When the Gators were in danger, which was often, Florida coach Will Muschamp sent in the firemen.
That’s what he calls his defenders when they get backed into a tough spot, and they extinguished several threats Saturday during No. 8 Florida’s 14-7 win over Missouri at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. The victory was in jeopardy until Gators safety Josh Evans intercepted a pass in the end zone with five seconds left.
After each of Florida’s touchdowns, the Tigers immediately stormed downfield into scoring range, but the Gators stopped them both times. The defense also had four interceptions to cover up one of UF’s worst offensive performances of the season.
“Regardless of the circumstances, our job is to make stops,” Muschamp said. “You’re the firemen. Go put the fire out. I don’t care how bad it’s blazing.”
Apparently it is not an analogy Muschamp uses frequently, but it might stick.
“That’s the first time I’ve heard it,” defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd said. “It’s nice, though.
“I’m a firefighter. Coach says go get ‘em. No matter what happened on that last series, go get the offense the ball back. That’s what we had in our head.”
The Gators (8-1) snuffed out enough teams to finish 7-1 in the SEC after going 3-5 in 2011. It is the program’s biggest one-year improvement, matching 1954 and 1980.
That likely will be insufficient to win the SEC Eastern Division. Florida still needs Georgia (8-1, 6-1 in the SEC) to lose. The Bulldogs handled Ole Miss 37-10 and finish their conference schedule Saturday at Auburn.
“It is frustrating, but all we can do is worry about ourselves and keep working hard,” center Jonotthan Harrison said. “We can’t worry about all these external factors. It’s a great accomplishment and it shows that hard work will pay off.”
A 7-1 record has been good enough to win the East in all but three seasons. Tennessee was 7-1 and lost out to Florida in 1993, ’95 and ’96.
The offense struggled against Missouri (4-5, 1-5) and produced 276 total yards, its third-lowest total this year, and a season-worst 11 first downs. Six of its 13 possessions covered 10 yards or less and two netted negative yardage.
But the defense kept providing opportunities and kept the Tigers from pulling away. Missouri went ahead 7-0 midway through the second quarter and never scored again. The Gators tied it early in the third quarter on Omarius Hines’ 36-yard touchdown run.
Three of UF’s four takeaways led to scoring chances, and one led to Mike Gillislee’s go-ahead touchdown with 13:32 remaining. Near the end of the third quarter, Florida safety Matt Elam intercepted Missouri’s James Franklin at the Gators’ 4-yard line. Elam, from Dwyer High School, returned it 42 yards, and Florida scored a few plays later when Jeff Driskel hit Gillislee on a quick screen pass for a 45-yard touchdown.
Florida had a minus-12 turnover margin last year. Only five teams in the nation were worse. This season, though, the Gators are plus-11 and have 22 takeaways.
The Gators sacked Franklin four times, hurried him eight times, and he went 24 for 51 for 236 yards with four picks.
Linebacker Jon Bostic, from Palm Beach Central, and cornerback Jaylen Watkins each added an interception, but the Gators followed with missed field goals. Caleb Sturgis, who played through an ankle injury on his kicking foot, had a 47-yard attempt blocked in the second quarter because he kicked the ball too low. Brad Phillips replaced him and missed wide right from 24 yards with 1:49 remaining in the game.
The Gators escaped tight spots five times in the second half to preserve the lead. Missouri was inside UF’s 30-yard line three times without scoring. The closest call was late in the third quarter, when the Tigers had 1st-and-Goal at the 3-yard line, but Florida stopped them three times to force a 25-yard field goal try, which Loucheiz Purifoy blocked.
The Gators also held Missouri scoreless on two possessions that began inside Florida’s 45-yard line.
“That’s a great feeling,” Floyd said. “With this game on the line, is their offense better than our defense? Can their offense make big plays on a defense that’s coming? We’re relentless. That’s how we strive to play every week.”
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