Kyle Trask leads Florida over Vanderbilt with three touchdowns as the Gators traveled to Nashville. Many believed the game would be a blowout. However, the Gators only knocked off the Commodores 38-17. The Gators had their typical slow start at Vanderbilt Stadium but were still able to secure another win.
Redshirt-senior quarterback Kyle Trask had another big game but wasn’t able to extend his four or more touchdown streak per game. The Florida offense had more guys step up with the absence of star tight end Kyle Pitts.
As for the Florida defense, they had a pretty rough game. They let a true freshman quarterback throw for over 300 yards and didn’t force a turnover until the very end of the game. Changes need to be made on defense if the Gators plan to reach the goals that they set in fall camp.
Commodores Offense
The Vanderbilt Commodores are still searching for their first win this season as they lost to Florida on Saturday. The good news for Vanderbilt was that they kept up with the Gators for most of the game and their freshman quarterback Ken Seals played very well.
Seals had an impressive performance in the loss as he completed 22 out of 34 passes for 319 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception.
The Vanderbilt rushing attack didn’t have the same success as they only rushed for 87 yards and averaged 2.6 yards per carry. Mitchell Pryor was the lead rusher for the Commodores as he rushed for 44 yards on 13 carries.
Senior Chris Pierce Jr. had a huge game against the Gators secondary. Pierce had four receptions for 97 yards and two touchdowns. Junior Cam Johnson also had a nice game as he had seven catches for 93 yards.
Commodores Defense
On defense, Vanderbilt held the prolific Florida offense to 38 points which are tied for their lowest amount of points this season. Anfernee Orji led the Commodores in tackles with nine including one solo tackle and half a tackle for loss. Andre Mintze recorded the only sack of the game against the Gators and De’Rickey Wright also recovered a fumble.
Gators Offense
The Florida Gators didn’t have their best performance but got the win against the Vanderbilt Commodores. Kyle Trask continues to impress but the defense, which has been a strength in the past, is now the team’s biggest Achilles’ heel.
Redshirt-senior quarterback Kyle Trask played well in the win over Vanderbilt. Trask completed 26 out of 35 passes for 383 yards and three touchdowns. Backup quarterback Emory Jones got some playing time as well. Jones threw a 30-yard touchdown pass but also had 25 rushing yards on four carries.
The Florida rushing attack had a pretty solid night as rushed for 173 yards on 40 yards averaging 4.3 yards per carry. Junior Dameon Pierce led the Gators in rushing with 55 yards on eleven carries and a touchdown.
Senior wide receiver Kadarius Toney led the Gators in receiving with six receptions for 107 yards and a touchdown. Penn State transfer Justin Shorter had a career night as he had five catches for 94 yards.
Backup tight end Kemore Gamble had a big game as he had three receptions for 66 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Trevon Grimes also caught his fifth touchdown of the season as he mossed two Vanderbilt defenders in the end zone.
Gators Defense
The Florida defense had another lackluster performance on Saturday. They let Seals, the true freshman quarterback put up over 300 passing yards. The front four of Florida’s defense played well but personnel changes need to be made in the secondary.
Defensive tackle Kyree Campbell led the Gators in tackles with nine. Former Georgia transfer Brenton Cox had three tackles including a sack, tackles for loss, and two QB hurries. Khris Bogle and Gervon Dexter also shared a sack in the game. The only turnover of the game was an interception forced by sophomore cornerback Kaiir Elam.
What’s next?
The Florida Gators will return to the Swamp with their next matchup against the Kentucky Wildcats. The Wildcats have struggled this season as they have a 3-5 record and are coming off a blowout 63-3 loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide. You can watch this game on Saturday at 12 pm EST on ESPN.
