Needing a win to keep their bowl hopes alive, Florida State (5-6) forced Florida (4-7) into four turnovers, including two turnovers returned for touchdowns, leading the Seminoles to a 38-22 win on Saturday in Gainesville.
On the Gators first possession after the opening kickoff, Florida got one first down but on a fourth & two from the Seminoles 42 yard line, Franks threw an incomplete pass, giving Florida State good field position on their first possession.
The Seminoles couldn't take advantage of the turnover on downs & were forced to punt. But on the Gators next possession, the Seminoles defense come up with the first big play of the game courtesy of their defensive line when Defensive End Brian Burns stripped Gators Quarterback Feleipe Franks & Defensive End Jacob Pugh scooped up the fumble then ran it in 15 yards for a touchdown.
That 7-0 Seminoles lead didn't last through the first quarter, in part because Florida State had their own issues with taking care of the football. After forcing a Gators punt, Seminoles Quarterback James Blackman threw a pass that was intercepted by Cornerback Duke Dawson. That interception set the Gators up to go 24 yards on 3 runs, all by Running Back Mark Thompson, the last carry being a 10 yard touchdown run, tying the score at 7.
With the score tied at 7, the Gators committed another mistake before the end of the first quarter, giving FSU another golden scoring chance. On third & five, Franks attempt at a third down conversion was picked off by Cornerback Levonta Taylor at the Gators 20 yard. And just like the Gators, the Seminoles wasted little time in turning that second Florida miscue into points. After an incomplete pass on second down, Blackman hit Wide Receiver Nyqwan Murray for a 21 yard touchdown pass, giving FSU a seven point lead again.
Florida State was able to add make it a 10 point lead after a 25 yard field goal by Kicker Ricky Aguayo, Then after a few possession changes, the Seminoles forced their third turnover & second defensive touchdown of the first half when Taylor got his second interception of a Franks pass on the Gators 18 yard line & ran it into the endzone for a pick 6.
That 24-7 Florida State lead lasted until less than a minute left in the half when the Gators ended their longest drive of the half with Franks hitting Wide Receiver Brandon Powell from four yards out with a touchdown pass. The extra point was no good & the half ended with Florida State leading 24-13.
The first half ended with the Seminoles one for six on third down, having just 109 total yards & having the ball for just 11 minutes, yet because of the Gators three turnovers, Florida State led by 11 entering the second half.
Both teams started slowly offensively in the third quarter but on their second possession, with the help of a good punt return by Wide Receiver Freddie Swain & a Florida State penalty, the Gators chipped into the Seminoles lead with a 45 yard field goal by Kicker Eddy Pineiro.
As play began in the fourth quarter, with the lead just one score, the Seminoles put together a seven play 74 yard drive, ending with Running Back Cam Akers getting into the scoring action with a 10 yard touchdown run. With the Gators trying to get into the 31-16 Seminoles lead, Franks threw his third interception of the afternoon, but instead of it being the second pick six for Florida State, the interception ended in a peculiar way. Seminoles Linebacker Matthew Thomas jumped in front of a Franks pass & was headed into the endzone for Florida State's third defensive touchdown of the game until he decided to take a roll into the endzone, The problem for Thomas was, after the referees reviewed the play, it was ruled before completing his roll, his knee was ruled down at the one. And if Thomas' decision to roll into the endzone wasn't weird enough, Thomas received an unsportsmanlike penalty after the play pushing the ball back to the Gators 16 yard line.
The Seminoles eventually got the football back into the endzone after the Thomas interception when Blackman threw his second touchdown of the game, this one a three yard pass to Wide Receiver Auden Tate.
With the score now 38-16, the Gators added a touchdown with under a minute to go in the game when Franks & Powell hooked up for their second touchdown of the game.
Florida State must win next Saturday vs LA Monroe to keep its 35 consecutive bowl appearance streak alive, while Florida ends its season losing six of their last 7 games.