GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida coach Dan Mullen dressed as Darth Vader to take questions from the media Saturday night.

Mullen showed up following a 41-17 victory over Missouri wearing a “Star Wars” villain costume, complete with a red lightsaber. He even launched into character at the beginning and end of his news conference.

Mullen insisted he chose the outfit long before he was in the middle of a halftime scuffle between the teams Saturday night.

He explained that his getup was part of a Halloween tradition started as coach at Mississippi State, though the team never played on Halloween night. Mullen said his staff — those with younger children — was given the opportunity to take the kids our trick-or-treating.

Ultimately, though, he admitted his attire was “suitable tonight.”

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