GAINESVILLE — Florida State moved a step closer to the College Football Playoff while sending rival Florida to its third straight losing season.
The Seminoles (12-0) erased a 12-0 lead Saturday night in a sold-out Swamp to keep their perfect season intact. A 19-yard field goal by Ryan Fitzgerald with 7:17 remaining put FSU back in front and marked the third lead change during the second half of the lowest-scoring UF-FSU game since the Seminoles’ 27-2 win in 2015.
Trey Benson’s 26-yard touchdown run with 2:48 remaining sealed the deal for Mike Norvell’s squad a week after star quarterback Jordan Travis suffered a gruesome leg injury during his final game at Doak Campbell Stadium.
“We haven’t been able to finish,” UF coach Billy Napier said. “That’s the bottom line.”
An announced crowd of 90,341 christened backup quarterback Tate Rodemaker with a baptism by fire, rattling the Seminoles’ redshirt junior and FSU offense from the jump. But Rodemaker and Co. rallied while the Gators came undone down the stretch.
UF (5-7) had just 48 yards during the second half, including minus-15 during the fourth quarter as redshirt freshman quarterback Max Brown could not escape FSU’s pass rush behind the Gators’ leaky offensive line.
The Seminoles finished with 11 tackles for loss, including 6 sacks, as Florida ended the season on a five-game skid and out of the postseason. Since Steve Spurrier’s inaugural 1990 team was ineligible for a bowl game, the Gators have failed to qualify in 2013, 2017 and now 2023.
“Ultimately we have to get up off the ground. We have to learn from failure,” Napier said. “We have work to do. Ultimately, as a staff we have to evaluate what we do.”
The Gators jumped to a 7-0 lead on a 13-play drive that covered 70 yards, capped by a 5-yard run by Montrell Johnson Jr.
UF could not pull away and put away the Seminoles after taking a 12-0 lead when a pack of Florida defenders swarmed Rodemaker in the end zone for a safety.
Gators coach Billy Napier tried to deliver a knockout blow. Facing first-and-10 from the FSU 46, UF tried an ill-fated double-reverse flea-flicker, ending in an intentional-grounding call with a loss of down and two plays later a punt to the Seminoles’ 10.
Norvell’s attack finally came alive, beginning with a 16-yard run by Benson. An unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty by redshirt freshman defensive tackle Jermari Lyons for spitting led to his ejection and moved the Seminoles to the 39.
A 29-yard pass to Jaheim Bell, a 16-yard run by Lawrance Toafili and 14-yard completion on third-and-9 to Johnny Wilson at the UF 1 set up Benson’s touchdown plunge. Despite being outgained by 99 yards and trailing by more than 11 minutes in time of possession, FSU trailed by just 5.
The Noles quickly struck again to open the second half, going 75 yards in six plays capped by a 36-yard touchdown by Benson to give the former Oregon transfer 5 touchdowns in two games against Florida and the Seminoles a 14-12 lead.
The teams then traded field goals and the lead for the final time.
UF undercut its comeback chances with 4 penalties for 50 yards in the fourth quarter, including a targeting call on Jaydon Hill after he hit Rodemaker while he slid at the end of a 10-yard run on third-and-14.
When the dust settled, Napier said 11-14 after two seasons.
“We anticipated it was going to be a challenge,” he said. “We’re right in the middle of this process. We’re fighting every single day. We’re trying to get better each day.”
Standouts
FSU
Trey Benson: The running back ran for 95 and 3 touchdowns, giving him 6 in two games against UF.
Akeem Dent: The Seminoles’ free safety had 6 tackles and forced a fumble during the first half to help keep the Gators from running away with the game.
Jared Verse: FSU’s veteran pass rusher had 2.5 sacks and 2 quarterback hurries.
Florida
Montrell Johnson Jr: Replaced in the starting lineup by Trevor Etienne, the junior tailback had 107 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.
Jason Marshall: The veteran cornerback had 3 pass breakups and a tackle for loss.
Noteworthy
— Etienne made his first career start in place of Johnson Jr. Etienne averaged 115.3 yards from scrimmage and had 6 scores the previous three games (Arkansas, LSU and Missouri).
— Benson has 13 touchdown runs this season and has five straight games with a touchdown run.
— Gators’ first-year defenders Sharif Denson, TJ Searcy and Bryce Thornton have combined for 8 tackles, 2.5 for loss.
— The average attendance in 2023 at the Swamp was 89,587, the highest since 2015.
– Tim Tebow received a raucous reception after the first quarter when the National Football Foundation and the College Hall of Fame jointly honored the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner in the south end zone.
Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com