GAINESVILLE, Fla. _ The celebration began 30 minutes before kickoff and did not end until the clock reached 0:00 and the scoreboard read Florida 40, Florida State 17.
Senior Night under the lights at a sold-out and electric Swamp, UF legend Percy Harvin's turn as Honorary Mr. Two Bits and a scoreboard video of the pending $85 million football training facility set the tone for a big night for the Gators.
Coach Dan Mullen's team gave fans plenty to cheer, earning their 10th win of the season and making Mullen the first UF coach to record double-digit wins during his first two seasons. The Seminoles are now losers of back-to-back games in the series for the first time since 2008-09.
The two rivals actually ended the first quarter tied at 7. But any drama was short-lived as UF picked up its first home win against FSU since Tim Tebow's Senior Day in 2009, a span of four losses to the 'Noles in the Swamp.
Much to the delight of an announced crowd of 89,409, the No. 11 Gators (10-2) scored on their next two possessions while displaying both patience and execution along with quick-strike ability.
Florida followed a 75-yard scoring drive with an 85-yard blitz featuring a 47-yard catch-and-run by Kadarius Toney and a 23-yard touchdown reception by Freddie Swain _ the second touchdown of the night for the senior from Ocala.
Meanwhile, the Gators' defense suffocated the hapless Seminoles (6-6) the rest of the night to hand interim head coach Odell Haggins his first loss in three games and jeopardize his hopes FSU decision-makers will hire him to permanently to replace fired coach Willie Taggart.
The Seminoles' first drive spanned 75 yards on 10 plays, capped by a 1-yard run by reserve quarterback Jordan Travis. In the process, FSU joined South Carolina as just the second team this season to score an opening-drive touchdown on the Gators.
The rest of the first half, FSU gained 20 yards on 16 plays and trailed 30-7 at halftime. The Seminoles finished the game with just 250 yards compared with 467 for the Gators. The Seminoles also had 13 penalties for a loss of 97 yards.
Led by four senior receivers and quarterback Kyle Trask, the Gators were impossible to catch. UF's Fab Four of Swain, Van Jefferson, Tyrie Cleveland and Josh Hammond finished with 17 catches for 193 yards and four touchdowns while Trask was 30-of-41 passing for 343 yards and three scoring throws.
