Recap: Michigan is Gator bait, falls to Florida, 41-15
Game summary
The Michigan Wolverines played uninspired, their play-calling was unimaginative, and their attempt to bounce back from a brutal defeat a month ago was completely unsuccessful, as they fell to the Florida Gators, 41-15, Saturday in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl.
Shea Patterson was sacked five times, threw two interceptions and Michigan amassed just 302 yards of total offense.
Florida scored at will, and the Michigan defense was lucky to have forced two red-zone field goals. The defining moment of Michigan's day came in the fourth quarter of a 27-13 game, when Florida back Lamical Perine broke free for a 53-yard touchdown run on a draw play on third-and-20. Michigan's vaunted defense gave up 248 rushing yards and allowed seven yards per completion.
First half leaders
Passing
UM - Shea Patterson: 22/36, 236 yds., TD, 2 INTs
UF - Feleipe Franks: 13/23, 173 yds., TD
Rushing
UM - Christian Turner: 7 atts., 32 yds.
UF - Lamical Perine: 6 atts., 76 yds., TD
Receiving
UM - Donovan Peoples-Jones: 8 recs., 71 yds., TD
UF - Van Jefferson: 4 recs., 64 yds.
Florida runs out clock on dominant victory
Dameon Pierce takes it up the middle for a gain of 2. Emory Jones gets 4 yards on second down. Pierce is stopped for no gain on third down and Jones gets 3 yards on third down.
Michigan will take over on downs with 13 seconds left.
Florida 41, Michigan 15 (FINAL)
Patterson sacked for fifth time
Michigan starts at the 25.
Donovan Peoples-Jones pulls in an 18-yard reception before jumping out-of-bounds at the 43.
Shea Patterson dumps it off to Grant Perry to the left side for an 8-yard completion and then gets it to Grant Perry for a 4-yard gain to move the chains.
Patterson throws to incompletions and is then sacked on third down. His fourth-down pass sails out-of-bounds. Florida will take over at the 50.
Florida 41, Michigan 15 (2:18 4th)
Patterson throws pick-6 following safety
Ronnie Bell returns the safety kick to the 21.
Michigan takes a delay of game penalty following a change of possession, and then Shea Patterson throws a pick-6.
Florida 41, Michigan 15 (4:43 4th)
Michigan blocks second punt of game
Florida takes over from the 15.
Dameon Pierce is dropped for a loss of 3 yards on first down and is stopped for no gain on second down. Feleipe Franks rushes for a gain of 8 on first down, and the Gators will let the clock wind down before punting it away.
Michigan blocks its second punt of the day, which goes through the end zone for a safety. Khaleke Hudson got his hand on the football and forced it through the end zone.
Florida 34, Michigan 15 (4:58 4th)
Michigan waving the white flag
Michigan will start from the 25.
Christian Turner rushes for a gain of 6 on first down and catches a 16-yard pass on second down.
Grant Perry is blown up by a Florida defensive back while trying to come down with a catch on the next play. Shea Patterson is sacked for a loss of 4 on second down. Patterson's screen pass to Tru Wilson on third down is swatted way before it can even get to the intended receiver. Brutal.
Will Hart's punt is returned 3 yards to the 15.
Florida 34, Michigan 13 (7:20 4th)
Florida goes up three touchdowns with huge touchdown run
Jake Moody's kick goes for a touchback. Florida will start at the 25.
Lamical Perine rushes for 4 yards on first down. Feleipe Franks is pressured on second down and throws his pass out-of-bounds. Michigan's defensive backs get crossed up on third down, and C'yontai Lewis pulls in a 28-yard reception with nobody around him. Brutal lack of awareness.
Chase Winovich sacks Franks for a loss of 7 on he next play.
Injury: Michigan DB David Long is down on the field and is being attended to by the training staff.
Florida tries some trickery with a wide receiver pass back to Franks, but the play results in a loss of 3 yards. Florida concedes the drive on third-and-20 with a draw play ... and Perine breaks free for a 53-yard touchdown run. Gators back up big.
Florida 34, Michigan 13 (9:21 4th)
Michigan makes it a 14-point game with field goal
Michigan will take over from the 25 in its most important drive of the game.
Shea Patterson hits Grant Perry near the left sideline for an 8-yard gain on first down. Nico Collins catches a pass near the right sideline on second down, dances through a few defenders, and gets up the field for a 13-yard gain. It'll be first-and-10 from the 46.
Donovan Peoples-Jones dives forward to the 48 after catching a pass in the flat on first down. Tru Wilson rushes for 3 yards on first down. Tarik Black pulls in an 11-yard reception that'll give the Wolverines a first down at the Gator 38.
Christian Turner takes it up the middle for a gain of 5 to end the third quarter.
Florida 27, Michigan 10 (End 3rd)
Patterson hits a wide-open Zach Gentry for a 12-yard gain to open the quarter, making it first-and-10 at the 21.
Patterson goes play-action and throws to Collins near the end zone; the pass is incomplete, but draws a pass interference flag. It's first-and-goal from the 6.
Chris Evans picks up 2 yards on a first-down carry, but there's a holding penalty on the Wolverines. It's now first-and-goal from the 16. Patterson is flushed from the pocket and picks up 2 yards before stepping out-of-bounds. He completes a 6-yard pass to Peoples-Jones on third down, making it third-and-goal from the 8. Black appears to have made a touchdown reception, but the ball bounced off the ground. It will be overturned upon further review.
The call is overturned. Michigan will kick a field goal on fourth down. Black looks devastated.
Jake Moody's chip shot is through the uprights.
Florida 27, Michigan 13 (12:15 4th)
The unraveling has begun
Feleipe Franks' throw on first down is complete to Trevon Grimes, but loses 2 yards. Franks' throw on second down is incomplete, but he throws a strike to Josh Hammond on the next play for a 30-yard completion at the Michigan 35.
Injury: Michigan DB David Long was injured on the play and is being attended to by the training staff. He eventually walks off the field under his own power.
Jordan Scarlett rushes for 2 yards on first down. Scarlett then breaks about five tackles on his way to a 30-yard run that'll make it first-and-goal from the 3-yard-line.
Scarlett gets 2 yards on a first-down carry. Franks keeps it for a quarterback sneak, and almost makes a costly error when trying to reach the ball across the goal line. He's stopped short. On the next play, Franks pitches it to Scarlett for a 1-yard touchdown run.
Florida 27, Michigan 10 (2:34 3rd)
Uninspired Michigan offense responds with three-and-out
Christian Turner is stuffed for no gain on a first-down carry. Shea Patterson's second-down pass to Grant Perry is dropped with a Florida defender in tight coverage. Patterson is sacked on third down, and an uninspired Michigan offense will exit the field in less time than ESPN's last commercial break.
Will Hart's punt is fair caught at the 37.
Florida 20, Michigan 10 (6:41 3rd)
Florida jumps ahead by two scores with Perine touchdown
Chase Winovich drops Lamical Perine for a loss of 3, and then does a nice little Gator chomp to get the people going. Van Jefferson hauls in an 8-yard reception on second down. Perine catches a pass on third down, but goes down a yard short of the line to gain. Florida will go for it from the Michigan 35.
Timeout #1 Florida (8:47 3rd)
The Gators call a jet sweep out of the timeout; Kadarius Toney hits the edge and reaches the Michigan 5 before stepping out-of-bounds.
Franks rolls to his left and throws the first-down pass out of the end zone. Franks hits Perine on a bubble screen, and Florida has taken a two-score lead.
Florida 20, Michigan 10 (8:06 3rd)
Patterson throws interception on deep shot
Christian Turner rushes for 2 yards on first down. Shea Patterson hits Nico Collins for a 6-yard completion on second down, setting up third-and-2 in Florida territory. Patterson pulls it from Tru Wilson and picks up the first down with a 5-yard scramble.
Patterson takes a shot to Collins in double coverage, and his pass is picked off by Chauncey Gardner-Johnson. Gardner-Johnson returns it all the way to the Michigan 44 before stepping out-of-bounds.
Florida 13, Michigan 10 (10:49 3rd)
Paye, Gil out; Michigan gets three-and-out to start half
Florida will get the ball at the 25 to start the second half.
Injury update: Michigan LB Devin Gil (hamstring) is unlikely to return to the game and DL Aidan Hutchinson has taken the place of the injured Kwity Paye to start the second half.
Feleipe Franks kicks off the third quarter with an incomplete pass intended for Van Jefferson. Franks rushes for 3 yards on first down. A holding penalty backs the Gators up on third down. Franks rushes for no gain.
Tommy Townsend's punt is returned by Donovan Peoples-Jones to the Michigan 48.
Florida 13, Michigan 10 (12:57 3rd)
First half leaders
Passing
UM - Shea Patterson: 11/16, 132 yds., TD
UF - Feleipe Franks: 7/13, 100 yds.
Rushing
UM - Christian Turner: 7 atts., 20 yds.
UF - Feleipe Franks: 9 atts., 70 yds.
Receiving
UM - Nico Collins: 3 recs., 61 yds.
UF - Van Jefferson: 3 recs., 56 yds.
Conservative play-calling handcuffs Michigan before half
Kickoff. Touchback.
Shea Patterson throws a pass on second down that just misses the fingertips of a Florida defender and lands in the chest of Donovan Peoples-Jones and is complete for 14 yards.
Patterson goes back to Peoples-Jones on the next play for a 4-yard completion and Chris Evans picks up a first down with an 8-yard run up the middle.
Tarik Black reaches the Florida 45 with a 4-yard completion on first down. Evans is dropped in the backfield for a 1-yard loss on second down.
Timeout #1 Michigan (1:13 2nd)
Injury update:
Nico Collins hauls in a 9-yard completion on third down, which moves the chains.
Patterson misses Grant Perry on first down. Tru Wilson rushes for a gain of 3 on first down. For some reason, Michigan continues to let the clock wind down before calling a timeout.
Timeout #2 Michigan (0:18 2nd)
Patterson looks to take a shot on third down, but none of his receivers have any room to breathe, and his pass is defended.
Jake Moody misses a 52-yard field goal wide-left.
Florida 13, Michigan 10 (0:06 2nd)
Florida takes a knee to end the half.
Florida 13, Michigan 10 (End 2nd)
Florida takes lead late in first half
Jake Moody's kick goes through the back of the end zone. Florida will have it at the 25.
Feleipe Franks hits Van Jefferson on a slant route for a 7-yard pickup on first down. Franks keeps it on second down, gets a block and takes it all the way to the Michigan 38 with a 30-yard run.
Jordan Scarlett picks up 5 yards on a first-down carry. Franks' throw on second down misses the mark, and it's almost intercepted by Brandon Watson. Scarlett gets the carry on third down and he hits a hole on the left side before picking up 7 yards.
Franks is sacked for a loss of 9 yards on the next play. Franks escapes the pocket and gets to the right sideline for a 15-yard run on second down.
Injury: Linebacker Devin Gil was hurt on the play and is being attended to by the training staff.
Franks takes the quarterback draw 20 yards up the middle for a Florida touchdown.
Florida 13, Michigan 10 (2:41 2nd)
Michigan picks up 3 points after blocked punt
Chris Evans takes the counter handoff to the right for a gain of 2 yards on first down. Shea Patterson is knocked down, rather easily, I might add, by Kyree Campbell for a sack that loses 6 yards. Patterson is stripped while attempting to get rid of a pass on third down; not a single Gator was aware that the ball was live, and Christian Turner is able to recover it and plow ahead for a 7-yard gain. Not enough for a first down, but it'll make Jake Moody's field goal attempt a little easier.
Moody's kick from 48 yards out is good.
Michigan 10, Florida 6 (5:56 2nd)
Michigan blocks punt in Gator territory
Lamical Perine gets 19 yards on a first-down carry and Florida moves just inside Michigan territory.
Perine's run on the next play goes for just 2 yards. Feleipe Franks somehow avoids a sack, escapes the pocket, and picks up a few yards before stepping out-of-bounds. There's a holding penalty, though, and it'll be second-and-18. Franks' completion to Kadarius Toney on second down goes for no gain. Franks throws deep to Toney on third down, but the throw just misses the mark. Florida is called for a false start in punt formation.
J'Marick Woods swats Tommy Townsend's punt, and Michigan recovers it at the Florida 30-yard-line.
Michigan 7, Florida 6 (7:54 2nd)
Michigan goes three-and-out
Michigan has it at the 25 after a touchback on the kickoff.
Shea Patterson completes a 5-yard pass to Donovan Peoples-Jones on first down, but that gain is quickly erased by a false start penalty calledo n Andrew Stueber. Tru Wilson catches a pass in the flat and is taken down after a gain of 1. Patterson scrambles and is dropped a yard short of the line to gain. Michigan will punt it away.
Will Hart's punt bounces out-of-bounds at the 33.
Michigan 7, Florida 6 (10:08 2nd)
Florida cuts into Michigan lead with another field goal
Florida will take over at the 25 after a touchback.
Feleipe Franks throws an Aaron Rodgers-esque rainbow Hail Mary to the middle of the field, where there's somehow not a Wolverine defender in sight. Josh Hammond comes down with the pass, a 31-yard gain that'll give Florida a first down at the Michigan 44.
Jordan Scarlett rushes for 3 yards on first down and Kadarius Toney picks up 6 more on the ground on second down. Franks dives ahead with a quarterback sneak that moves the chains on third down and ends the first quarter.
First-and-10 from the Michigan 34 when we come back.
Michigan 7, Florida 3 (End 1st)
Emory Jones is in at quarterback for Florida. He rushes for 4 yards on first down. Jordan Scarlett picks up 18 yards up the middle on second down, putting Florida at the 12-yard-line.
Jones takes the quarterback keeper for a 3-yard gain on second down, and Franks comes back in the game. He quickly dishes a screen pass to Scarlett with the pocket closing in, and the pass falls incomplete. Franks is stopped 2 yards short of the line to gain after picking up 5 on a quarterback draw.
McPherson's 26-yard field goal try is through the uprights.
Michigan 7, Florida 6 (12:22 2nd)
Michigan goes on top with Peoples-Jones touchdown
Michigan will take over at the 25 after a touchback.
Shea Patterson's first-down throw to Nick Eubanks is incomplete, and his second-down throw to Grant Perry is wide of the intended target. His throw to Nico Collins on third down is on the money, though, and it's good for a gain of 11.
Timeout #1 Florida (5:06 1st)
Chris Evans rushes for 2 yards on first down. Patterson drops back and hits Collins with a back-shoulder throw that's complete for a gain of 41 yards. Michigan has a first down at the Florida 21.
Christian Turner gets 3 yards up the middle on first down. Patterson completes a 6-yard pass to Evans on second down. Patterson gives it to Tru Wilson, who gets 3 yards and a first down on his first carry of the game.
Patterson hits Donovan Peoples-Jones in the end zone for a 9-yard Michigan touchdown pass.
Michigan 7, Florida 3 (2:03 1st)
Florida takes first-quarter lead with field goal
Feleipe Franks completes an 8-yard pass to Van Jefferson on first down and rushes for a gain of 9 on second down to give Florida a fresh set of downs at the 42.
Lamical Perine picks up a yard on the ground up the middle on the next play, and then hauls in a 6-yard pass in the left flat to set up third-and-3. Perine catches a tunnel screen and darts forward to the Michigan 44-yard-line with a 7-yard reception that'll move the chains.
Franks drops a beauty over the shoulder of Jefferson with Tyree Kinnel trailing and for a 41-yard completion that'll make it first-and-goal from the Michigan 3.
Franks is stopped on the ground for no gain on first down. Franks' first read isn't open, he's forced from the pocket, and doesn't see a wide-open receiver in the end zone before getting knocked out-of-bounds for a loss of 1. Brandon Watson makes a great play on a fade route in the corner of the end zone, and Michigan's defense bounces back after allowing the big play.
Evan McPherson's 21-yard field goal attempt is good.
Florida 3, Michigan 0 (5:37 1st)
Patterson sacked on third down in scoreless game
Michigan is flagged for a false start before it gets off its first play; it'll now be first-and-12 from the 3.
Chris Evans gives the Michigan offense some breathing room with a 5-yard run up the middle on first down. Evans gets 3 more yards on second down, setting up third-and-4. Shea Patterson drops a floater complete to Zach Gentry for a 27-yard pickup that'll give Michigan a new set of downs at the 38.
Christian Turner rushes for 1 yard on first down. Patterson's second-down throw is thrown a tad behind tight end Sean McKeon, and McKeon can't come down with the pass. Third-and-9 coming up. Florida brings a five-man rush; CJ Henderson shoots a gap and takes Patterson down with force for a loss of 5.
Will Hart's punt is fair caught at the 25.
Michigan 0, Florida 0 (9:29 1st)
Michigan defense sends Gators packing after three plays
Feleipe Franks is pressured and forced to throw away the ball on first down. Jordan Scarlett is then dropped by Chase Winovich and Josh Ross in the backfield for a loss of 4 yards. Franks' third-down throw misses the mark, and Florida will boot it away. But not before being moved back 5 yards for a false start.
Junior punter Tommy Townsend drops a beauty of a punt at the Michigan 5.
Michigan 0, Florida 0 (12:11 1st)
Michigan stopped on fourth down on opening drive
Florida has won the toss and will defer to the second half. Ronnie Bell receives the kick, bounces off a tackler and gets to the 32-yard-line, where Michigan will start its opening drive.
Shea Patterson fakes the give to Chris Evans and dashes to his left, reaching the Gator 47 with a 21-yard gain on the Wolverines' first play from scrimmage.
Evans is stopped after a gain of 1 on first down. True freshman Christian Turner takes the jet sweep from Patterson, gets to the edge, and takes it all the way to the house. It appears he stepped out-of-bounds, however, and this will probably be overturned after a review.
It is overturned. Turner is ruled to have stepped out at the 38-yard-line, and it'll be third-and-1.
Ben Mason is a few inches short of the line to gain on a fullback draw. Mason takes it again on fourth down but is completely stuffed at the line. They'll bring the chains out to double check, but it looks like he came up short again.
He is. It's Florida football at the 38.
Michigan 0, Florida 0 (13:07 1st)
Pregame
Michigan goes for its first 11-win season in the Jim Harbaugh with a noon showdown against Florida in the Peach Bowl on Saturday. Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News will provide live updates throughout the game.
MICHIGAN VS. FLORIDA
Kickoff: Noon Saturday, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Records: Michigan 10-2, Florida 9-3
TV/radio: ESPN/950
Line: Michigan by 6
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