Final: No. 13 Florida Gators Upset at Home Vs. USF

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- The Florida Gators’ win streak and undefeated record against USF has come to an end.

Offensive struggles, crucial penalties and clutch plays in the second half by the Bulls led to the 13th-ranked Gators being upset, 18-16 , inside the Swamp on Saturday. 

Leading 16-15 with less than 2:30 left in the game, the Gators were called for a pass interference on Dijon Johnson and an unsportsmanlike conduct on Brendan Bett, giving the Bulls 28 free yards before USF’s Alvon Isaac broke multiple tackles on a 29-yard reception. 

Isaac’s reception put the Bulls on Florida’s 32-yard line with under two minutes to go, and Nico Gramatica drilled a 20-yard field goal as time expired to clinch the upset.

The final drive, and the penalties, capped off a sloppy night for Florida at every level.

After a zero-penalty Week 1 against Long Island, the Gators were called for 11 penalties for 108 yards, while the offense was held to three field goals in the first half. 

Sophomore quarterback DJ Lagway threw for 222 yards and a touchdown, but incompletions at crucial times, including a drop by tight end Tony Livingston that would have been a touchdown, cost Florida throughout the game.

Florida also struggled to stop USF quarterback Byrum Brown, who threw for 262 yards and a touchdown, including a 66-yarder to Keshaun Singleton in the third quarter to take the lead.

Jadan Baugh rushed for 51 yards on the game's first drive to put the Gators in scoring position, but a drop by Tony Livingston and false start on Bryce Lovett, UF's first penalty of the season, stifled the drive. Trey Smack kicked a 28-yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead.

Penalties, again, became the story of Florida's next drive. 

After a USF field goal, the Gators had two touchdowns called back on the ensuing drive with a 20-yard rush by Ja'Kobi Jackson negated by a holding penalty on Kamryn Waites and a 14-yard touchdown reception by Tony Livingston negated by a pass interference call on Hayden Hansen.

Smack drilled a 36-yard field goal to retake the lead, 6-3, with 6:53 left in the first half before adding a 41-yarder with 1:50 left. 

USF answered on the final drive of the first half with an eight-play, 68-yard drive in which Brown had a 20-yard run on third down to set up another field goal from Nico Gramatica.

From there, the Gators collapsed. 

Florida was shut out in the third quarter while going 0-for-3 on third down tries, and USF found the end zone with Brown hitting Keshaun Singleton for a 66-yard touchdown in which he split UF defensive backs Dijon Johnson and Bryce Thornton.

USF held a 13-9 lead after the score.

The Gators went three-and-out on the ensuing drive before long snapper Rocco Underwood sailed the ball over punter Tommy Doman's head, which went out of the end zone for a safety to give the Bulls a 15-9 lead. 

Florida re-took the lead with Lagway’s touchdown pass to Wilson III, and the Bulls missed a 58-yard field goal after the teams traded punts, but the Gators failed to capitalize after going three-and-out.

Lagway threw two incompletions, which saved USF from burning a timeout, and the Bulls took advantage with its eight-play, 87-yard drive to win the game.

The Gators (1-1) open SEC play next week at No. 3 LSU with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. ET. Florida has not won a game in Death Valley since 2016 and has not won a night game in Death Valley since 2009.