Lackluster Gators slip by Charlotte behind stout defense, 5 field goals

GAINESVILLE — Florida’s 22-7 win Saturday against Charlotte marked the Gators’ first three-game winning streak under Billy Napier but felt like a hollow victory.

It could be a warning sign with SEC play set to ramp up Sept. 30 at Kentucky, winner of three of the past five meetings.

Napier’s squad failed to build on the momentum off an emotional and resounding 29-16 win against Tennessee but dispatched the 49ers, who received $1.55 million to serve as tackling dummies Saturday night

Instead, the No. 25 Gators (3-1) squandered a fast start behind quarterback Graham Mertz. The Wisconsin transfer completed his first 8 passes and finished 20 of 23 for 259 yards, including a 6-yard touchdown to tight end Arlis Boardingham, to continue his remarkable run of efficiency.

Yet the Gators too often settled for field goals — 5 by sophomore Trey Smack. UF managed just 18 yards, including minus-1 rushing, during the second quarter a week after scoring 20 points in the same stretch to effectively put away Tennessee. 

UF finished with 395 yards and just one touchdown against a Charlotte defense that yielded 568 during a Sept. 16 loss to Georgia State and entered the game 129th of 131 teams nationally in scoring defense (39.4 ppg).

The Gators’ kicking game was a bright spot. Smack, a highly recruited sophomore, replaced Adam Mihalek and converted 2 short field goals before nailing a 54-yarder. He added  36- and 23-yard efforts.

Standouts

Charlotte

Jalon Jones: The 49ers quarterback threw for 111 yards on 11 of 16 passing and rushed 20 times for 65 yards, including a 7-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to 16-7.

Eyabi Okie-Anoma: The 49ers defensive lineman was 8 tackles, 1.5 for loss, including a sack forcing a fumble by Mertz.

Florida

Mertz: UF’s quarterback completed his first 8 passes and finished 20 of 23 for 259 yards, including a 6-yard touchdown to tight end Arlis Boardingham, to continue his remarkable run of efficiency.

Ricky Pearsall: The senior receiver led the Gators with 104 yards on 6 catches, including a one-handed leaping grab ending with a targeting call that did not separate Pearsall from the football.

Shemar James & Scooby Williams: The sophomore linebackers combined for 12 tackles, 2 for loss. James recorded his first sack of 2023 while Williams had a forced fumble.

Noteworthy

— Jeremiah Smith, the nation’s top receiver recruit and No. 2 overall prospect, visited the Swamp. A senior at Chaminade-Madonna High in Hollywood, the 6-foot-3, 198-pound Smith is committed to Ohio State but has frequently visited Gainesville and is friends with highly touted quarterback D.J. Lagway, a UF commit from Willis, Texas.

— Illegal blocks negated consecutive punt returns, including an electrifying 47-yarder by Pearsall, to give UF 5 special teams penalties in 2023.

— The Gators’ kicking game finally was not an issue. Trey Smack, a highly recruited sophomore, replaced Adam Mihalek and converted 2 short field goals before nailing a 54-yarder. During last week’s win against Tennessee, Mihalek missed an extra point and field goal, his second missed field goal of 2023.

— Boardingham’s 6-yard catch for his first career touchdown to culminate the Gators’ first drive.

– Charlotte athletic director Mike Hill worked nearly 25 years at UF, the last six as executive associate AD of external affairs, before leaving in February 2018.

Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com