Florida Turns Auburn Green With Envy, 24-10

Florida went to a “Pass ‘N Pray” offense, and wide receiver Jacquez Green made sure it worked.

Green threw for a touchdown, caught a touchdown pass from walk-on Noah Brindise and ran five yards on a reverse for a score as No. 7 Florida defeated No. 6 Auburn, 24-10, in a Southeastern Conference game on Saturday.

“With our quarterback situation muddled, we didn’t want to put the game in our quarterback’s hands,” Florida Coach Steve Spurrier said.

Early in the third quarter, Spurrier benched freshman Jesse Palmer--starting for the suspended Doug Johnson--and brought in Brindise, a fifth-year senior who was awarded a scholarship before the season.

Palmer threw two interceptions, but Brindise came through with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Green midway through the third quarter that broke a 10-10 tie.

“I know I didn’t light the world on fire,” said Brindise, who mainly handed off and watched Fred Taylor run for 140 yards in 34 carries. “But handing off to a guy like Fred made it easier.”

The Gators, 6-1 overall and 4-1 in the SEC, are breathing easier after rebounding from last week’s 28-21 loss at LSU that knocked them out of the No. 1 ranking. Florida is now back on track for a fifth consecutive SEC title.

It was bitter defeat For Auburn (6-1, 3-1). For a year, the Tigers and their Heisman Trophy hopeful, Dameyune Craig, waited to avenge a 51-10 loss to the Gators. Auburn, however, can gain a rematch in the SEC title game if both teams with their division crowns.

Without their high-powered offense, which was averaging 44.7 points per game, the Gators sacked Craig nine times for 80 yards, intercepted a pass and recovered one of his two fumbles.

“I made a lot of dumb mistakes and took a lot of dumb sacks,” Craig, who entered the game as a top Heisman Trophy contender. “I was just trying to make plays.”

Craig, on the run all day, completed 18 of 34 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown.

The game was played before 85,244 at Jordan-Hare Stadium--the second-largest in stadium history.