Gators eclipsed 400 yards for the fifth time this season including the fourth time in the last seven
games.
o Florida amassed 400-plus total yards for the 22nd time in its last 33 games including 35 of
the last 52 contests.

● The Gators eclipsed 500 yards for the third time this season including the third time in the last seven games.
o This is the 15th time in Florida’s last 34 games that the Gators have totaled 500-plus yards.

● The Gators have rushed for 100-plus yards in 12-straight games including all ten games so far this season.
o The Gators have now rushed for 100-plus yards in 21 of their last 23 games.
o Florida has rushed for 100-plus yards in 50 of its last 61 games.

● Florida rushed for 200-plus yards for the seventh time in ten games this season and for the fifth time in the last six games.
o Florida posted its 13th game of 200-plus rushing yards in the last 23 contests.
o This marks Florida’s 25th 200-plus yard rushing game in its last 61 games.

● Today marked Florida’s third 300-yard rushing game across the past two seasons (23 games).
o Week 11 vs. South Carolina was Florida’s first 300-yard rushing game of the season.

 

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● The Gators have out-gained their opponents in 17 of the last 23 games dating back to last season
(South Carolina, UCF, USF, Missouri, LSU, Georgia).

● Florida scored 30 points for the sixth time this season including the sixth time in the last eight games.
o The Gators scored 30-plus points for the 38th time in their last 61 games, including scoring 30-plus in 25 of the team’s last 37 games.
o The Gators scored 30-plus points seven times in 15 games last season.

● RB Montrell Johnson Jr. set a new single-game career high with 161 yards rushing, topping his previous best of 150 rushing yards vs Arkansas State on Oct. 21, 2021.
o Johnson Jr. rushed for 100-plus yards for the fifth time in his career and for the third time as a Gator.
o Johnson Jr. also set a career high with 24 rush attempts.

● Johnson Jr. and RB Trevor Etienne have combined for one rushing TD in all ten games this season.
o The duo has combined for 14 total rushing touchdowns.
o The duo has combined for 39 of Florida’s 65 explosive rushes (10-plus yards) this season (60.0%).

● WR Ricky Pearsall hauled in his third touchdown reception as a Gator to put Florida ahead, 14-0, in the first quarter.
o The grab was Pearsall’s longest touchdown reception of the season.
o It was the eighth receiving TD of Pearsall’s career.
o It was the 11th touchdown (rushing or receiving) of his career.
o The score marked his fourth TD of the season (three receiving, one rushing).

● Pearsall has now caught a pass in 25 consecutive games.

● TE Jonathan Odom caught his first career pass and later hauled in his first-career touchdown.
o Odom finished with two receptions for six yards on top of the score.

● With Odom finding the stat sheet, 19 different players have caught at least one pass for Florida this season.

● Etienne’s 85-yard TD rush was the seventh-longest TD rush in school history, and the longest by a Florida player since Lamical Perine’s 88-yard TD run vs. Auburn in 2019.
o Etienne’s big score is tied for the eighth-longest TD rush in the FBS this season.
o It marked the second-longest TD run by a Florida freshman in school history (John L. Williams, 86 yards vs. West Texas State, 1982).
o Etienne’s 85-yard TD was Florida’s second-longest TD run since 1988 – when Emmitt Smith ripped off a 96-yard TD (longest in school history) vs. Mississippi State.

● Etienne finished with a career-high 100 yards rushing.

● WR Caleb Douglas made his first-career start, becoming the first true freshman to start at wide receiver since Kadarius Toney vs. Kentucky on Sept. 23, 2017.
o Douglas is one of four true freshmen to start for the Gators this season, along with LB Shemar James, DB Kamari Wilson and S Miguel Mitchell (also vs. South Carolina).
o Douglas is one of six freshmen (true or redshirt) to start for Florida this season, joining James, Wilson, Mitchell, DL Justus Boone (R-Fr.) and OL Austin Barber (R-Fr.).

● Florida opened the scoring with a 14-play, 75-yard touchdown drive capped off by a three-yard
touchdown rush by QB Anthony Richardson.
o It marked Richardson’s ninth rushing TD of the season and the 12th of his career.

● Florida scored on its opening drive for the fifth time this season, including scoring an opening-drive touchdown for the third time this year (first opening drive TD since Week 7 vs. LSU).

● Richardson’s nine rushing TDs rank second among SEC QBs and rank t-fifth in the FBS.

● WR Kahleil Jackson set a career high with 23 yards receiving.

Gators Defense

● Florida posted its best defensive performance in terms of points allowed (six) since shutting out
Vanderbilt, 42-0, on Oct. 9, 2021.

● Florida opened the second half by forcing a fumble on three-straight possessions – and recovering all three.

● Florida held its opponent to under 300 total yards of offense for the second time this season. o This is the sixth time since the start of the 2021 season that the Gators have held an
opponent to 300 yards or fewer.

● Florida held its opponent to under 200 passing yards for the third time in its last 11 matchups.
o This is the tenth time since the start of the 2021 season that the Gators have allowed 200 or fewer passing yards in a game.

● The Gators allowed fewer than 100 rushing yards for the second time this season

 

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o This is the fifth time since the start of the 2021 campaign that Florida has allowed 100 or fewer rushing yards.

● The Gators recorded three sacks in tonight’s game.
o Since the start of last season, Florida has out-sacked its opponents by a plus-29 margin.
o Florida’s 174 sacks since 2018 season ranks second in the SEC and seventh nationally –trailing (or tied with) only Clemson (213), Pittsburgh (212), Alabama (197), Miami (181) and Ohio State (174).
o Florida ranked tied for 14th in the FBS and second in the SEC with 34 sacks last season.

● With three takeaways vs. Georgia, Florida’s defense has now produced 97 turnovers since 2018,
which ranks third in the SEC and tied for 20th in the FBS.
o The Gators have produced 19 turnovers this season with at least one each game.
o The Gators have produced multiple turnovers in six games this season.
o The Gators’ 19 forced turnovers this season rank second in the SEC and t-ninth in the Power 5.

● DB Rashad Torrence II forced and recovered a fumble in the third quarter, becoming the first UF
player to force and recover a fumble on the same play since Taven Bryan vs. South Carolina on Nov. 12, 2016 – six years to the date.
o It marked Torrence II’s first-career forced fumble and a second-career fumble recovery.

● Strangely enough, DL Desmond Watson accomplished the same feat on Florida’s next defensive
stand, forcing a fumble and recovering it for Florida’s second takeaway.
o It marked the first forced fumble and a fumble recovery in Watson’s career.

● S Kamari Wilson produced Florida’s third forced fumble of the game, marking the first of his career.
o Florida’s three forced fumbles (Torrence II, Watson, Wilson) came on three-straight drives to open the third quarter.
o S Trey Dean was credited with the fumble recovery – his second of the season and the third of his career.

● LB Ventrell Miller finished with four solo tackles, 2.0 TFL and one QB hurry.o Miller’s 2.0 TFL tied a career-high (sixth time).

● DL Gervon Dexter picked up 0.5 sack to move his season totals to 2.0 sacks and 3.0 TFL.

● DE Princely Umanmielen registered 0.5 sack to increase his season totals to 3.5 sacks and 7.5 TFL.
o Umanmielen also added two QB hurries.

● S Miguel Mitchell made his first-career start, becoming one of four true freshmen to start for theGators this season along with LB Shemar James, DB Kamari Wilson and WR Caleb Douglas.

● S Tre’Vez Johnson recorded 1.0 TFL to bring his season total to 2.0.

● LB Amari Burney finished with four tackles (one solo) and 0.5 TFL.

● DL Desmond Watson totaled three tackles, 0.5 TFL and one forced fumble.

● LB Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr. notched 1.0 solo sack for the second-straight game.
o Powell-Ryland Jr. now has 2.0 sacks and 4.0 TFL on the season.

● DB Jordan Young recorded his first-career pass breakup.

● LB Derek Wingo tallied his first-career sack in the fourth quarter.

● LB Bryce Capers made his collegiate debut.
Florida Special Teams

● P Jeremy Crawshaw punted two times for an average of 58.0 yards, including a long kick of 67yards, one 50-plus yard punt and one kick inside the opposing 20-yard line.
o Crawshaw’s 67-yard punt was his longest of the season (career long: 69).
o Crawshaw has punted for 50-plus yards on 28 of 671 career punts.

● K Adam Mihalek went 1-for-2 on field goal attempts.
o Mihalek connected on a 28-yard attempt in the second quarter.
o Mihalek’s 36-yard attempt in the third quarter was blocked.
Explosive Plays (13)

● Anthony Richardson: 10-yard rush, first quarter

● Montrell Johnson Jr.: 22-yard rush, first quarter

● Caleb Douglas (from Anthony Richardson): 27-yard reception, first quarter

● Ricky Pearsall (from Anthony Richardson): 15-yard TD reception, first quarter

● Trevor Etienne: 85-yard TD rush, first quarter

● Anthony Richardson: 23-yard rush, second quarter

● Montrell Johnson Jr.: 31-yard rush, second quarter

 

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● Montrell Johnson Jr.: 20-yard rush, second quarter

● Anthony Richardson: 19-yard rush, second quarter

● Anthony Richardson: 18-yard rush, second quarter

● Montrell Johnson Jr.: 11-yard rush, third quarter

● Lorenzo Lingard: 10-yard rush, fourth quarter

● Kahleil Jackson (from Jalen Kitna): 23-yard reception, fourth quarter

Series Updates

● Tonight’s game represented the 43rd all-time meeting between Florida and South Carolina including the 19th matchup in Gainesville.

● With tonight’s victory, Florida improves to 30-10-3 (.733) vs. South Carolina and 17-2 (.895) at home.

● The Gators are now 25-7 (.781) against the Gamecocks since 1964 and have won four-straight home games in the series since 2016.

• HC Billy Napier defeated SC HC Shane Beamer in their first meeting as head coaches.

• This year’s matchup marked Florida’s largest defeat over South Carolina (38-6) since the Gators’ 44-11 home victory (33 points) over the Gamecocks on Oct. 20, 2012.

• Florida held South Carolina to its fewest total yards in the head-to-head series since November 14, 2015 (201 yards allowed).
o South Carolina’s 44 yards rushing were the team’s lowest against Florida since Nov. 12, 2016 (43 yards).

Swamp Superlatives

● Florida boasts a 355-113-13 (.752) all-time record at The Swamp, holding the second-highest home winning percentage in the nation since 1990 with a 174-34 (.837) record.
o The Gators have outscored opponents, 7,828 to 3,369 in 208 games inside The Swamp, putting the average outcome at 37.6 to 16.2 (21.4 points).

Other

● UF has scored in 433-consecutive games -- which is an NCAA record and 56 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.

● Florida has finished with fewer than 10 penalties in 49 of its last 54 games.

● Florida Game Captains: #2 Amari Burney, #76 Richard Gouriage, #51 Ventrell Miller, #86 Jordan Pouncey

● South Carolina won the toss and deferred; South Carolina defended the south end zone.

● Attendance: 89,454