WATCH: Florida Gators Defeat USF Bulls 42-20 at Raymond James Stadium
By Space Coast Daily // September 11, 2021
Next Game: Florida hosts Alabama in the Swamp
ABOVE VIDEO: Florida vs. USF 2021 – Full Game Highlights
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA (Florida Gators) – Dueling quarterbacks Emory Jones and Anthony Richardson accounted for 500 yards and five touchdowns Saturday, as the 13th-ranked Gators used a first-half QB stampede to overwhelm the host Bulls Saturday at Raymond James Stadium.
Jones, the fourth-year junior and starter through two games, completed 14 of 22 passes for 156 yards and one touchdown, but also had a pair of second-half interceptions and failed to score after a first-and-goal from the USF 7 early in the fourth quarter.
Richardson, the fab redshirt-freshman, had the better all-around afternoon, adding another 152 yards and two scores through the air (on just three attempts, all completions), including bombs of 75 and 41 in the first half to help the Gators cruise to a 35-3 lead at intermission, thanks to TDs on five consecutive possessions, and a total-yards advantage of 373-128 through the two periods.
The only UF scoring drive of the second half was an 80-yard touchdown run by … wait for it … Richardson, who a week ago had a 73-yard touchdown run in the season opener against Florida Atlantic.
When the final gun sounded, UF had out-gained USF 614 yards to 270 in what was the Gators’ first in-state road game against an opponent other than Florida State or Miami since coming here to play the University of Tampa in 1945.
Jones had a 35-yard TD throw to sophomore Xzavier Henderson as well as 11 rushes for 82 yards, including a 33-yard run on an option keeper in the first half.
Unfortunately, he also threw those two third-quarter picks that set up the Bulls for 10 points in the period. Richardson fired a 75-yard touchdown to Jacob Copeland on his first snap of the game and later in the second quarter faked a run and dropped to hoist a 41-yard touchdown to Copeland, who caught just one pass for 15 yards last week. He found Copeland again for a 36-yard completion to the USF 7 early in the fourth period, but by-rule had to leave the game after the play because his helmet came off. With Jones back in, the Gators failed to score on the drive.
The next Florida score came on Richardson’s 80-yard keeper with 10:29 to go in the game. He with four carries for 115 yards and a score before leaving the game after his TD run with what appeared to be a hamstring strain or cramp. Defensively, the Gators gave up some plays here and there, but it was a better showing than a week ago (when FAU tallied 386 yards and a couple TDs).
For what it’s worth, South Florida outscored Florida 17-7 after intermission.
Florida (2-0) will be back home Sept. 18 to open the Southeastern Conference portion of its season with a mega-showdown against No. 1 Alabama (1-0) that looms as the biggest game at the “Swamp” in more than a decade.
The defending national-champion Crimson Tide (1-0) massacred 14th-ranked Miami in their opener at Atlanta last week and face FCS opponent Mercer in a late-Saturday afternoon game.
