![]() ![]() Mertz rolled out of the pocket and delivered a ball to redshirt sophomore wide receiver Kahleil Jackson, who clung to the sideline to make the toe-tapping catch for 18 yards and moved the sticks. On Florida’s second scoring drive, UF faced a 3rd-and-12 play. However, Mertz and UF cashed in on the “money down” seven out of eight times in the first half against the Vols. Florida came into the matchup just 6-for-19 on third-down conversions. The Gators' ability to convert third downs also contributed to the rivalry victory. Etienne scored UF’s first points after he exploded up the middle and bounced off a Vols defender en route to a 62-yard touchdown run. The running attack also contributed to the Gators’ success on offense. The Wisconsin transfer relied heavily on freshman receiver Eugene Wilson III in the first quarter but still found open players after Wilson went down with an injury toward the end of the first. He spread the ball around completing passes to seven different players. The victory not only marked Napier’s first rivalry win at UF but snapped a six-game losing streak to AP Top 25 opponents. “The thing that it gives you is it validates your plan it validates what you're selling, to some degree,” Napier said. The win felt like a return on the team’s investment with the work they had put in during the offseason and in practices, he said. Napier said the victory will help build a sense of belief within the team. Gators sophomore running back Trevor Etienne ran the ball 23 times for a career-high 172 yards and added a score on the ground. The matchup marked the second largest crowd in the Swamp in the Tennessee-Florida matchup at 90,751 people. 23 Tennessee Volunteers (2-1, 0-1 SEC) 29-16 in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium Sept. 25 Florida Gators (2-1, 1-0 SEC) defeated the now-No. The win also launched the Gators into The Associated Press Top 25 rankings for the first time since they dropped out in the Sept. ![]() The victory secured Napier’s first rivalry win at Florida after the Gators fell to Tennessee, Georgia, Louisiana State and Florida State last season.
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