Florida Shows Just How Special, Special Teams Are

Andre Debose, the MVP of the game, broke a Gator Bowl record with a 99-yard kickoff return to put Florida ahead to stay and the Gators scored 10 points off Ohio State turnovers to secure a 24-17 win Monday that helped them avoid the first losing season since 1979. Florida, which set a school record by winning its fourth straight bowl game, had lost some tough, close games during a season that included one stretch of four straight defeats but finally made the plays in the second half when they were needed most. “I think that close counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, and that’s really about it,” first-year Gators coach Will Muschamp said. “You don’t come close in football. The team gets tired of me telling them they’re close. You look at these six plays, eight plays, 10, 12 plays in a game. ‘If we can capitalize here and take care of this here’ … I think they’re tired of hearing that.” It was the Gators’ 24th straight winning season – the most among Football Bowl Subdivision teams...