2019 Orange Bowl: Live Blog for Florida vs. Virginia
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla -- The No. 9 Florida Gators are set to take on the No. 24 Virginia Cavaliers tonight in the 2019 Capital One Orange Bowl, kicking off at 8:10 P.M.
The end of Florida's successful 2019 season is here.
Will quarterback Kyle Trask finish his remarkable story of a season on a high note with a New Year's Six Bowl victory under his belt? It'd only be fitting for the former seven-year backup, with the Orange Bowl marking his 10th start as a college quarterback and since his days as a freshman in high school.
At the same time, Virginia is a team that Florida can't take lightly. Dual-threat quarterback Bryce Perkins has accounted for over 4,000 all-purpose yards this season, and is Virginia's leading rusher in attempts and yards. He presents a unique threat that Florida has not faced in 2019, but has had plenty of time to prepare for.
Stay tuned to the GatorMaven live blog for constant updates, highlights, and takeaways from the 2019 Capital One Orange Bowl.
Live Blog:
Final Game Stats:
Florida:
Trask: 24/39 305 yards 1 TD 1 INT
Perine: 13 carries 138 2 TDs (5 receptions 43 yards 1 TD)
Jones: 4 carries 32 yards
Jefferson: 6 receptions 129 yards
Virginia:
Perkins: 28/40 323 yards 4 TDs 1 INT
Jana: 7 receptions 126 yards 1 TD
Dubois: 10 receptions 83 yards 2 TD
11:50 P.M.: It has been fun everyone! The Gators end the year with 2 losses and will likely be ranked in the top 10 to start 2020. Thanks for following along all year. Lets hope Emory Jones gets involved more next year.
11:47 P.M.: Perine is the Orange Bowl MVP. Well-deserved
11:44 P.M.: FINAL: Florida 36 - Virginia 28.
11:43 P.M.: Virginia does not recover the onside kick and this one is over.
11:40 P.M.: Touchdown Virginia. They cover the spread. Ugly drive from the Gators elite defense to end the season. 36-28.
11:39 P.M.: Perkins breaks the record, again, and this one counts. Virginia is 2 yards away from covering the spread...
11:36 P.M.: Never mind! The play is reversed for an illegal forward pass. Sooooo the spread has not been covered and Perkins does not have the record, yet.
11:32 P.M.: Virginia runs a trick play, a throwback screen to the offensive lineman. It works and Virginia scores. Virginia covers the spread. Perkins broke the all-time yardage record at Virginia on that play. Great play.
11:31 P.M.: Perkins has earned my respect. He has played awesome outside of the bad INT.
11:30 P.M.: Welp, Perkins makes a guy miss in the pocket and throws a BOMB. Virginia is in the red area.
11:29 P.M.: Florida's defense needs to close this one out. I'd love to see them end it with a turnover.
11:26 P.M.: They end up not going for it and knock down a 42-yard field goal. Florida leads 36-21.
11:23 P.M.: Bad 3rd and 1 play. The Gators lose 2 yards. 4th and 3 coming and they are going for it.
11:22 P.M.: Florida needs one more first down to really shut this game down here. They threw another screen, this time a bubble screen to Swain. It is 3rd and 1 with 3:18 left. Virginia is out of timeouts. Here is the ball game.
11:18 P.M.: Jones comes in the game and gains 9 yards!
11:17 P.M.: Florida was pinned deep, but Trask throws a quick smoke screen to Jefferson and he takes it 48 yards!
11:15 P.M.: What a mistake from Perkins. He has played so well, but that was so ugly.
11:14 P.M.: INT FLORIDA!!! ELAM!!! The kid is BALLIN!!!
11:10 P.M.: Virginia isn't giving up just yet! They are on an impressive drive right now and Perkins is dealing. They are in the red area looking to make it a 1 score game.
11:01 P.M.: TOUCHDOWN GATORS!!! Trask runs the zone read and takes it in from 1-yard out! Florida goes for 2 and does not get it. 33-21 Gators.
10:58 P.M.: Florida puts in Jones and the entire defense chases him, but he handed the ball off to Perine! His foot barely steps out of bounds, but Perine has been a DUDE all game. Florida has the ball on the 1 yard line.
10:59 P.M.: Trask finds Cleveland for a gain for 30 yards!
10:57 P.M.: Mullen gambles and goes for it on 4th down, but luckily Perine got the first on a great effort on an option play.
10:52 P.M.: Yikes. Perkins finds Reed on a screen to the right and he scores. Touchdown Virginia. 27-21 Florida, but this game is way too close, especially with how Trask has been playing.
10:42 P.M. Perkins hits a quick throw for 53 yards. Breakdown in the Gators secondary to end the 3rd quarter. The Gators lead 27-14.
10:40 P.M.: McPherson bangs in a 49-yard field goal! Florida takes a 27-14 lead.
10:38 P.M.: Annnnd then Trask throws a TERRIBLE TERRIBLE TERRIBLE pass. I have no clue how that INT was dropped. Huge break for the Gators.
10:37 P.M.: Florida's offense gets going and Trask completes a big pass to Pitts and then runs for a first down. Florida follows that up with a flea flicker for a big first down to Jefferson.
10:33 P.M.: Greenard with the sack on 3rd down! What a stud.
10:32 P.M.: Florida got lucky on back-to-back plays, as Perkins had 2 easy TD passes, but he under threw the first one and overthrew the second one.
10:26 P.M.: Annnnd Florida goes 3 and out. This offense isn't good right now. They need Jones to give them a spark...
10:21 P.M.: Florida forces a 3 and out! The defense has shown up in the second half.
10: 20 P.M.: Florida gets another sack! 3rd and 11 for Virginia.
10:17 P.M.: Florida gets another 3rd down and throws another screen. This time to Perine and it doesn't work. The Gators punt for the first time in the game.
10:15 P.M.: Trask is sacked.
10:14 P.M.: Florida runs a WR screen on 3rd down and picks up the first down with Jefferson.
10:11 P.M.: Florida gets Virginia to their second 3rd down of the drive. It is there Freshman Diabate makes the play to force the punt.
10:10 P.M.: Greenard checks back in after missing 2 plays, but Virginia gets the first down. However, Greenard's first play back in, he lights up Perkins has he throws. Incomplete.
10:07 P.M.: The second half kicks off and after the first play, Greenard is injured again. He is helped off the field.
Halftime stats:
Florida:
Trask: 15/26 153 yards 1 TD (5 carries 26 yards)
Perine: 5 carries 102 yards 2 TDs (3 receptions 36 yards 1 TD)
Jones: 3 carries 23 yards
Jefferson: 3 receptions 50 yards
Virginia:
Perkins: 12/16 108 yards 2 TDs
Jana: 2 receptions 45 yards 1 TD
Dubois: 5 receptions 35 yards 1 TD
9:42 P.M.: Pierce breaks a big run for 23 before the end of the 2nd quarter. 24-14 Florida.
9:38 P.M.: Florida's defense forces a punt on a solid defensive series.
9:33 P.M.: TOUCHDOWN FLORIDA!! Lamichal Perine, have yourself a game young fella!!! His 3rd touchdown of the game. His draft stock is skyrocketing right now. 24-14 Florida.
9:32 P.M.: Florida takes Jones out of the game after the timeout and Trask picks up a first down on a throw to Jefferson.
9:29 P.M.: Jones carries again, gain of 2 again. He remains in the game, 3rd and 4 and Virginia calls a time out.
9:28 P.M.: Jones checks back in, finally. Gains 3 yards on 1st down. He remains in the game.
9:26 P.M.: Florida has a 4th and 8 and they go for it. Trask finds Swain to pick up a huge 4th down! Gain of 11 to move the chains.
9:23 P.M.: Finally a big throw by Trask. Finds Jefferson for 37 yards.
9:20 P.M.: Worth noting, Greenard was injured on the play prior to the sack. He limped off.
9:19 P.M.: There is the Gators defense! Perkins is sacked on 3rd down! It is Miller and Bogle! Zuniga also was in there to help get the big sack.
9:14 P.M.: Field Goal: Florida takes the lead 17-14.
9:13 P.M.: Trask has played so bad so far. He should have 3 INTs, but luckily Virginia isn't make the play. Florida will settle for a field goal.
9:11 P.M.: It is not ruled a fumble. I have no clue how that wasn't a fumble. Bizzare
9:06 P.M.: Trask runs for 2 yards and he fumbles the ball. The officials rule he was down, but it doesn't look like he was. If this is a fumble, it is time for Mullen to put Jones in...
9:05 P.M.: Perine breaks off a big run for 27 yards.
9:00 P.M.: Wow again. Touchdown Virginia. Perkins has been a DUDE tonight. He escapes the pressure and throws up a jump ball to the end zone and Dubois brings it down. 14-14. Welp, this is certainly interesting.
8:55 P.M.: End of the 1st quarter. 14-7 Florida. Trask has struggled and Virginia is knocking on the door looking to tie the game.
8:53 P.M.: I absolutely LOVE Shawn Davis. He is a head hunter and he just murdered a Virginia WR.
8:52 P.M.: 3rd down and Perkins delivers another strike to Jana for a 1st down.
8:51 P.M.: Annnnnd I jinxed Perkins. He misses a layup TD pass for his first incompletion.
8:50 P.M.: 4th and 1 and Perkins delivers a strike. He has been dealing.
8:47 P.M.: Zuniga drops offsides and then he picks up a hands to the face call. He is a little rusty!
8:45 P.M.: Elam just made an awesome hit on defense, but Virginia picks up a first down.
8:39 P.M.: TOUCHDOWN GATORS! Trask throws a quick hitch to Perine, who was split out wide to the left. Perine does the rest! 16-yard TD and Perine is shining! 14-0 Gators.
8:37 P.M.: Trask had Pitts for a TD, but missed the throw. He has not played well.
8:33 P.M.: Pierce just had a great run. He got stuffed in the backfield, but was able to get free for a gain of 6.
8:31 P.M.: Emory Jones is in the game. He takes off up the middle for a gain of 17. Jones needs to play so much more. He is so dynamic. Sheesh
8:30 P.M.: 3rd and 3 is picked up on a Pierce 4 yard run.
8:29 P.M.: Trask has the INT and a near INT earlier in the game as well and he just air mailed a pass to a wide open receiver. He has not looked great to start.
8:28 P.M.: Mullen dials up a screen to Perine on 3rd and 9 and Perine makes a great play to pick up the 1st down! Perine is playing with some juice tonight.
8:22 P.M.: WOW. Virginia's first play is a bomb for a touchdown. Perkins throws an absolute DIME to the end zone and it is caught by Jana. 7-7 tie with 11:27 left.
8:21 P.M.: Trask throws a terrible pass to the right sideline and is picked off. Ugly, ugly throw by Trask. Virginia gets a big turnover!
8:16 P.M.: Florida's defense gets Virginia to a 3rd and 1 and the defense makes the play and forces the punt. 3 and out No. 1 for the Gators defense.
8:14 P.M.: Zuniga is on the field for the Gators defense:
8:14 P.M.: Perine should get some love from the NFL scouts for that run:
8:13 P.M.: TOUCHDOWN FLORIDA!!!! PERINE TAKES IT 61-YARDS!!! The Gators' offense just punched Virginia in the mouth! 7-0 Florida with 14:20 to go in 1st quarter.
8:12 P.M.: Kyle to Kyle! Pitts is such a dude. Florida gets a 1st down on the 2nd play!
8:10 P.M.: I would like it to be known both teams wearing colors is absolutely terrible. Someone should have white on because this looks dumb. It reminds me of when my brother and I used to play Madden against each other and both picked color jerseys. We would quit the game and make sure we didn't do that. Yuck!
8:09 P.M.: Florida calls Tails and it is Heads. Virginia defers. Florida will get the ball to start the game. Here we go!
8:00 P.M.: If you haven't checked yet, here are the Gator Maven Staff Picks and Predictions for the Orange Bowl: https://www.si.com/college/florida/football/2019-orange-bowl-gatormaven-staff-picks-predictions
7:59 P.M.: Here we go ladies and gents! It has been a month since we have seen the Gators play, so buckle up and enjoy the game!
7:55 P.M.: Jabari Zuniga was in workout clothes and warming up with Florida's defense pre-game. As things stand, he will play for the first time since the Georgia game on November 2nd.
7:55 P.M.: Florida quarterback Feleipe Franks is out here throwing it around for one last time with his teammates. Franks announced his intention to transfer as a graduate student earlier this month.
