After 45 consecutive games as a steady presence in the middle of Florida’s defense, Jon Bostic found the end zone for the first time in his career on senior day.

When Jacksonville State quarterback Marques Ivory dropped back to pass, Bostic quickly recognized that the offense was flooding the right side. Bostic moved left from his middle linebacker position, cut in front of wideout Trey Smith’s curl route and intercepted the ball at the JSU 7-yard-line with a clear path to the end zone.

Bostic’s score broke the game open early in the second half, giving the Gators a 17-0 lead in Saturday’s 23-0 win.

“Bostic just matched the route,” coach Will Muschamp said. “Couldn’t do it any better than he did.”

Bostic made three tackles on Saturday and is tied for second on the team with 58. He also ranks second on UF with 3 sacks, and is third on the team with 6.5 tackles for loss and four quarterback hurries.

“I don’t know if there’s a guy playing better inside linebacker in the country than Jon,” Muschamp said. “He’s instinctive, tough. Everything we’ve asked him to do as a football player, he’s answered that.”

Bostic has been one of UF’s key cogs on defense for the past three seasons, ranking in the top three in tackles each year. Last season, he notched a team-leading 97 stops.

Saturday marked Bostic’s 27th and final home game with the Gators. While the senior spoke to his teammates before the game about the importance of keeping the program on the right path once he’s gone, Bostic said he has yet to feel the emotions of his career coming to a close.

“It really hasn’t hit me yet,” Bostic said.

Bostic’s touchdown was his first since his senior year at Palm Beach Central High in 2008, when he ran for 458 yards and six touchdowns as a back.

Although Bostic brushed it off as “just another defensive play,” cornerback Marcus Roberson said the whole team was “pumped up” after the interception.

Cornerback Loucheiz Purifoy ran up to Bostic after the touchdown and delivered a simple message: “That’s the way to go out.”

“That’s a memory he’ll never forget,” Purifoy said. “I’m going to miss him, because that’s a great linebacker.”

Teammates and coaches praise his toughness and leadership, and those qualities were on display from Saturday’s opening snap.

On Jacksonville State’s first offensive play, Ivory fired a short pass to Kevyn Cooper, who broke a tackle and ran down the right sideline. Bostic sprinted after him, finally catching Cooper 76 yards downfield — a rare spot for a linebacker to tackle a wideout.

“You can’t give up on a play,” Bostic said.

Bostic’s speed is one reason he’s an attractive prospect for NFL teams, but he said he won’t think about that until the season is finished.

After the long gain, Bostic got the defense regrouped, leading a unit that went on to shut out Jacksonville State.

“He came back, he got guys back lined up, got us back focused,” senior defensive tackle Omar Hunter said. “Jon is a leader. He’s grown up so much since he first got here, and we follow his lead.”