Saturday was not a particularly good day at the office for Tennessee’s redshirt freshman quarterback Nathan Peterman.
So bad, in fact, that he could not even make it to halftime.
Peterman, who was making his first collegiate start and had attempted only 12 passes coming into the game, finished a dismal 4-of-11 passing for 5 yards. He threw two interceptions and was sacked once before being replaced by Justin Worley during the Volunteer’s final drive of the first half.
Peterman’s troubles began during Tennessee’s second drive of the game. Facing 3rd and 9 from his own 12-yard line, Peterman was sacked and stripped by Buck linebacker Dante Fowler Jr.
Michael Taylor recovered the fumble, which led to Austin Hardin’s 23-yard field goal to cut Florida’s deficit to 7-3.
Things did not get any better for Peterman on Tennessee’s ensuing drive, as he threw a pass that was deflected and eventually intercepted by Brian Poole.
Tennessee then punted on consecutive drives before Peterman threw his second interception of the game, this one to Darious Cummings. He was replaced before the Volunteer’s next drive and did not return.
For what it’s worth, Worley completed 10 of his 23 passes for 149 yards and a touchdown, also throwing a pair of interceptions.
This is what Tennessee coach Butch Jones had to say about the play of Peterman:
“He had a great week of preparation. A lot of it, to the naked eye, everyone wants to point to the quarterback, but I didn’t think we did a good job, particularly in the first half, really the first quarter, protecting the quarterback, and we were behind the sticks.
“Against Florida, if you get third-and-long, you’re in trouble. We talked about that as one of the keys to the game was first and second downs and being able to generate first downs on first and second downs, and we had too many third-and-long situations, and those are situations offensively we can’t be in.”
This is what junior running back Marlin Lane said about Peterman:
“This is his first game and a big road game. He kept a level head. He kept scrapping and kept trying. … When things were going wrong, he still had a level head.”
Other random thoughts:
- Entering Saturday, Florida’s defense was the best in the nation at preventing third-down conversions. Through two games, the Gators had allowed only two of 24 (8.3 percent) third-down attempts to be turned into first downs.
Tennessee was a bit more successful. The Volunteers converted five of 13 (38.5 percent) third-down tries.
Florida’s defense has now prevented opponents from picking up first downs on 30 of 37 third downs (81.1 percent), which will still be one of the best percentages in the country.
- UF also entered the game with the No. 1 time of possession in the country, averaging 39:04 per game. Saturday, the Gators controlled the ball even longer.
Florida had the ball for 39:37 in the game, which will likely keep the Gators as the nation’s best ball-hogging squad.
With an offense predicated on running the ball, particularly with starting quarterback Jeff Driskel out for the season, this is a number the Gators will look to continue to keep as high as possible.
Seeing what happens over the course of the next few games — especially when Florida faces Georgia, South Carolina and LSU later this season — should serve as a good gauge as to how much success UF is having.
- Florida was 4 of 5 on red-zone chances on Saturday after imploding in that area of the field during a 21-16 loss to Miami on Sept. 7.
UF scored three touchdowns — runs by Tyler Murphy, Mack Brown and Matt Jones — and had a 23-yard made field goal by Hardin.
Florida’s lone slip-up in the red zone came when Hardin missed his second chance of the game — a 41-yarder — in the fourth quarter.
Follow Phillip Heilman on Twitter @phillip_heilman.
Defensive lineman Damien Jacobs bats down a pass from UT quarterback Justin Worley during Florida's 31-17 win against Tennessee on Saturday in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
