JOHNSON JR. RUNS WILD AS GATORS DELIVER NAPIER’S 50TH-CAREER VICTORY ON HOMECOMING• Florida delivered its third sellout in four games this season including the seventh of the Billy Napier era with an official attendance of 89,432. • HC Billy Napier won his 50th career game as a Division I head coach in his 71st game, becoming the 10th coach with 50 or more wins since the start of the 2018 season: Nick Saban (66), Kirby Smart (65), Dabo Swinney (63), Lincoln Riley (59), Luke Fickell (57), Brian Kelly (58), Jim Harbaugh (51), Ryan Day (50) and Josh Heupel (50). • Florida improved to 22-1 against Vanderbilt in Gainesville since 1960, holding an active five-game winning streak in the series. • Florida rose to 31-2 overall against Vanderbilt since 1989. • RB Montrell Johnson Jr. eclipsed 2,000 career rushing yards with 135 yards on 18 carries (7.5 YPC) and one touchdown. • QB Graham Mertz joined Tim Tebow (2010 vs. Cincinnati) as the only Florida quarterbacks to complete 80.0% of his passes or better on 35 attempts or more since 1996. o This is just the sixth time a Florida quarterback has completed at least 80% of his passes and thrown three touchdowns since 1996 and the first since Emory Jones vs. Samford on Nov. 13, 2021. • Vanderbilt scored on its third drive of the game, marking the end of a 31-drive streak without points in The Swamp dating back to 2017. • Florida improved to 71-26-2 (.727) all-time in Homecoming games by winning its fifth-straight on Saturday. o The Gators are 29-5 (.853) across their last 34 homecoming games. OFFENSIVE NOTES• Johnson Jr rushed 18 times for 135 yards, posting the seventh 100-yard rushing game of his career and his fifth as a Gator. • Johnson Jr. eclipsed 2,000 career rushing yards in the victory. • Johnson Jr. scored his 26th-career rushing touchdown including his 14th as a Gator. o The score was his 28th-career touchdown (16th at UF). • Johnson Jr. rushed 11 times for 98 yards (8.9 YPC) and one touchdown in the first half alone. • Johnson Jr. ripped off a 34-yard rush in the first quarter, marking his longest carry of the season. • Johnson Jr. set a new career receiving long with a 19-yard reception in the second quarter. • QB Graham Mertz finished 30-for-36 for 254 yards and three touchdowns, equating to an 83.0% completion percentage and 170.1 passer rating. o Mertz is the only Florida quarterback to complete 70% of his passes or better in six-straight starts, a feat he accomplished in his first six starts as a Gator. o Mertz set a Gators high with three passing touchdowns. • Mertz went 17-for-21 (81.0%) with one touchdown and 138 yards for a 151.9 passer rating in the first half. • Mertz has thrown a touchdown pass in 21 of his last 24 games. • WR Ricky Pearsall put Florida on the board with a 14-yard touchdown rush in the first quarter – his first rushing touchdown of the season and the fourth of his career (first carry of 2023). • Pearsall recorded a reception in his 34th-consecutive game, which is the eighth-longest streak in the FBS. • WR Khalil Jackson set a career-high with four receptions. • TE Arlis Boardingham set career highs with seven receptions, 99 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns. • RB Treyaun Webb broke off a career-long rush of 43 yards to end the third quarter, finishing with 70 yards on four carries. • Johnson Jr. and RB Trevor Etienne have combined for at least one touchdown in 15 of 19 games together, scoring 24 total TDs (rushing TDs in 15 of 19 games). o The duo has combined for 22 total rushing touchdowns. • The Gators rushed for 200-plus yards for the 10th time in their last 19 games dating back to last season (second of 2023). • The Gators have rushed for 100-plus yards in 15 of their last 19 games dating back to last season (fourth of 2023). • WR Tre Wilson III scored his first-career touchdown on a nine-yard reception in the third quarter. o Wilson III also set career highs with a team-high eight receptions and 64 receiving yards. • Florida posted two 90-plus yard touchdown drives and now owns five total on the season. • Florida scored 30 points for the ninth time since 2022. o The Gators scored 30-plus points for the 41st time in their last 70 games, including scoring 30-plus in 28 of the team’s last 46 games. • The Gators eclipsed 400 yards for the ninth time since the start of 2022 (second of 2023). o Florida amassed 400-plus total yards for the 26th time in its last 42 games including 39 of the last 61 contests. ● By totaling 161 more yards than Vanderbilt, the Gators have out-gained their opponents in 11 of the last 19 games dating back to last season. DEFENSIVE NOTES● Florida held its opponents to under 100 rushing yards for the third time this season (fifth in Napier era). ● True freshman S Bryce Thornton made his first-career start alongside true freshman S Jordan Castell, signifying Florida’s first game starting two true freshman safeties in the last 25 years. o Florida started three true freshman defensive backs (Marco Wilson, CJ Henderson and Shawn Davis) on Nov. 25, 2017 vs. Florida State. ● Vanderbilt’s punt on its opening drive marked the Commodores’ 30th-straight drive in The Swamp without scoring. o Vanderbilt scored on its third drive, marking the end of a 31-drive streak without points. ● Will Sheppard’s 85-yard touchdown reception represented the eighth-longest touchdown the Gators have ever surrendered. ● Florida recovered its first fumble (second takeaway) of the 2023 season on DE T.J. Searcy’s first-career forced fumble (DB Jalen Kimber recorded his first-career fumble recovery). ● With one takeaway vs. Vanderbilt, Florida’s defense has now produced 102 turnovers since 2018, which ranks fourth in the SEC and tied-for-35th in the FBS. o The Gators have produced at least one turnover in of 14 of 18 games in the Napier era. ● The Gators surrendered just 39 total rushing yards on 3.9 yards per carry in the first half. ● DL Tyreak Sapp recorded his second-career sack (second of season). ● The Gators recorded two sacks in tonight’s game. o Florida’s 188 sacks since 2018 season ranks second in the SEC and tenth nationally. ● LB Derek Wingo notched his first sack of the campaign. SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES ● P Jeremy Crawshaw punted three times for an average of 58.3 yards including three 50-plus yard kicks and one inside the opposing 20-yard line. o Crawshaw boomed a season-high 63-yarder on his second attempt of the game to pin Vanderbilt at their own five-yard-line. o Crawshaw has now punted for 50-plus yards on 45 of 107 career punts while placing 41 inside the opposing 20-yard line. ● K Trey Smack connected on his lone field-goal attempt of 39 yards. Explosive Plays (12)● Ricky Pearsall (from Graham Mertz): 18-yard reception, first quarter ● Montrell Johnson Jr.: 34-yard rush, first quarter ● Ricky Pearsall: 14-yard touchdown rush, first quarter ● Montrell Johnson Jr.: 28-yard rush, second quarter ● Montrell Johnson Jr., (from Mertz): 19-yard reception, second quarter ● Arlis Boardingham (from Mertz): 19-yard reception, second quarter ● Arlis Boardingham (from Mertz): 23-yard reception, third quarter ● Arlis Boardingham (from Mertz): 20-yard reception, third quarter ● Treyaun Webb: 11-yard rush, third quarter ● Treyaun Webb: 43-yard rush, third quarter ● Montrell Johnson Jr.: 15-yard rush, fourth quarter ● Arlis Boardingham (from Mertz): 15-yard touchdown reception, fourth quarter Series Updates ● Tonight’s game represented the 57th all-time meeting between Florida and Vanderbilt including the 27 th in Gainesville. ● With tonight’s victory, the Gators improve to 44-11-2 (.790) in the all-time series vs. Vanderbilt and 24- 2-1 (.907) in Gainesville. ● Florida has won 31 of the last 33 matchups versus Vanderbilt. • HC Billy Napier improves to 1-1 against Vanderbilt HC Clark Lea in their second meeting as head coaches. • Florida held Vanderbilt to 58 total rushing yards – the team’s lowest vs. the Commodores since 2019 (51) and UF’s fifth time holding Vandy under 100 yards in the last seven meetings. THE STREAK● Florida has scored in 442-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 DETAILS● Florida Game Captains: #26 Jeremy Crawshaw, #88 Cam Jackson, #6 Shemar James, #2 Montrell Johnson Jr. ● Coin Toss: Florida won the toss and deferred; Vanderbilt received and Florida defended the north end zone. ● Attendance: 89,432 (third sellout of 2023)
