MIAMI GARDENS — With the Gators trailing late in the fourth quarter against Miami on Saturday, Jeff Driskel found Solomon Patton in the end zone for a 21-yard touchdown.
The score was not enough to complete the comeback — No. 18 Florida (1-1) fell 21-16 to No. 15 Miami (2-0) in Sun Life Stadium — but it capped a career day for Patton, who has become one of UF’s most consistent offensive playmakers through two games this season.
Patton finished the game with six catches for a team-leading 118 yards and a touchdown. Prior to Saturday, his career high for receiving yards was 27 set during Florida’s 55-14 victory against Vanderbilt in 2010.
“Solomon’s had a really good camp,” coach Will Muschamp said after the game. “He’s played well.”
Added Driskel: “He’s a guy that is going to have to play well for us this year, and he has so far.”
Patton was in the process of developing into a significant contributor to the Gators’ offense in 2012.
In the first year of offensive coordinator Brent Pease’s system, Patton, who UF has utilized heavily in the speed sweep, carried the ball 14 times for 140 yards. He also added one catch for 17 yards.
But his season ended in the first quarter of Florida’s 17-9 loss to Georgia on Oct. 27 in Jacksonville.
Patton took a handoff and sprinted toward the left sideline when Bulldogs strong safety Shawn Williams yanked him down by the neck and sent him crashing to the ground.
The hit resulted in a broken left arm for Patton and forced him to miss the rest of the year.
Now healthy, the senior receiver is back producing for Florida — a critical development for an offensively challenged team. Patton caught one pass for 21 yards and added a carry for 17 yards during Florida’s 24-6 victory against Toledo on Aug. 31.
Saturday against Miami furthered his breakout season.
Trailing 14-6 after Hurricanes quarterback Stephen Morris connected with receiver Phillip Dorsett for a 52-yard touchdown late in the first quarter, Driskel found Patton for a 46-yard gain — UF’s longest passing play of the season.
“It was just a call [Driskel] gave me,” Patton said. “I did my best to make the play.”
The big play was one of few bright spots for UF’s offense during the game. Although the Gators accumulated more than 400 yards of total offense, they continually came up short in the red zone.
Florida came away with just nine points during six trips inside Miami’s 20-yard line.
“We’ve just gotta lock in when we get in the red zone and just try to make a play,” Patton said. “It’s disappointing, but we’ve still got a long season ahead, and we’re just going to learn from our mistakes.”
Through two games, Patton now has seven grabs for 139 yards and a score in addition to three carries for 21 yards.
Combined with junior receiver Quinton Dunbar, who caught seven balls for 98 yards against Miami, Patton is the type of explosive aerial threat Florida will need this season.
“He’s a guy we need to get the ball to,” Muschamp said of Patton.
“He caught the ball well. He’s run the reverse. He’s done all the things we’ve asked him to do very well.”
Follow Phil Heilman on Twitter @phillip_heilman.
Solomon Patton runs down the field after catching a pass during Florida’s 21-16 loss to Miami on Sept. 7 in Sun Life Stadium.
UF wide receiver Solomon Patton runs past UM linebacker Alex Figueroa (36) during Florida's 21-16 loss to Miami on Saturday in Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens.
