With Florida head coach Billy Napier’s job security in the spotlight on Saturday afternoon, the Gators rose to the challenge against Mississippi State.
Graham Mertz threw for three touchdowns and ran for another, helping Florida defeat Mississippi State 45-28. This win ended a seven-game losing streak for the Gators against FBS teams.
“It’s good to win on the road in this league, and this can be a challenging place to play,” Napier said. “We have more work to do. We won (Saturday), but we are very much a work in progress. We’re not even close to being who we can be, and they know that.”
The Gators amassed 503 total yards of offense and completed 93 percent of their passes, with Mertz going 19 of 21 for 201 yards and DJ Lagway completing all seven of his attempts for 76 yards.
“I think we’re getting the best of both worlds there. Both guys make our team better,” Napier said. “I think this is the best for our team getting both guys involved.”
The Bulldogs’ defense allowed a touchdown on all but three of Florida’s drives. The Gators averaged 6.3 yards per carry, rushing 36 times for 226 yards. Florida was successful on 6 of 9 third-down attempts.
For the third week in a row, the Bulldogs found themselves in a first-half deficit. After being outscored 55-6 in the first half against Arizona State and Toledo, MSU was down 28-7 before quarterback Blake Shapen scored on a run to make it 28-14.
MSU pulled within 28-21 after Shapen connected with Jordan Mosley for a 13-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter, but a crucial fourth-down stop at the 1-yard line early in the fourth quarter ended their hopes.
“We’ve got a choice to make, and the choice is up to each and every one of us,” MSU coach Jeff Lebby said.
