Miami vs. Florida: Gators win an ugly one in college football's season-opener

Tom Gatto

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Miami vs. Florida: Gators win an ugly one in college football's season-opener image

It wasn't pretty — pretty ugly, actually — but the first FBS game of the 2019 season has concluded.

Florida found a way to end the game with a higher score than Miami. We don't say "win the game" because honestly, it appeared neither team really wanted to win. But the Gators finished the game with 24 points to Miami's 20, and so will advance to 1-0.

MORE: Picks against the spread for every top-25 team in Week 1

Miami had 14 penalties for 119 yards (Florida had nine for 93) but showed some positive signs in a mistake-prone game by both teams. Jarren Williams completed 19 of 30 passes for 220 yards and two touchdowns while running back DeeJay Dallas rushed 12 times for 107 yards and a touchdown. But Florida's defensive front tallied 10 sacks, including another near-miss on the final play of the game, to keep the Gators out front.

For Florida, quarterback Feleipe Franks seemingly made as many great plays as he made head-scratchingly, unfathomably dumb ones. He completed 17 of 27 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns to two interceptions. But his go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter was ultimately the game-winner.

It was an interesting opener for the 150th anniversary of college football, to be sure. Check out Sporting News' live updates from the Gators' 24-20 win over Miami:

Florida vs. Miami score

  1Q 2Q 3Q 4Q F
Florida 7 0 10 7 24
Miami 3 10 0 7 20

Florida vs. Miami updates, highlights

(All times Eastern)

Fourth quarter: Florida 24, Miami 20

10:48 p.m.: END OF GAME. Despite numerous mistakes by both teams, someone actually found a way to win. Florida starts the season 1-0 but has a lot — a lot — to improve. Miami could say the same, but looks to have a sharp young signal-caller in Jarren Williams.

10:46 p.m.: The Florida pass-rush comes through again. Jeremiah Moon pins his ears back and forces an incomplete pass behind the line of scrimmage. That should do it.

10:44 p.m.: Refs pick up a pass interference penalty in the end zone. Miami has it fourth-and-12 here. Could be the end. 

10:43 p.m.: Another strip-sack on Jarren Williams, but Miami recovers (again). Hurricanes have it third-and-12 at the 26 with 26 seconds left to play.

10:42 p.m.: Miami now at the Florida 29. Thirty-seven seconds left to play.

10:40 p.m.: Canes now have it third-and-12 at their 49 with 1:06 to play. Trey Dean and Mike Harley's feet get tangled and Dean's called for the pass interference. Miami now has it at Florida's 42 with 1:00 to play.

10:37 p.m.: An egregious pass interference gives Miami new life. Marco Wilson wrestles Jeff Thomas before the ball even gets to him and gives the Hurricanes another set of downs. What makes it worse is, if Wilson had let him catch it he would have been 10 yards short of the line to gain.

10:35 p.m.: Jabari Zuniga with the Gators' ninth sack of the night! Miami's offensive line has been about as tough as wet tissue paper in this one, but credit the Gators' ferocity. It's now fourth-and-34 for Miami with 1:37 left to play. 

10:34 p.m.: Delay of game makes it third-and-27 at the 43 for Miami. Hurricanes takes a timeout with 1:51 left to play. There shouldn't be any more do-overs after this. They've got to have this.

10:32 p.m.: Jarren Williams gets strip-sacked on second-and-26 but somehow DeeJay Dallas gets the fumble recovery and advances the ball 4 yards to the 48. Now third-and-22 for the Hurricanes.

10:30 p.m.: Miami receiver K.J. Osborn coughs the ball up on the next play (go figure). Miami somehow gets it back, but Miami's called for a chop block on the play. Miami now has it first-and-25 at its own 45 with fewer than four minutes to play.

10:28 p.m.: And now disaster for Florida. Feleipe throws an errant interception with no one but Miami defenders in the area. Romeo Finley returns it deep into Florida territory but an unsportsman-like conduct penalty will move them back. Miami gets another chance at the Florida 40 with 4:20 left to play. 

10:27 p.m.: Florida gets a ton of pressure with just four rushers. Marlon Dunlap Jr. gets the sack, scoring the Gators' seventh of the night. They take over at their own 36. 

10:26 p.m.: Miami has it fourth-and-9 at Florida's 30 with just over four minutes to play. This seems like a gotta-have-it play for the Hurricanes.

10:21 p.m.: Third-and-11 with 5:30 left to play. Getting kinda tight.

10:19 p.m.: Jarren Williams moving the Hurricanes down the field with a couple intermediate passes. The redshirt freshman has shown some serious poise in the pocket tonight, completing 15 of 21 passes for 203 yards and a score. 

10:11 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN, FLORIDA. Three plays after the big gain, Franks takes it in himself from the 3-yard line. Some bad play in this first game of college football, but tons of grit. Florida 24, Miami 20.

10:09 p.m.: Gators finally get the long ball! Franks fakes to Perine and hits Josh Hammond for a 65-yard gain down to the Miami 15.

10:05 p.m.: Florida's defense holds strong, with CJ Henderson disrupting a pass in the end zone on third down. And Miami misses the field goal. Gators get really, really lucky on that series of events. Now it's on the Gators offense to produce again.

10:02 p.m.: And now Miami tries the trickeration! On fourth-and-1, Bubba Baxa runs for a first-down, but there's some extra details involved. Miami is called for a hold, but Florida's James Houston is called for a late hit out of bounds. So the Hurricanes have a 10-yard penalty but have a first down at the 10 by virtue of Florida's dead-ball foul.

9:59 p.m.: Miami with another turnover! Franks overthrows to a wide-open Freddie Swain, who tries to high-point it but instead tips it into the waiting hands of Miami safety Amari Carter. He returns it to the Florida 25, setting up a must-win situation for the Gators, potentially.

9:53 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN, MIAMI. DeeJay Dallas gives the Hurricanes back the lead with a 50-yard touchdown run out of the Wildcat (though Florida helped with some atrocious tackling). Miami 20, Florida 17.

9:52 p.m.: Dan Mullen is spitting-mad after his defense commits to penalties on back-to-back plays. Looks like unsportsman-like conduct (below). Miami driving now at the 50. 

Third quarter

9:48 a.m.: And that'll do it for the fourth quarter. Only a one-possession game.

9:42 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN, FLORIDA. The Gators convert only their second of 10 third-down attempts. Franks hits Perine across the middle for an 8-yard go-ahead touchdown. Florida 17, Miami 13.

9:39 p.m.: And now the Gators have a turnover! After Miami holds the offense to a three-and-out, Florida punts — but Jeff Thomas muffs it and the Gators recover at the Miami 11.

9:36 p.m.: Florida gets the ball back after the defense stands tall. Gators start at their 20 after a penalty on the punt return.

9:33 p.m.: Feleipe Franks not in a helpful mood after Miami continues its drive.

9:31 p.m.: A bonehead play by Florida's Trey Dean extends Miami's drive. He's called for a late hit on Williams. Hurricanes continue marching.

9:24 p.m.: FIELD GOAL, FLORIDA. The Gators benefit from an officiating error and cut the Hurricanes' lead. The crew missed a false start on Florida's right tackle on a fourth-down play in which UF kept its drive alive. Miami 13, Florida 10.

9:08 p.m.: Florida receives to start the second half. It fails to take advantage of a pass interference penalty and punts to the Miami 5. 

Halftime stats

First downs: Florida 8, Miami 10
Net rushing: Florida 40, Miami 42
Passing: Florida 104, Miami 158
Total offense: Florida 144, Miami 200
Turnovers: Florida 2, Miami 0
Penalties: Florida 2, Miami 8

Second quarter: Miami 13, Florida 7

8:40 p.m.: HALFTIME. Franks takes a sack to end the second quarter. Florida, which looked so powerful early, goes into intermission trailing.

8:36 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN, MIAMI. The Canes take the lead with 45 seconds remaining in the half on a 25-yard pass from Williams to Brevin Jordan. UM goes 90 yards after the punt. Upset al— ... not gonna say it yet. Miami 13, Florida 7.

And, look, more Miami bling!

8:24 p.m.: Yeah, this one has been a little choppy.

8:15 p.m.: Florida finally punts — and pins Miami down at its 10.

8:12 p.m.: Leon Searcy, your thoughts?

8:10 p.m.: FIELD GOAL, MIAMI. Hey, we've got a game. Baxa hits from 42 and The U cashes in on the turnover with 8:26 remaining in the half. Florida 7, Miami 6. 

8:05 p.m.: FUMBLE, FLORIDA. The Gators turn it over for a second consecutive time. Miami takes over at its 48 and immediately breaks a big run deep into Florida territory. Oh, and Tate Martell was in the game as a receiver.

8 p.m.: Miami does less than zero with the turnover: Three penalties, two runs, an incomplete pass, minus-2 yards on the "drive." UM punts, and Florida takes over at the Canes' 40.

7:54 p.m.: FUMBLE, FLORIDA. Franks botches a handoff and Miami recovers at its 9. Release the Turnover Chain!

7:47 p.m.: Florida faces another fourth-and-short as the quarter begins. This time it's from the Miami 24. Franks easily converts on the first play of the period.

First quarter: Florida 7, Miami 3

7:40 p.m.: Florida refuses to punt. The Gators go for it on fourth down at midfield and make it with a Toney 3-yard run. Miami's Trajan Bandy set up the fourth down with beautiful form tackle on third down.

7:29 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN, FLORIDA. The Gators' Kadarius Toney catches a short Franks pass and then takes it to the house for a 66-yard score. The touchdown comes one play after Florida's Tommy Townsend successfully executes a fake punt for a first down from inside the UF 30. Florida 7, Miami 3.

7:18 p.m.: FIELD GOAL, MIAMI. The Hurricanes reach the Florida 14 on the game's opening drive but have to settle for a 36-yarder from Bubba Baxa after a second-down sack, a short third-down completion and a penalty. Williams goes 5 for 5 for 60 yards in the series. Miami 3, Florida 0.

7:12 p.m.: ESPN, which is broadcasting the game, really wanted you to be READY FOR FOOTBALL:

7:07 p.m.: Some Gators who will be missing from the game:

7:05 p.m.: Those are some big names (and dudes) on the Miami sideline.

Tom Gatto

Tom Gatto Photo

Tom Gatto joined The Sporting News as a senior editor in 2000 after 12 years at The Herald-News in Passaic, N.J., where he served in a variety of roles including sports editor, and a brief spell at APBNews.com in New York, where he worked as a syndication editor. He is a 1986 graduate of the University of South Carolina.