The Florida Gators football team is set to take on UCF at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at 7 p.m. Follow along for live updates throughout the matchup.
UCF has won the coin toss and elected to defer the opening kickoff.
Q1: 15:00 - Florida began its drive at its 25-yard line following a touchback. Senior running back Montrell Johnson Jr. picks up a game of six yards on 1st-and-10.
Q1: 11:39 - Graham Mertz completes pass to Tank Hawkins for a gain of five yards to move the ball to UCF's 38-yard line.
Q1: 10:33 - Johnson Jr. catches a pass in the flat on 2nd-and-10 for a gain of seven yards to the UCF 29-yard line.
Q1: 9:04 - Freshman running back Jadan Baugh carries the ball up the middle for a gain of four yards, setting up 1st-and-10 for the Gators at the Knights' 26-yard line.
Q1: 8:16 Baugh just bounced off about five UCF defenders for a pickup of six yards to set up a 3rd-and-4 at UCF's 20-yard line.
Q1: 7:02 - SCORE: Mertz alludes pressure in the pocket and finds senior wide receiver Elijhah Badger for a 13-yard passing touchdown in the left corner of the end zone to send Ben Hill Griffin Stadium into a frenzy. Florida leads 7-0.
NOTE: Sophomore wideout Eugene Wilson III, who has missed the last two games for the Gators with a knee injury, will not play against UCF.
Q1: 7:02 - UCF Fifth year quarterback KJ Jefferson completes a screen pass on the Knights' first offensive play from scrimmage to sophomore tight end Randy Pittman Jr. for a huge gain of 30 yards to the UF 45-yard line.
Q1: 4:18 - UCF redshirt senior running back Penny Boone picks up a first down on an eight-yard gain as the Knights have moved the ball to the UF 10-yard line.
Q1: 2:32 - SCORE: Florida holds UCF to a field goal after Bryce Thornton broke up a pass attempt by Jefferson on 3rd-and-7 at the UF 10-yard line. UCF kicker Grant Reddick put his kick through the uprights. Florida leads 7-3.
Q1: 2:32 - Baugh returned UCF's kickoff just outside UF's goal line and picked up 12 yards as the Knights' special teams were all over him — 1st-and-10 for Florida at its 13-yard line.
Q1: 00:52 - Gators were faced with a 3rd-and-3 at their 20-yard line and redshirt junior offensive lineman Damieon George was called for a false start. Florida was forced to punt it away after it was unable to covert on 3rd-and-8.
NOTE: End of the first quarter: Florida 7, UCF 3
Q2: 14:07 - UF sophomore defensive back Sharif Densen comes up with a timely tackle in the backfield. UCF is facing a 4th-and-1 at its 43-yard line. TV timeout on the field.
Q2: 14:01 - An impressive stop on 4th-and-1 by Florida's defense leads to a UCF turnover on a rush attempt up the middle by Jefferson. Florida's offense will take over at midfield.
SCORE: 12:50 - Freshman signal caller DJ Lagway took over at quarterback for the Gators following the turnover and instantly threw a 37-yard strike to senior wideout Chimere Dike to move UF to the UCF. The Gators punched it in just one play later for a touchdown on a one-yard carry by redshirt freshman running back Ja'Kobi Jackson. Florida leads 14-3.
Q2: 11:13 - Gators construct another huge stop on third down as redshirt senior defensive back DJ Douglas comes up with a tackle for no gain. UCF punts it away to Dike who called a fair catch at UF's 22-yard line.
Q2: 7:34 - Florida was unable to come away with much on its offensive possession but UF punter Jeremy Crenshaw pinned his punt down to UCF's three-yard line.
Q2: 7:34 - Scrambling in his end zone, KJ Jefferson delivered a 29-yard strike up the middle to hit redshirt senior wide receiver Trent Whittemore in stride moving the Knights to their 31-yard line.
Q2: 6:33 - Jefferson was sacked for a loss of eight yards on 3rd-and-9 as UCF punts it away to the Gators.
Q2: 4:58 - On 2nd-and-10, Mertz finds Tank Hawkins for a 31-yard gain up the middle moving the ball to UCF's 27-yard line.
Q2: 3:30 - Florida gets called for having an illegal man down the field, setting up 3rd-and-15 just before UCF jumped offsides setting up 3rd-and-10 for the Gators.
Q2: 2:33 - Mertz connects with Dike for a 20-yard reception up the left seam to move the ball to UCF's seven-yard line.
NOTE: Florida's offense is averaging 6.4 yards per play against the Knights. 1st-and-goal for the Gators at UCF's 3-yard-line.
Q2: 1:50 - SCORE: Montrell Johnson Jr. seemed to have been taken down just in front of the goal line on a rush attempt, but an impressive extension of the ball into the end zone increased Florida's lead to 20-3. The extra point attempt was good by junior kicker Trey Smack. Florida leads UCF 21-3. The touchdown capps off a seven-play 58-yard scoring drive.
Q2: 1:36 - UCF is punting it away and is now just 1-for-6 on third down.
Q2: 1:26 - Florida was called for running into the kicker on the punt awarding UCF a first down. UF head coach Billy Napier was irate over the call and was called for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. It's 1st-and-10 for the Knights at midfield.
Q2: 00:56 - UCF elected to go for it on 4th-and-9 and Jefferson's pass fell incomplete. Florida takes over possession at its 44-yard line. Lagway is set to take back over at quarterback for the Gators.
Q2: 00:21 - On 2nd-and-10, Lagway checked the play at the line of scrimmage, leading to a 34-yard burst up the middle by Johnson Jr. down to UCF's 22-yard line.
Q2: 00:07- SCORE: Lagway drove the Gators down to UCF's 10-yard line and spiked the ball with seven seconds left. Smack converted on a 28-yard field goal attempt to increase Florida's lead to 24-3.
Halftime: Florida 24, UCF 3
Q3: 15:00 - UCF is set to return the opening kickoff for the second half.
Q3: 15:00 - Smack kicks the ball through the Kights' end zone. Jefferson and UCF will start its drive at Florida's 25-yard line.
Q3: 13:21 - Three straight carries totaling 16 yards moves UCF to its 41-yard line. The Knights are facing a 3rd-and-1.
Q3: 12:31 - Boone rushes it to the left side for a pickup of five yards. 1st-and-10 for UCF at midfield.
Q3: 10:21 - Jefferson's pass across the middle was complete to Johnny Richardson for a 17-yard pickup moving the Knights to UF's 21-yard line.
Q3: 7:33 - UCF drove the ball down to Florida's nine-yard line but was called for delay of game setting up 3rd-and-14 at UF's 14-yard line. Sophomore inside linebacker Grayson "Pup" Howard then came up with his first sack of the season for a loss of five yards.
Q3: 6:32 - SCORE: The Knights were forced to settle for a field goal off the foot of redshirt freshman kicker Grant Reddick after Jefferson was sacked. Florida's lead has been cut to 24-6.
Q3: 6:32 - UCF's kickoff went through Florida's end zone. Mertz and the Gators' offense will take over at their 25-yard line.
Q3: 4:27 - Florida decided to go for it on 4th-and-1 in its own territory and Mertz ran for a gain of four and first down.
Q3: 3:50 - Mertz unloaded a deep ball to the left side to Dike for 25-yard gain to UCF's 38-yard line.
Q3: 2:39 - On 2nd-and-1, Mertz was sacked for a loss of six yards as redshirt sophomore tight end Hayden Hansen was called for a 10-yard holding penalty.
Q3: 0:43 - Smack trotted out on 4th-and-7 to attempt a 53-yard field goal but missed left of the upright. UCF will take over possession at its 35-yard line.
End of Q3: Florida leads UCF 24-6. UCF will open the fourth quarter with a 1st-and-10 at midfield.
Q4: 13:26 - Jefferson was sacked for a loss of six yards on 3rd-and-23 by redshirt junior edge George Gumbs Jr. Florida takes back possession at its 22-yard line.
NOTE: Florida's defense had just eight sacks through four games this season. The Gators have five sacks against UCF tonight following the Knights' last drive.
Q4: 11:28 - Mertz's pass on 3rd-and-4 at the UF 40-yard line fell incomplete to Badger down the left sideline. UCF is set to take over possession at its 18-yard line.
Q4: 10:43 - The Gators have a breakdown defensively allowing Jefferson to complete a 35-yard completion on a wheel route down to UF's 46-yard line.
Q4: 9:05 - Jefferson converts first down to keep UCF's drive alive on an 11-yard pass to Pittman Jr. to Florida's 25-yard line.
Q4: 7:50 - SCORE: A questionable pass interference called on UF junior inside linebacker Shemar James on 2nd-and-12 led to a 13-yard rushing touchdown to the left side of UF's end zone on the very next play. The Knights have cut the Gators' lead to 24-13.
Q4: 5:56 - Jackson created a quality gain of 19 yards with a UCF defender attempting to drag him down by his undershirt with his fingertips. However, Lagway's pass complete to Johnson Jr. for a loss of three yards sets up 2nd-and-13 at UCF's 45-yard line. Timeout Florida.
Q4: 5:48 - Lagway scrambled to his left for a gain of about five yards but the play is currently under review for targeting on what appeared to be a late hit as Lagway attempted to slide down before absorbing the hit. After review, the ruling of targeting was overturned. 3rd-and-10 for the Gators at midfield.
Q4: 5:13 - Florida was unable to convert a first down after Dike received a screen pass from Lagway for a gain of seven yards. Crawshaw delivered a 36-yard punt to UCF's 13-yard line.
Q4: 1:56 - UCF seems content continuing to run the football down two scores with under two minutes left in the game. The Knights will have the ball at their 35-yard line on 2nd-and-10 following the two minute warning.
Q4: 1:48 - Jefferson attempted to throw a ball deep down the middle of the field but it was intercepted by Bryce Thornton for his first career interception. He was brought down at UF's 21-yard line as the Gators took over possession with the game seemingly in hand.
Q4: 1:28 - Jadan Baugh carries the ball to the left side on 3rd-and-1 for a gain of six yards. UCF called its final timeout. Florida is in victory formation.
Final: Florida 24, UCF 13. The Gators improve to (3-2, 1-1 SEC).
Max Tucker is a junior transfer student at UF. After obtaining his A.A. in Journalism from Santa Fe College in 2023, he chose further his education at Florida's College of Journalism and Communications. Max is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Science in Journalism with a specialization in sports and media. He enjoys golfing and going to the beach with his friends in his free time.
