JACKSONVILLE — Florida got the third-down stop it needed with time running out in the fourth quarter.
Unfortunately for the Gators, defensive lineman Darious “Bear” Cummings was flagged for illegal hands to Bulldogs running back Todd Gurley’s face.
The personal foul cost UF the stop and, ultimately, the game.
Florida (4-4, 3-3 Southeastern Conference) racked up 70 yards on seven recorded penalties in its 23-20 loss to Georgia (5-3, 4-2 SEC) on Saturday at EverBank Field.
Had it not been for several offsetting personal foul calls, that number could have been even worse.
But penalties are nothing new to the Gators. They have more penalty yards than any other team in the conference the past two seasons.
“We’ve led the SEC in penalties 20 out of 24 years, first or second,” coach Will Muschamp said. “It was long before I got here.”
The flags started early and showed no signs of stopping.
A UF defensive lineman jumped offside during UGA’s first possession, but Georgia declined the penalty.
The penalties continued when the Gators got the ball.
Defensive back Brian Poole was flagged for an illegal block on the kickoff, but his was not the most costly penalty of the drive.
Referees called a personal foul on receiver Solomon Patton on a 2-yard rush by Kelvin Taylor on third down.
Redshirt junior kicker Francisco Velez came on to kick what would have been a 25-yard field goal if not for the penalty. Instead, he missed a 40-yard kick.
The game became chippy in the third quarter.
Patton received a handoff from quarterback Tyler Murphy, and Georgia safety Josh Harvey-Clemons tackled him out of bounds.
Referees flagged Harvey-Clemons for a horse-collar tackle, and players from both teams converged on the sideline.
After jawing from both teams, referees called unsportsmanlike conduct fouls against Bulldogs linebackers Amarlo Herrera and Jordan Jenkins, as well as Florida linemen Trenton Brown and Jon Harrison.
Penalties cost the Gators again in the fourth quarter.
Georgia attempted to run the ball for a first down on a fourth-and-1 play that Florida stopped. After the play, linebacker Neiron Ball took off his helmet, resulting in a personal foul that pushed the Gators back 15 yards before their drive even started. It ended in a punt.
“That’s all a judgment call,” Muschamp said.
UF accumulated 13 penalties throughout the game, including five unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and two personal fouls.
Despite all the penalties earlier in the game, the last one broke Florida’s back.
Before the game was over, the Bulldogs and Gators would be flagged for four more offsetting unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.
“It’s hard to see some of that, so whatever they call, they call,” Muschamp said.
Offensive line protects: After giving up 10 sacks in its previous two games, Florida’s offensive line got off to a strong start in Jacksonville. The unit surrendered only one sack during the first half against Georgia but four overall.
“They stepped up today,” Murphy said. “They took it upon themselves to do better. So they did a good job and gave me a lot of time in the pocket.”
Muschamp shuffled the offensive line during practice leading up to the game due to injury and poor performance.
Redshirt sophomore Tyler Moore shifted from right tackle to left tackle due to sophomore D.J. Humphries (knee) suffering an injury during practice.
Brown took over for Moore at right tackle. Muschamp said he expects to leave the line the way it is for the foreseeable future.
“I thought we blocked well,” he said. “I thought we got a hat on a hat.”
Kickers struggle: The Gators attempted three field goals against the Bulldogs on Saturday but made only one.
Velez, playing in only his third career game, missed one of his two tries. The redshirt junior missed a 40-yard attempt in the first quarter and made a 31-yard kick in second to put the Gators on the board.
Austin Hardin, UF’s designated “long kicker” missed a 47-yard field goal.
“We need to get points out of the drive,” Muschamp said. “We just got to convert those situations.”
Florida has had a rough time replacing former kicker Caleb Sturgis, who made 24 of 28 field goals last season. Sturgis currently plays for the Miami Dolphins.
The Gators are a combined 9 of 15 on field goals this season.
Follow Adam Lichtenstein on Twitter @alichtenstein24.
Austin Hardin kicks the ball off during Florida’s 23-20 loss to Georgia on Saturday at EverBank Field in Jacksonville. Hardin missed a 47-yard field goal against the Bulldogs.
