Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson’s third rushing touchdown left enough time for Cam Rising and the No. 7 Utah Utes to respond.
With 1:25 and two timeouts to try to answer, Utah drove nearly 70 yards down the field.
But on second-and-goal with the ball at the 6-yard line, Rising was picked off in the end zone, ending Utah’s bid for a season-opening win in the swamp.
Tavion Thomas punches it in
The Utes’ running back was surely looking to atone for some missteps on the goal line. He did just that scoring his first touchdown of the season and giving Utah a 26-22 lead with 6:26 to play.
Thomas now has 115 yards on 23 carries.
Florida marches
Montrell Johnson’s 14-yard TD has the Gators back on top.
And, after a spectacular two-point conversion, the Gators lead 22-19 early in the fourth quarter.
Utah answers back
Micah Bernard has, at least for the moment, erased the memory of Florida’s goal-line stand.
The Gators may have kept Cam Rising and Tavion Thomas out of the end zone a series ago, but they weren’t able to stop Bernard.
After a nine-play, 89-yard drive (and a failed two-point conversion), the Utes have a 19-14 lead.
Halftime: Florida 14, Utah 13
Big broken play
Florida QB Anthony Richardson turns a broken play and a defensive breakdown into 45 yards down the left side with no Utah defender in the zip code. Florida now leads 14-13 late in the first half.
Jordan Noyes gives Utes a lead
Jordan Noyes narrowly won Utah’s kicking competition in camp, edging out Jadon Redding.
Now Utah’s 30-year-old sophomore from Kent, England, has the Utes back on top with a pair of field goals. Utah 13, Florida 7
End 1: Utah 7, Florida 7
Florida QB Anthony Richardson, a dual-threat and a potential first-round NFL draft pick, keeps the ball and scores to even the score 7-7 with 39 seconds left in the opening quarter.
The score was set up by a conversion on 4th-and-2.
Utah strikes first
Brant Kuithe had a reason for coming back to Utah with the NFL beckoning.
The Utes tight end put his team on the scoreboard first in the Swamp, taking a pass from Cam Rising 7 yards for the first score of the season.
Give credit to Jonah Elliss on this one, too.
Kickoff approaches
With Arkansas and Cincinnati still on ESPN, the Utah-Florida game broadcast will start over on ESPNews.
A look inside the visiting locker room
This won’t be Mohamoud Diabate’s first look inside the visiting locker room.
While the Utah linebacker played 37 games, including 17 starts, for Gators before transferring last year, he has seen where Florida’s opponents get ready.
“During COVID (in 2020), we had to go there, so I’m familiar with the old, janky, Florida Gators visitor locker room,” Diabate said half-jokingly this week. “I’m excited to see it. I’m really excited to smell the place. The smell gives you that nostalgic feeling, so I’m ready to go take a deep breath and remember where I am.”
The College GameDay picks are in ...
Rapper Jack Harlow likes Utes quarterback Cam Rising — but apparently not enough to pick Utah to beat Florida. Harlow picked the Gators, splitting the vote on the first College GameDay of the season. Desmond Howard and Lee Corso picked Utah to win. Kirk Herbstreit likes Florida.
Pregame reading and storylines
• Is this the most anticipated opener in Utah history? These fans think so.
• Thousands of Utes fans made the trip to Florida. If you didn’t, here are five watch parties to check out around the Salt Lake Valley.
• This is what Florida coach Billy Napier said about Utah this week.
• Gainesville eats, sleeps and drinks college football. I spent Friday getting a taste for what this town is all about.
• In his return to Florida, Utah’s Mohamoud Diabate trying to fill Devin Lloyd’s shoes in his own way.
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