Florida Buries Florida Atlantic 66-21 in Opener
Sixty-six points. Nine touchdowns. One field goal that went 53 yards, which Florida kicked in the first quarter almost as an afterthought.
The Gators scored on their first three scoring plays and never stopped: Aaron Philo found Vernell Brown III from 49 yards, then Bailey Stockton from 12, and Patrick Durkin's 53-yarder made it 17-0 before the first quarter was over. Florida Atlantic got an Ethan Ervin 1-yard run early in the second to make it 17-7, and that was about the last time anyone could pretend this was close. Philo ran in from 3 yards out, Jadan Baugh scored from 12 and 7 yards just 75 seconds apart, and it was 38-14 at the half.
Baugh finished with 14 carries for 160 yards and three touchdowns (the third from 6 yards, to open the second half at 45-14). Philo went 16 of 21 for 275 yards and three touchdown passes, plus one more on the ground, and he threw one interception. Florida's totals are almost rude: 644 yards (343 passing, 301 rushing) on 40 rushing attempts.
Florida Atlantic was not without its moments. Caden Veltkamp threw for 276 yards on 34 of 52 and scored once on the ground and once through the air, a 20-yard pass to Kelby Valsin late in the third quarter that made it 52-21. But Veltkamp also threw two interceptions, and the Owls lost a fumble, which is three giveaways against Florida's one. The Gators took the lead on the first score and never gave it back, and it was 21 points for the Owls against 66.
Florida is 1-0, Florida Atlantic is 0-1. In the fantasy world, Philo's 37 points and Baugh's 34 are the kind of numbers that win a week by themselves.