by urbanslegend05 Thu Mar 24, 2011 3:38 am
Florida survives cocktail party, 27-17
Jacksonville, Fla. - The sixth-ranked Florida Gators stayed in the title hunt against upstart Georgia with a 27-17 win in the annual World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail party.
Georgia surprised many in attendance early with an interception on the first drive resulting in a field goal to give the Bulldogs the early 3-0 lead.
Florida answered back on a 13-play drive that was capped by quarterback Dan Lucky's option keeper from the three-yard line. (replay available)
Georgia regained control of the scoreboard with 4:35 left in the second quarter following a Dustin Gant pass to Dustin Justice from 64 yards away and it looked like the Bulldogs would lead going into the half. Florida's defense forced an interception with 3:21 left when Tyler Deluca stepped in front of a Gant pass at the Gators' 30-yard line. The ground game of the Gators then went to work on an 11-play drive to run out the half with a Lance Hicks field goal to tie the game at 10-10.
It was Florida that would start the second half with an interception as Matt Cantrell gave the Gators their second turnover of the day. The time Florida would only need three plays to score as Lucky hit Derrick Spence from 4-yards away for the go-ahead score, 17-10. (replay available) A field goal made it 20-17 heading into the fourth quarter.
Georgia struck first with a 25-yard pass from Gant to Mark Clark and the lead was three with 4:56 remaining. As Florida did throughout, however, it would follow a Georgia score with a methodical drive of its own. This time it was a 12-play drive totalling 81-yards and taking four minutes off the clock. Florida converted on a key third down to Bobby Hill, who went over 100 yards receiving in the game. (replay available) Then the Gators punched it in when Javon Cutler decided to try and run a few extra seconds off the clock. (replay available. Cutler rushed for 142 yards and a score.
Time had run out on the Bulldogs.
"It was an excellent debut for Jswag's crew," Florida coach Urban Legend said. "Some other coaches around the country will call that a moral victory. I know he was looking for the real thing, but they're a few years behind in recruiting due to their last coach's effort. For us, we continue to look toward a date with Florida State and then the SEC Championship game. We're just hoping to sneak back in there and defend our title."