Florida almost gave it all away.
The Gators, gripping tight to a 31-24 lead against East Carolina with less than two minutes in the game, watched as the Pirates started to drive.
Each pass ECU quarterback Blake Kemp completed on that final drive made the potential upset look inevitable.
But with less than 20 seconds left, the Gators found themselves.
Defensive tackle Joey Ivie forced the strip sack, Alex McCalister scooped up the ball and linebacker Jarrad Davis wrapped up his teammate to secure the win.
However, despite another tick in the win column, head coach Jim McElwain left the field displeased.
The mistakes, the penalties and the failed opportunities that compounded throughout 60 minutes of play were far too much for the coach to embrace the victory.
“That was embarrassing,” McElwain said. “We didn’t deserve to win the ball game. Thought (ECU head coach) Ruffin (McNeill) and his team came in here and took it to us. Our lack of playing with discipline and understanding how to play the game crept up and it was embarrassing.”
East Carolina (1-1) attacked Florida early and often on its first drive, marching down the field in eight plays, capped by a 31-yard touchdown from Blake Kemp to Davon Grayson. Kemp threw for 73 yards on 5-of-5 passing on the opening drive.
After that first drive, the Gators (2-0) quickly found a rhythm on defense, holding the Pirates scoreless for seven consecutive drives and giving the offense opportunities to light up the scoreboard.
But Florida’s offense and special teams stuttered throughout the night, and a dozen penalties — two from unsportsmanlike conduct — magnified the situation.
“It’s not OK to act that way,” McElwain said. “It’s not OK to call attention to yourself when the selfish act hurts the whole team.”
After opening with a three-and-out on offense, Florida scored 10 points on its next two drives — a 37-yard field goal by Austin Hardin and a 32-yard pass from Will Grier to DeAndre Goolsby for a 10-7 first-quarter lead.
It went downhill from there.
Florida closed the first half with a punt and two missed Hardin field goal attempts — 34- and 35-yards out — to enter intermission with just a three-point lead.
A Will Grier interception off the hands of Alvin Bailey gave way to a 21-yard pass-and-catch from Kemp to Isaiah Jones, handing the Pirates a 14-10 lead.
Grier responded with an 8-play drive that included four catches from Demarcus Robinson, including the 6-yard score to cap it.
“(Robinson) did what he was supposed to do,” McElwain said. “He did his job.”
And with Florida grasping for wiggle room, sophomore Jalen Tabor gave the Gators a much-needed spark.
The cornerback returned an interception 39 yards for a touchdown, the go-ahead score that gave UF a 24-14 advantage.
In a game where All-American hopeful Vernon Hargreaves III sat on the sidelines with a leg injury, Tabor came in and carried the load.
“It picked us up,” Bullard said. “I don't know what else to say but it was huge."
Florida tacked on another touchdown with a 7-yard rush from Kelvin Taylor to make it 31-17 with about seven minutes to play.
But the Pirates kept fighting.
Kemp — who was pushed into the starting quarterback spot after Kurt Benkert tore the ACL in his right knee the week before the season began — put ECU on his back.
He orchestrated a 10-play, 66-yard drive that finished with a 7-yard touchdown to Bryce Williams to bring the score to 31-24.
After Florida failed to eat up the rest of the clock, Kemp went for his final act.
But in the end, it was Kemp’s own mistake that did him in and allowed the Gators to salvage what little they could out of the game.
With Southeastern Conference play about to begin, a hollow victory does not mean much for the bigger picture.
“The idea is to go ahead and win the game,” McElwain said. “We won the game. But that’s not acceptable.”
Contact Jordan McPherson at jmcpherson@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @J_McPherson1126
Linebacker Jarrad Davis (left) wraps up teammate Alex McCalister after McCalister recovered a fumble late in the fourth quarter to seal Florida's 31-24 win against East Carolina Sept. 12, 2015, at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
