Florida’s dismantling of Florida State in one of the nation’s premier rivalry games surprised a lot of people.
UF senior linebacker Ryan Stamper wasn’t one of them.
Stamper said the combination of the Gators’ experienced defense, the Seminoles inexperienced starting quarterback EJ Manuel, who made his third career start, and the experience of an emotional Senior Day was the perfect storm for 37-10 blowout.
“To be honest I did (expect to dominate them),” Stamper said. “I’m not going to lie and say I didn’t.”
UF’s defense was especially dominant in the first half, allowing the Gators to take a 24-0 lead into the locker room.
FSU had five possessions before the break — four punts and an interception — that netted the Seminoles 55 yards of total offense and three first downs.
As a result, UF controlled the clock as FSU’s offense could only stay on the field for 10 minutes.
The Seminoles were unable to convert a third down in the first half and finished the game 2 for 11 on third-down conversions.
FSU tacked on a touchdown late with UF’s backups in the game, but the fact that coach Bobby Bowden attempted a field goal down 30-0 at the end of the third quarter on fourth and goal from the 2-yard line speaks volumes about the dominance of the Gators defense.
“Being able to send your seniors out right in their last game in The Swamp, that’s the best thing you can do for them,” said junior defensive end Carlos Dunlap, who had a sack and three tackles.
Stamper and junior outside linebacker Brandon Hicks, who got the start for an injured A.J. Jones, tied for the team lead with seven tackles, and Hicks added two sacks.
Defensive coordinator Charlie Strong kept FSU off balance with blitzes on third and long, and Manuel never got comfortable in the pocket.
The redshirt freshman finished 19 of 31 for 186 yards with two interceptions and a touchdown.
UF junior cornerback Joe Haden, who along with Dunlap is projected to be a first-round NFL Draft pick if he elects to leave school early, intercepted Manuel at the end of the first half, and freshman Adrian Bushell picked him off on a fade route in the end zone to end the game.
“What really made me kind of surprised was how they kept trying to score at the end of the game,” Stamper said. “There’s a couple seconds left, the game’s over. … We were just anxious to get on the field and embrace all these memories that we have.”
Senior linebacker Brandon Spikes had three tackles in his final game in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, and senior defensive end Jermaine Cunningham recorded only one tackle in a quiet night.
Cornerbacks Wondy Pierre-Louis and Markihe Anderson played the majority of the second half in their last game in front of the home crowd, with UF coach Urban Meyer using the opportunity to rest Haden and Janoris Jenkins for the Southeastern Conference Championship Game against Alabama next week.
