Florida State vs. Florida: Game Grades, Analysis for 'Noles and Gators
Jim McElwain resurrected the Florida football program and won the SEC East, but he couldn't get his team past Florida State, which invaded The Swamp and came away with a convincing 27-2 victory Saturday night.
The No. 13 Seminoles (10-2) used a strong defense and a relentless running game to wear down the No. 12 Gators (10-2), who totaled just 262 yards of offense. And while Florida State is done until the bowl game and Florida is headed for its conference title game, Jimbo Fisher made it clear he has the state's top team in 2015.
Here's how both teams graded out from Saturday's action.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
| Pass Offense | C- | C |
| Run Offense | D- | A |
| Pass Defense | A | A+ |
| Run Defense | B | B- |
| Special Teams | A | A |
| Coaching | A | A |
Pass Offense
Sean Maguire had a hard time finding a rhythm against Florida's ferocious pass rush and elite secondary, but he made the plays he needed for the Seminoles. That was on display in the second quarter when he rolled right on 4th-and-goal from the 1-yard line and threw a dart across his body to Jeremy Kerr for a touchdown. Maguire completed 14 of 28 passes for 160 yards and one touchdown against no interceptions.
Run Offense
Florida boasts one of the country's stingiest rush defenses, ranking seventh nationally and giving up 108.3 yards per game. The Seminoles had a hard time getting going against the Gators, as Dalvin Cook rushed for minus-one yard in the first quarter and 25 yards before the break. That changed in a big way in the second half, though, as Cook exploded in the fourth quarter, finishing with 183 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries.
Pass Defense
Florida State wasn't facing much of a treat in Florida's Treon Harris, who has struggled since being thrust behind center. The Gators only gained a meager 64 yards on 22 pass attempts in the first half, and Harris finished the night completing 50 percent of his passes for 134 yards.
Run Defense
Florida found a rhythm early as Kelvin Taylor ripped off an early 20-yard run, but Florida State's front seven settled in, allowing just 58 yards on the ground to close out the first half. The Gators were able to open some lanes for Taylor in the second half, who finished with 135 rushing yards, but the rest of the team combined to lose seven yards.
Special Teams
Roberto Aguayo was his usual remarkable self and registered the first points of the game when he drilled a 45-yard field goal early in the second quarter. He later knocked in a 51-yard field goal to put the Seminoles up by 13. Cason Beatty had an exceptional night punting the ball, averaging 47.6 yards on seven attempts, and Florida State made a huge play when it blocked an Austin Hardin field goal to open the fourth quarter.
Coaching
Fisher knew that the Florida offense was going to have a hard time moving the ball against his defense, and he stayed aggressive on that side of the ball while doing just enough offensively to keep this one out of reach. The Gators just didn't have enough in the tank to keep pace with the Seminoles, and the staff didn't complicate things as FSU cruised to the easy victory.
| Pass Offense | D | D- |
| Run Offense | C | C+ |
| Pass Defense | B | B |
| Run Defense | A+ | D |
| Special Teams | D | D |
| Coaching | C | C |
Pass Offense
Demarcus Robinson's suspension was a huge blow to a passing attack that has struggled with Harris behind center, and it struggled against one of the best secondaries in college football. Harris threw for just 64 yards in the first half and finished the game with 134, completing only 50 percent of his passes with no touchdowns.
Run Offense
Taylor was the lone bright spot offensively as he rushed for 55 yards on nine carries in the first half. The Seminoles defense completely shut down the rest of the team, though, and it didn't get much better in the second half. Florida finished the night with 128 rushing yards on 40 carries, averaging 3.2 yards per attempt.
Pass Defense
Maguire didn't torch the Florida secondary by any means, but he did enough to keep the chains moving in key situations and threw an incredible touchdown in the second quarter to put the Seminoles up by 10. The Gators only surrendered 160 yards through the air, and CeCe Jefferson came up with a huge sack and forced fumble late in the fourth quarter that resulted in a safety.
Run Defense
Cook came into the game as one of the most productive running backs in the country, averaging 143.7 yards per game through 11 games. In the first half, though, Florida's defensive front limited him to 25 yards on eight carries, with 21 of those coming on one carry. But the Gators defense wore down in the second half, and Cook took advantage, running for 158 yards and two touchdowns in the second half.
Special Teams
Punter Johnny Townsend was arguably the team's best player against the Seminoles, averaging 46.4 yards on nine punts. He was a bright spot, but the Gators' place-kicking continued to be a huge liability as Hardin badly missed a 51-yard attempt at the end of the first half and had another kick blocked at the beginning of the fourth.
Coaching
It's hard to blame McElwain too much for the loss because the Gators were just too depleted and outgunned to have a legitimate chance of taking down the Seminoles. Florida found a rhythm offensively when it went uptempo in the second half, but it wasn't enough to get it out of the modest hole it was buried in.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
