2023 Florida Football Postgame Notes Florida 41, South Carolina 39 Williams-Brice Stadium – Columbia, South CarolinaTHE OPENING DRIVE ● The Gators completed the first 10-point 4th quarter comeback since their 11-point comeback against Kentucky on Sept. 24, 2019 ● QB Graham Mertz set a career high with 423 Passing yards and tied season high in passing touchdowns (3) o This is the first 400-yard passing performance by a Gator QB since Anthony Richardson oNovember 19, 2022 against o This is the first 400-yard passing game by a Florida QB against South Carolina ● WR Ricky Pearsall eclipsed 2,000 career receiving yards, becoming the fifth current FBS player to accomplish the feat. ● With tonight’s victory, the Gators improved to 31-10-3 (.739) in the all-time series vs. South Carolina and 13-8-1 (.614) in Columbia. OFFENSIVE NOTES ● The Gators completed the first 10-point 4th quarter comeback since their 11-point comeback against Kentucky on Sept. 24, 2019 o This is the first 10-point 4th quarter comeback against South Carolina since Nov. 12, 2018 o This is the first 10-point 4th quarter comeback on the road since Sept.23,2017 at Kentucky ● This is the 28th time Florida has reached 300 passing yards in the team’s last 71 games and the sixth time to accomplish the feat since 2022. ● The Gators eclipsed 400 yards for the tenth time since the start of 2022. o Florida amassed 400-plus total yards for the 27th time in its last 43 games including 40 of the last 62 contests. ● By totaling 29 more yards than South Carolina, the Gators have out-gained their opponents in 12 of the last 20 games dating back to last season. ● Florida scored 30 points for the tenth time since 2022. o The Gators scored 30-plus points for the 42nd time in their last 71 games, including scoring 30-plus in 29 of the team’s last 47 games. ● The Gators scored a touchdown on the opening drive for the second consecutive game. ● QB Graham Mertz set a career high with 423 Passing yards and tied season high in passing touchdowns (3) o This is the first 400-yard passing performance by a Gator QB since Anthony Richardson on November 19, 2022 against Vanderbilt (400) o This is the first 400-yard passing game by a Florida QB against South Carolina ● QB Graham Mertz has thrown a touchdown pass in 23 of his last 26 games. ● Johnson Jr. and Etienne have combined for at least one touchdown in 16 of 20 games together, scoring 25 total TDs (rushing TDs in 15 of 20 games). ● WR Ricky Pearsall recorded a reception in his 35th-consecutive game, tied for the eighth-longest streak in the FBS. ● WR Ricky Pearsall eclipsed 2,000 career receiving yards, becoming the fifth current FBS player to accomplish the feat. ● WR Ricky Pearsall had 100-plus receiving yards for the fifth time in his career. ● TE Hayden Hansen set career highs in Receptions (2), Reception Yards (27), and Longest Reception (16) ● WR Kahleil Jackson set a career high in receiving yards (52), including a career high 45 yard long, and recorded his first career touchdown ● WR Eugene Wilson III caught a career long 30 yard reception ● WR Ricky Pearsall set his career high with 10 receptions, and set his career high with 166 receiving yards. DEFENSIVE NOTES ● The Gators recorded 2 sacks in tonight’s game. o Since the start of 2021, Florida has out-sacked its opponents by a plus-20 margin. o Florida’s 190 sacks since 2018 season ranks second in the SEC and tenth nationally – trailing only Clemson (249), Pittsburgh (245), Alabama (232), Penn State (209), Miami (197), Marshall (197), Ohio State (196), Oklahoma State (196) and Notre Dame (189). ● Since 1996, the Gators are sixth nationally in interceptions with 411 and lead the SEC with the next closest team, Alabama, 12 picks behind. ● With 2 takeaways vs. South Carolina, Florida’s defense has now produced 104 turnovers since 2018, which ranks fourth in the SEC and tied-for-40th in the FBS. o The Gators have produced at least one turnover in 15 of 20 games in the Napier era. ● CB Aaron Gates made his collegiate debut ● EDGE Jack Pyburn recorded his first career TFL ● DL Tyreak Sapp tied his career high with one TFL (vs Tennessee, 9/16/23) SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES ● K Trey Smack Tied career high with 54-yard field goal (vs Charlotte, 9/23/23) ● DL Tyreak Sapp returned his first career kick for 16 yards Explosive Plays Explosive Plays ● Arlis Boardingham: 24-yard reception, 1st quarter ● Montrell Johnson Jr.: 11-yard rush, 1st quarter ● Hayden Hansen: 16-yard reception, 1st quarter ● Ricky Pearsall: 23-yard reception, 1st quarter ● Trevor Etienne: 28-yard rush, 2nd quarter ● Kahleil Jackson: 45-yard reception, 2nd quarter ● Ricky Pearsall: 26-yard reception, 2nd quarter ● Eugene Wilson III: 30-yard reception, 3rd quarter ● Montrell Johnson Jr.: 20-yard rush, 4th quarter ● Montrell Johnson Jr.: 10-yard rush, 4th quarter ● Ricky Pearsall: 17-yard reception, 4th quarter ● Ricky Pearsall: 19-yard reception, 4th quarter ● Ricky Pearsall: 26-yard reception, 4th quarter ● Eugene Wilson III: 22-yard reception, 4th quarter ● Ricky Pearsall: 21-yard touchdown reception, 4th quarter ● Montrell Johnson Jr.: 11-yard rush, 4th quarter Series Updates ● Tonight’s game represented the 44th all-time meeting between Florida and South Carolina including the 22nd in Columbia. ● With tonight’s victory, the Gators improved to 31-10-3 (.739) in the all-time series vs. South Carolina and 13-8-1 (.614) in Columbia. ● Florida has won 26 of the last 33 matchups versus the Gamecocks since 1964 and 11 of the last 16 in Columbia dating back to 1993. ● HC Billy Napier improves to 2-0 against South Carolina HC Shane Beamer in their second meeting as head coaches. ● The Rivalry saw it’s first 400-passing yard performance THE STREAK ● Florida has scored in 443-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: #23 Jaydon Hill, #94 Tyreak Sapp, #7 Trevor Etienne, and #66 Jake Slaughter ● Coin Toss: South Carolina won the toss and deferred; Florida received and defended the North end zone. ● Attendance: 79,247
There were a couple of cute plays that we could have done without, imo. If anything, we should have put in something like the Emory and Henry formation early in the season against the cupcakes so that teams would have to prepare for it when they play us. And then we just don't use it.
I went back and looked, he threw a completion to the endzone from the wildcat on the two point conversion. Play worked great.
He did and I checked back and had I had left out subtitle Explosive Plays. Then there were only two Special Team Plays noted. ETN was not in there.
I believe that was the play that we took points off the board and accepted a a penalty that could have blown up in our face, but a great play that ended up giving us the four point advantage that was crucial to our win.
Could have? Nope. Statistically the right decision could have blown up? One Percent possibility of that.
Etienne in the wildcat is an effective set. Hansen was quarantined in the endzone. He threw a nice little pass right on the money. I checked the box score and his pass wasn't there.
not only the right decision after the Cocks were penalized half the distance to the goalline, but it got the lead down to 7 rather than 8,
Actually, made our lead 7 rather than 6 with the 1 pt kick. Once the penalty shortened the try to 1 1/2 yds, it upped the chances of conversion.
