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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson had proven flashes of his potential as a backup for the Gators final season. On Saturday, he confirmed precisely what he may do as their starter.
Richardson had 274 complete yards and three touchdowns as Florida upset No. 7 Utah 29-26 in entrance of a raucous 90,799, the biggest crowd for a season opener at school historical past. He did the whole lot the Gators wanted with one spotlight play after one other — from a blinding two-point conversion that left a number of defenders mendacity on the turf, to an enormous fourth-and-2 conversion, to the game-winning 2-yard landing run with 1:25 remaining.
Richardson completed with a career-high three dashing touchdowns Saturday after coming into the sport with three dashing touchdowns in his profession. The efficiency helped coach Billy Napier get his first win at Florida whereas handing the Utes a heartbreaking loss to open a season that started as a dark-horse School Soccer Playoff selection.
“My spouse may name performs with that man at quarterback,” Napier mentioned of Richardson. “His legs, they are a distinction maker. You noticed it tonight. The fourth-down play, within the final drive. The 2-point conversion, I imply, come on. He did that very same factor in follow sooner or later. I am speaking in regards to the precise state of affairs.
“I feel we’re determining right here that this man’s a reasonably particular participant.”
Richardson mentioned he had pregame jitters however labored them out after the primary few collection. With the sport on the road and Florida trailing 26-22 with the clock winding down, Richardson mentioned Napier instructed him to go rating the sport winner.
“My coronary heart form of froze,” Richardson mentioned. “I might by no means actually heard these phrases. Particularly in a state of affairs like that, with a crowd as large as that. Simply having the ball in my arms, I really feel just like the workforce trusts me. The coaches belief me to make a play, make one thing occur. I am glad they belief me for that.”
Nonetheless, Utah acquired the ball again with 1:25 left within the recreation and drove all the best way all the way down to the Florida 6-yard line. On second-and-goal, Amari Burney intercepted Cameron Rising ultimately zone to clinch the victory. The interception marred a strong efficiency from Rising, who went 22-of-32 for 216 yards and a landing and rushed for 91 yards.
“It wasn’t Cam’s finest throw,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham mentioned. “I am certain he’d like that again.”
Utah missed a number of alternatives within the pink zone that finally value the Utes the victory. Twice, they acquired contained in the 6-yard line, solely to provide you with zero factors. Florida, in the meantime, transformed its pink zone journeys into touchdowns.
At occasions, the Utah offense pushed Florida everywhere in the area, together with on these two red-zone drives. Utah had 230 yards dashing and averaged 5.9 yards per carry. However Florida discovered a method to make the performs when it counted, and its offensive line discovered a method to push Utah round, too. The Gators rushed for 283 yards and 4 touchdowns, averaging 7.3 yards a carry.
A variety of that’s due to Richardson, who had 106 yards on the bottom. His capacity to run and create performs makes him a dynamic participant, one who nonetheless has a full season forward of him to proceed to enhance.
However maybe greater than what Richardson did is what Florida confirmed in a recreation that went all the way down to the wire.
A yr in the past, Florida misplaced six of its remaining 9 video games after beginning the season ranked No. 13 within the preseason rankings. Coach Dan Mullen was fired earlier than the season even ended, as many questioned the path of this system as a result of their speedy decline appeared to occur so quick.
Napier got here in and emphasised a disciplined strategy, and one on offense that must depend on the run, due to Richardson and the working again room, together with Louisiana switch Montrell Johnson Jr. and true freshman Trevor Etienne, youthful brother of Jacksonville Jaguars working again Travis Etienne.
Napier famous when he took the job, one in all his buddies who had labored at Florida beforehand instructed him that this system had probably the most aggressive gamers he had ever been round. He believes that competitiveness allowed Florida to tug the upset win.
“This group’s acquired combat in it,” Napier mentioned. “They have a little bit little bit of a special edge about them. The execution wasn’t all the time what we wished on the market and we have a lot work to do. We have been lucky to beat many errors tonight, however the intangibles that the workforce confirmed, they continued to reply proper up till the top and so they made a play.
“We have work to do. We received a recreation, and it is a particular second. We’ll take pleasure in it and we’ll come again in tomorrow and prepare for SEC play.”