Florida fourth-down miss opens door for Oklahoma
Courtland Guillory’s red-zone interception preceded 10 unanswered Oklahoma points in a 23-7 win at Florida.
| Kickoff | 7:45 PM ET |
|---|---|
| Venue | Ben Hill Griffin Stadium |
| Spread | Florida -4 |
| Total | 46.5 |
| TV | SEC Network |
|---|---|
| Streaming | the ESPN app |
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Follow the full play-by-play and box score →Florida’s failed fourth-down attempt in the third quarter gave Oklahoma the opening it needed to pull away for a 23-7 win Saturday at sold-out Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Trailing 13-7 and facing fourth-and-3 in the red zone, coach Jon Sumrall chose not to attempt a 34-yard field goal that would have cut the deficit to three points.
Quarterback Tramell Jones Jr. faked a handoff to Jadan Baugh and rolled right before throwing off his back foot toward Eric Singleton Jr. Oklahoma defensive back Courtland Guillory intercepted the pass in the end zone with 6:22 left in the third quarter.
Sumrall said analytics and Florida’s limited red-zone opportunities shaped his decision. He believed the Gators would need at least 14 points and was not confident the offense would produce many more trips inside the 20.
Oklahoma controlled possession for 17 minutes and 30 seconds of the final 21:22 after the interception. Its decisive fourth-quarter drive covered 89 yards in 20 plays. The possession consumed 12 minutes and 45 seconds and ended with John Mateer’s 6-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Sategna III.
The Sooners scored 10 unanswered points after Guillory’s interception, and Florida never returned to the red zone. The Gators later punted and turned the ball over on downs. Another Jones interception ended their final possession.
Florida finished with 203 yards, its lowest total this season and its fewest since gaining 141 yards in a 26-7 loss at Miami last season. The Gators went 0-for-2 on fourth down Saturday and are 10-for-17, 58.8 percent, on fourth-down attempts this season.
The call offered Florida a chance to turn a one-score game, but the execution left points available and handed Oklahoma possession. From there, the Sooners’ extended drives kept Florida’s struggling offense on the sideline.
Why it matters
Florida was within one score when its fourth-down attempt failed, but Oklahoma controlled 17 minutes and 30 seconds of the remaining 21:22. The Gators finished with a season-low 203 yards and did not return to the red zone.
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