Kyle Trask’s sterling start to the SEC season overshadowed Lane Kiffin’s outstanding play calling in his SEC return in what amounted to a frantic shootout between Florida football and Ole Miss. A back and forth track meet of a first half saw each team match touchdowns before the Gators star studded offense took control of the game late in the second quarter.
The underdog Rebels actually found themselves with more yards, first downs and possession time after Dontario Drummond hauled in the fourth overall touchdown of the game to knot the score 14-14 early in the second quarter. Florida needed to be wary of Kiffin’s dynamic play calling and run game going into this matchup, and the Gators’ lackluster defense early was cause for concern. But senior star Trask held down the Florida fort, throwing for two more scores as the half wound down. Trask went into halftime with four touchdown tosses and just one turnover, signaling to his teammates that any level of panic would be uncalled for.
The defensive side of the ball continued to look shaky for both teams after halftime, with non-Trask player of the game Kyle Pitts hauling 74 yards for a touchdown 40 seconds into the third, and Ole Miss answering the bell less than a minute later. Three straight field goals from Gators ace Evan McPherson would then put the game out of reach for Ole Miss. McPherson, who’s three straight darts included a 55 yard bomb that would have blown away NFL teams, looks to be a significant weapon for Florida’s special teams this season.
Kiffin and his young Ole Miss offense certainly looked promising in this game. The Gators defense, on the other hand, clearly needs some work, especially when the ball stays on the ground. The line simply sprung too many leaks and allowed too many big plays against a Rebels team that by all accounts should have been punching well above it’s weight class. For the first game of the season, though, Florida had a promising look about them. It helps when your star quarterback throws the ball 400 yards for six trips to the end zone, but a team that played an imperfect game still looks like a legitimate threat on the national stage.
Photo courtesy of FloridaGators.com
