Florida regained possession with 2:47 left in the first half and looked to take a commanding two-score lead heading into the break. The Gators faced an early third down and needed their quarterback to make a play.
Redshirt junior signal caller Graham Mertz scanned the field and rolled left. He looked to take off downfield, but at the last second flipped the ball to his redshirt freshman tight end Arlis Boardingham for a first down.
Mertz’s creative spark fueled the two-minute drill that led to a touchdown from junior running back Montrell Johnson Jr. and a two-score lead that was never threatened in the second half.
The Florida Gators (4-2, 2-1 SEC) defeated the Vanderbilt Commodores (2-5, 0-3 SEC) 38-14 Saturday afternoon at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in UF's Homecoming game. Florida has won its last five Homecoming games, with its last loss coming against Missouri in 2018.
“It’s good to win on homecoming, it’s good to play a little bit better,” Florida head coach Billy Napier said.
Mertz led the way with another hyper-efficient outing. The Wisconsin transfer completed 30-36 passes for 254 yards and three scores in the win. The Gators’ offense amassed 495 yards as a unit for the day.
The Commodores picked up an early first down, but Florida’s defense forced a long third down near midfield. Quarterback Ken Seals looked for his top target Will Sheppard, but redshirt junior nickelback Jaydon Hill jumped on the route to break up the pass.
The ensuing Vanderbilt punt pinned the Gators at their own seven-yard line. Mertz found senior receiver Ricky Pearsall for an 18-yard gain to get Florida out of the shadow of its own goal line.
Johnson rumbled deep into Vanderbilt territory with a 34-yard gash on third down near midfield. Two plays later, Florida cashed in. Napier dipped into his bag of tricks, and Pearsall sprang loose on an end around for a 14-yard rushing touchdown.
After the Gators forced a quick three-and-out, Pearsall returned a punt 18 yards to the Commodores 43-yard line. Napier tried to get cute again and redshirt sophomore receiver Kahleil Jackson attempted a deep pass to Johnson that was intercepted by CJ Taylor.
Two plays later, Seals found Sheppard again, and the senior receiver found nothing but green grass en route to an 85-yard touchdown. Florida’s offense stalled out on the ensuing possession and punted the ball back to Vanderbilt.
The Gators looked like they forced a quick three-and-out, but a roughing the passer penalty on redshirt freshman Caleb Banks gave the Commodores a first down. Vanderbilt continued to drive down the field until it faced a fourth down at the UF 44.
Seals found receiver Quincy Skinner Jr. who picked up the first down, but Florida freshman edge rusher TJ Searcy ripped the ball from Skinner’s grasp and the Gators pounced on the fumble to regain possession.
Johnson raced for a 28-yard gain, and Florida quickly moved into the red zone. Mertz found Boardingham wide open on the goal line to restore the Gators’ lead.
Vanderbilt’s offense responded with big plays of its own. Seals found Junior Sherrill streaking downfield for a 52-yard strike. Florida’s defense stiffened at the goal line and forced a third down at the UF four-yard line.
Seals found Skinner wide open in the back of the end zone, but the receiver’s feet were out of bounds. The Commodores opted to go for it on fourth down, but Florida responded.
Freshman cornerback Ja’Keem Jackson, who allowed the big pass to Sherrill, broke up the pass at the goal line to force the turnover on downs. UF’s offense sputtered on the ensuing possession — thanks in part to a 15-yard personal foul — and the Gators punted it away.
Junior Jeremy Crawshaw’s punt was a beauty, however, and pinned Vanderbilt at its own five-yard line. Florida’s defense shut down the Commodores and forced a quick punt with 2:42 left in the first half.
Mertz made magic on third down. The Wisconsin transfer scrambled to his left and flipped the ball to Boardingham who scampered across midfield.
Mertz nearly found Jackson wide-open in the end zone, but Vanderbilt lineman Nate Clifton crushed the Gators’ signal caller to disrupt the throw. The hit was ruled roughing the passer, though, and Florida moved inside the 10.
Johnson plowed to pay dirt two plays later to give UF a two-score lead heading into halftime.
“Early he was good, really good,” Napier said about Johnson. “I thought he played with an edge today.”
Florida attempted to take a deep shot on the first play of the second half, but Mertz was sacked and went down injured. Redshirt freshman Max Brown took over behind center, and the Gators punted two plays later.
Mertz returned to the field after Florida forced a Commodores punt. UF efficiently moved the ball down the field but faced a fourth down at the Vandy 36-yard line. Mertz found Pearsall on a quick slant, and the senior receiver made a strong hands catch for the first down.
On third down, Boardingham made another huge play for the Gators. The redshirt freshman caught the ball short of the first down before making multiple defenders miss on his way to the first down marker.
Florida scored on the next play. Freshman receiver Eugene Wilson III — in his first game since Sept. 16 — took a jet sweep to the end zone from the nine-yard line to give UF a 21-point edge. The score was Wilson’s first as a Gator.
“He’s tough to tackle,” Napier said. “We were trying to get him the ball as much as possible.”
Vanderbilt’s offense found life on the next drive. Seals found receiver Richie Hoskins for a pair of chunk plays, including a 21-yard touchdown pass. The Commodores cut the lead to 14 heading into the fourth quarter.
After a productive day from Johnson, Florida turned to freshman running back Treyaun Webb to lead the way on the ground. The Jacksonville native ripped a pair of long runs — including a 43-yard tear — to close the third quarter.
The Gators stalled out near the red zone and settled for a field goal from sophomore placekicker Trey Smack.
Seals and the Vandy offense faced a fourth down looking to stay in the game, but junior linebacker Derek Wingo and junior edge rusher Princely Umanmielen combined for a sack on Seals to force a turnover on downs.
Florida took over deep in Commodores territory, and Mertz found Boardingham for the duo’s second score of the afternoon. UF cruised the rest of the fourth quarter to an easy victory.
The Gators will head back on the road to face the South Carolina Gamecocks next Saturday. The game is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on the SEC Network.
Contact Topher Adams at tadams@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @Topher_Adams.
Topher Adams is a fourth-year communications major and in his fourth semester with the Alligator. He previously covered football, baseball and women's basketball. He also enjoys professional lacrosse and Major League Soccer.
