By KRISTIE RIEKEN By KRISTIE RIEKEN ADVERTISING Associated Press COLLEGE STATION, Texas — No. 24 Florida had never won a game under coach Will Muschamp after trailing at halftime entering Saturday’s game against Texas A&M. Looks as if things are
By KRISTIE RIEKEN
Associated Press
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — No. 24 Florida had never won a game under coach Will Muschamp after trailing at halftime entering Saturday’s game against Texas A&M.
Looks as if things are going to be different this year.
Mike Gillislee ran for 83 yards and two touchdowns and the Gators shut down Texas A&M’s offense in the second half in a 20-17 win in the Aggies’ first Southeastern Conference game after moving from the Big 12.
The Gators entered the game 0-5 when trailing at halftime with Muschamp in charge. Muschamp talked to his team about this being a statement win for Florida.
“I told our team I’m not big on those sort of things, but with all of our hospitality in the SEC, we’re trying to make everybody happy and everybody wanted the glory story here with A&M, and they didn’t get it,” Muschamp said.
Florida trailed 17-10 at halftime after a first half in which Texas A&M’s offense under new coach Kevin Sumlin pretty much did what it wanted. Things changed in the second half as the Gators clamped down and forced punts each of A&M’s six possessions after the break.
“In the second half we just played more disciplined football,” Muschamp said.
Sumlin, the former Houston coach, was disappointed the Aggies continued a trend from last year of entering the second half with a lead, only to lose.
“It’s something we addressed,” he said. “It’s the elephant in the room.”
Caleb Sturgis helped Florida cut A&M’s lead to 17-13 with a 25-yard field goal early in the third quarter.
Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel looked indecisive most of the day and was sacked eight times. But he made a play when he had to, finding Omarius Hines on a 39-yard completion to propel a drive early in the fourth quarter.
Gillislee finished it off, evading a couple of defenders and then tight-roping the sideline on a 12-yard touchdown run to put Florida up 20-17. Gillislee had a 4 yard score in the first quarter.
Driskel also came up big late in the game with a 21-yard run to give the Gators a first down and allow them to run out the clock.
“We were really composed in here,” Driskel said of the mood at halftime. “No one was pointing fingers at each other. We just came in and got the things we needed corrected corrected. We knew there was a whole other half to play.”
Muschamp said there was a simple change in his team after halftime.
“We did a better job in the second half of controlling the line of scrimmage,” he said. “That was the difference. There was no magic potion.”
Texas A&M freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel threw for 173 yards and ran for 60 more, but he couldn’t move A&M’s offense after halftime.
Saturday was Texas A&M’s opener after the Aggies and Louisiana Tech postponed last week’s game until Oct. 13 because of Hurricane Isaac.
The Aggies’ second half offensive woes ruined a great day for their defense. Jonathan Stewart finished with 17 tackles and Damontre Moore had three sacks.
The day that left Florida’s offensive line looking for answers on how to better protect Driskel.
“We will correct it,” left guard James Wilson said. “We don’t know who it’s on really, whatever it is we will get it right so it doesn’t happen again.”
Manziel, who was the first freshman quarterback to start a opener for the Aggies since 1944, looked great early.
A&M’s first drive ended with a 27-yard field goal on their first drive.
The Gators soon took a 7-3 lead on a 4-yard touchdown run by Gillislee on their opening drive.
Manziel really heated up on the second drive, using his arm and his feet to move the Aggies down the field. His 11-yard touchdown scamper put A&M back on top 10-7 early in the second quarter.
Then the defense went to work. The Aggies collected three sacks on Florida’s next possession and quickly forced a punt.
Texas A&M used a bit of trickery en route to their next score. They went with an end-around receiver pass from Kenric McNeal to Mike Evans to gain 27 yards on second-down. Christine Michael finished off the drive when he took the direct snap and bulled into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 17-7.
Texas A&M’s fifth sack of the game forced Florida to attempt a 51-yard field goal in the second quarter. Sturgis missed it, but A&M called a timeout, giving him another shot — and he nailed the second one to cut the lead to 17-10. It was the seventh field goal of 50 yards or more in his career to set a school record.
Driskel was 13 of 16 for 162 yards and Jordan Reed had five receptions for 59 yards.
“I’m disappointed like anybody else that we didn’t win the game,” Sumlin said. “There’s things that we’re working to fix. We didn’t make enough plays to win the game — Florida did.”
Muschamp said defensive back Josh Evans has a shoulder injury, defensive back Cody Riggs has a sprained foot and Gillislee was “dinged up.” He doesn’t think any of the injuries are serious.
