Gators Don’t Let This One Get Away : Florida Blocks a Field Goal and Beats Florida State, 17-13

Another game seemed to be slipping away when Florida got the kind of break that didn’t come for most of the season.

Louis Oliver blocked a field goal attempt, and the Gators drove for a touchdown that enabled them to beat Florida State, 17-13, in the rain Saturday night.

A low snap helped Oliver knock down Derek Schmidt’s 46-yard field goal try with 7:30 left. The Gators went 60 yards in 8 plays to get the winning touchdown on Kerwin Bell’s 18-yard pass to Ricky Nattiel.

“We got that field goal blocked and that changed the momentum,” Florida State Coach Bobby Bowden said. “Then that dadgum Bell to Nattiel--they snuck in there that one time.”

Florida (6-5) beat Florida State (6-4-1) for the sixth straight year. Florida State will play in the All-American Bowl Dec. 31 against Indiana.

The Seminoles had a 13-10 lead when Oliver broke through almost untouched to block the kick.

“I came from the middle,” Oliver said. “I saw the kick, jumped real high and blocked it with my right forearm. It was the best feeling I’ve ever had and it was all joy from there.”

The Seminoles set a school record with 15 penalties, including a holding call that cost them a 52-yard touchdown run by Sammy Smith.

The game included several shoving matches and words between plays. A personal foul penalty revived a Seminole drive that resulted in Florida State’s go-ahead field goal in the third quarter.

“I knew it was going to be a heated game,” Bowden said. “I really didn’t think it was that bad. There was a lot of talking going on, but I really never saw anyone throw any punches.”

The Seminoles managed only 8 yards of offense in the first quarter to 80 for the Gators and did not make a first down until midway through the second quarter.

After Schmidt missed a 56-yard field goal try, Florida opened the scoring on an eight-yard run by Octavius Gould. Keith Ross returned the ensuing kickoff 71 yards, but the Seminoles had to settle for Schmidt’s 46-yard field goal with two minutes left in the first quarter.

The Gators matched that with a 19-yard field goal by Jeff Dawson early in the second quarter for a 10-3 edge. Florida State tied the score on Smith’s three-yard run with three minutes left in the half.

Schmidt’s 21-yard field goal put Florida State ahead, 13-10, with 3:09 left in the third period. The Seminoles’ ground game had bogged down at muddy midfield, but a personal-foul penalty after a scuffle gave Florida State a new opportunity at the 25 and Schmidt converted five plays later.