SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 30, 2013
No.2 Florida State 37, Florida 7: Jameis Winston threw for 327 yards and three touchdowns to Kelvin Benjamin as the visiting Seminoles downed the arch-rival Gators.
With a pair of first-half touchdown passes to Benjamin, Winston broke Chris Weinke's single-season touchdown record of 33 in 2000. The red-shirt freshman finished 19-of-31 and had an interception, while Benjamin had nine catches for 212 yards for the Seminoles (12-0).
Skyler Mornhinweg threw the lone touchdown of the day to Hunter Joyer for the Gators (4-8), who will not be going to a bowl game for the first time in 23 years. Mornhinweg threw for 115 yards and fellow quarterback Trey Burton had two carries for 47 yards before leaving with an injured shoulder.
The Seminoles managed just a Roberto Aguayo 49-yard field goal in the first quarter, but Winston found Benjamin for touchdowns of 45 and 29 yards to go into halftime with a 17-0 lead. The 17 points matched the lowest first-half total of the season for Florida State, which averaged 30 first-half points in its first 11 games.
The freshman Aguayo opened and closed the second-half scoring with field goals of 40 and 28 yards and Devonta Freeman followed a long reception by Benjamin with an 11-yard rushing score to make 27-0 midway through the third quarter. Joyer capped 14-play, 83-yard drive with 5-yard touchdown grab before Benjamin caught his 12th touchdown on the season from 4 yards out.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Loucheiz Purifoy had an interception and Neiron Ball a sack as the Gators held Florida State to 33 yards on offense in the first quarter. ... The Seminoles were 9-of-15 on third down, while the Gators finished 1-of-11. ... Florida was held to 104 yards and three first downs in the first half.