Georgia holds off Florida for fifth straight rivalry win

The Florida Gators responded positively in their first game under interim coach Billy Gonzales, but it wasn’t enough to knock off No. 5 Georgia. 

Florida fell 24-20 on Saturday at EverBank Stadium in the annual rivalry, as the Bulldogs (7-1, 5-1 SEC) earned their fifth straight victory over the Gators (3-5, 2-3).

Trey Smack’s 54-yard field goal, his school-record ninth from 50-plus yards, gave Florida a 20-17 lead early in the fourth quarter, but Georgia’s defense and a late scoring drive sealed the comeback.

After stopping Florida on fourth and 1 at the 18-yard line, quarterback Gunner Stockton led the Bulldogs 82 yards, capping the drive with a 36-yard touchdown run by Chauncey Bowens with 4:36 to play.

Florida’s final chance ended on an incomplete deep pass that was upheld by replay review. Stockton finished 20 of 29 for 223 yards and two touchdowns.

“I’m super proud of the way they bonded together,” Gonzales said. “They don’t have any quit in their DNA. We came here to win, but we came up short. The Gators expect to win. There are no moral victories.”

Georgia coach Kirby Smart praised his team’s resilience, saying, “This team just won’t go away. Every game in this league comes down to the last two possessions.”

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