JACKSONVILLE — Florida proved it could compete against the nation’s best with a new head coach, but the Gators will have to wait to find the right man to beat Georgia.
Billy Gonzales stepped in for fired coach Billy Napier and nearly led Florida past its longtime SEC rival. But the No. 5 Bulldogs prevailed 24-20 during a heartbreaker on Saturday in Jacksonville.
“They’re hurting. Our staff’s hurting. I’m hurting,” Gonzales said. “We came here to win. We fell short.”
The Gators (3-5, 2-3 SEC) had their chances to pick up their first win against Georgia since 2020, back when Gonzales coached receivers for Dan Mullen.
As a reported crowd of 76,131 at EverBank Stadium looked on, a near-fumble by quarterback DJ Lagway left UF facing fourth-and-1 from the Bulldogs’ 18 while clinging to a 20-17 lead. Georgia then stuffed tailback Jadan Baugh for no gain to get the ball with 7:54 to go, setting the stage for a Bulldogs’ comeback.
“It wasn’t good enough,” Lagway said. “We didn’t execute when we needed to execute.”
An 18-yard completion from Gunner Stockton to Zachariah Branch on third-and-8 then kept alive an seven-play, 82-yard drive, capped by a 36-yard run by Chauncey Bowens with 4:36 to go.
Lagway had another chance to guide the Gators to an upset, but he could not connect with J. Michael Sturdivant after he’d slipped behind Georgia’s defense — the pass landing just shy of his target. An ensuing fourth-down incompletion from Florida’s 31 allowed Georgia (7-1, 5-1) to close out the game.
“It stings. It hurts bad,” redshirt senior defensive end Tyreak Sapp said. “We came up short tonight.”
Florida wide receiver J. Michael Sturdivant (9) sits on the bench with teammates as time expires during the Gators’ 24-20 loss to No. 5 Georgia on Saturday at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Against Georgia, though, it’s often gone much worse for the Gators.
UF entered the day having lost four straight by an average of 21.5 points and amid a coaching search on the heels of Napier’s Oct. 19 ouster after four seasons. But the Gators rallied around Gonzales, his assistants and each other to push the Bulldogs to the brink.
“I don’t think anybody would want to play them regardless of their record,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart.
The game pitted two programs going in opposite directions, with Florida looking to avoid a fourth losing season in five years and Georgia pushing for its fourth CFB berth in the same span.
Whoever replaces Napier got a chance to see Florida’s talent and resilience.
“The players played extremely hard … they fought,” Gonzales said. “Proud of them. They do not have quit in their DNA.”
Gonzales’ resumé also improved.
Billy Ball, a moniker for the Gators’ plodding style under Napier, took on a whole new meaning against the Bulldogs.
After Napier’s firing, Gonzales reassigned play-calling duties held by Napier to quarterbacks analyst Ryan O’Hara, hoping to energize an attack averaging an SEC-low 17 points against FBS foes.
Receiver Tre Wilson was the primary benefactor.
With leading receiver Vernell Brown III and Aidan Mizell out and fellow true freshman Dallas Wilson injured to end the first half Saturday, Tre Wilson finished with nine catches for 121 yards, including a 40-yard touchdown to make it 7-7. He entered the day with 118 receiving yards.
Florida quarterback DJ Lagway (2) scrambles away from a Georgia defender during the Gators’ 24-20 loss to the No. 5 Bulldogs on Saturday in Jacksonville. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
The teams entered halftime tied 10-10 and traded third-quarter touchdowns to entered the fourth quarter knotted at 17, with the Gators with the ball at the Georgia 36.
After a Lagway pass bounced off the hands of TJ Abrams, kicker Trey Smack connected 54-yarder to give him the school record with nine 50-yard field goals.
A Georgia three-and-out followed, but the Gators could not contain Stockton and the Bulldogs down the stretch as they delivered a fourth come-from-behind victory in six SEC games.
“It’s better than the alternative,” Smart said.
While Georgia marches on, Gonzales has clearly energized the Gators since he took over 12 days ago. Given the circumstances and opponent, many wondered whether the Gators would put up a fight against the Bulldogs, a 7.5-point favorite.
“Coach just pushed us,” Sapp said. “He just told us it’s a lot more football to play.”
Gonzales was positioned to become the first interim coach at Florida to beat Georgia since Galen Hall’s 27-0 victory in 1984. A close call in a lopsided rivalry wasn’t good enough for the 54-year-old.
“At the end of the day, we did not win — that’s all that matters,” Gonzales said. “There are no moral victories.”
Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com