Gators rally to beat Utah

GAINESVILLE — Why UF won

Begin with quarterback Anthony Richardson and end with Amari Burney’s interception — and redemption — during Florida’s 29-26 win. Coach Billy Napier put the game in his redshirt sophomore QB’s hands when it mattered. Richardson’s 2-yard touchdown run with 1:25 remaining was the game-winner and his third rushing score against the Utes. Earlier in the drive, Richardson ran 10 yards on 4th-and-3 to keep alive the game-winning drive. The game was not in hand, though, until Burney’s interception in the game’s waning moments. The senior linebacker had a tough night against Utah’s talented tight ends. But with the Utes on the Florida 3 and less than 20 seconds remaining, Burney jumped a pass intended for Dalton Kincaid to end the hard-charging Utes’ night and send a sold-out crowd at the Swamp into pandemonium.

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Florida coach Billy Napier, front right, and quarterback Anthony Richardson (15) watch from the sideline during the first half of the Gators’ 29-26 win against Utah. (Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP)

Florida

Richardson: The 20-year-old’s athleticism, arm strength, playmaking and competitiveness were something to behold. Richardson was 5-of-7 passing for 56 yards, with completions on 3rd-and-15 and 4th-and-2, on Florida’s first scoring drive. His coasted to a 45-yard touchdown to give the Gators a 14-13 halftime lead; he shook off a tackler, did a 360 and fired a strike for a 2-point conversion to give his team a 22-19 advantage. He finished with 168 yards passing and 103 rushing, along with his first win as a Gators’ starter.

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RB Montrell Johnson: Napier stuck with the Louisiana transfer despite a fumble that ended the team’s first series well into Utah territory. Johnson delivered with a first-down catch on 4th-and-2 and a 16-yard run on 3rd-and-1 during Florida’s scoring drives. He finished with 73 yards on 11 carries.

LB Ventrell Miller: The linebacker came back for a sixth year after a Week 1 shoulder injury ended his 2021 season. Miller’s playmaking and presence against Utah showed what last season’s Gators were missing. He had a tackle-for-loss and a pass breakup on consecutive plays to force Utah to settle for a field goal and a 10-7 lead.

Utah

QB Cameron Rising: The Ute’s junior went toe-to-toe with Richardson. He finished with 217 passing yards and 90 rushing. But his game-ending interception had to sting with the Utes on the doorstep of a validating road win against an SEC opponent.

TE Brant Kuithe: Utah’s tight end gave the Gators’ defense fit, no one more than Burney. The senior finished with 9 catches for 104 yards and a score.

RB Tavion Thomas: After a quiet first half, Thomas came alive to put the Gators on the ropes. He rushed for 89 second-half yards as Utah compiled 137 on the ground and at times manhandled Florida.

Noteworthy

-Napier is now 17-3 in one-score games.

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– Saturday’s night attendance of 90,799 is the highest ever for home season opener at the Swamp.

This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Edgar Thompson at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @osgators.