NCAA Football Recap (The Citadel-Florida)
Posted: Sun September 6, 1998 at 1:11 a.m EDT
Jesse Palmer threw two of his four touchdown passes to Travis
Taylor and Terry Jackson ran for 127 yards and a pair of scores
as Florida easily dismantled The Citadel, 49-10,
in the season opener for both schools.
Palmer found Darrell Jackson for a 32-yard score 95 seconds into
the game as the Gators quickly showed their dominance over their
Division I-AA opponent. Palmer, a sophomore who is starting due
partly to a shoulder injury that has kept Doug Johnson
sidelined, completed 18 of 28 passes for 301 yards and an
interception.
"It felt nice to get myself mentally set, to make some audibles
and try to see things," Palmer said. "It was nice to get off to
a good start."
"He really made some super throws out there," said Florida coach
Steve Spurrier, who added that Johnson might be able to suit up
next weekend against Northeast Louisiana. "Jesse played like
about I thought he would. He had a few errant plays here and
there but he was under control, waited in the pocket and picked
some guys out."
The Citadel pulled within 7-3 on Tommy Wood's 27-yard field goal
with 4:24 left in the first quarter, but Jackson rumbled 22
yards for a score less than two minutes later.
Jackson was efficient in only 10 carries as the Gators racked up
594 yards of total offense to just 218 for The Citadel. He
missed the final seven games last season with a knee injury and
enjoyed his first 100-yard game since 1995.
"It definitely felt good to get back out there," Jackson said.
"It felt kind of new to me. I hadn't played in so long, it was
like my first time playing in a while. The adrenaline was
flowing and I was getting kind of tired at times, but it was a
really fun experience. I felt a little rusty. I thought I
could have done a few more things, maybe give a little bit more
effort on a few plays. I think I had a so-so night."
Antonio Smith led the Bulldogs with 99 yards on 16 carries.
Florida is 27-1 in its last 28 openers -- 9-0 under Spurrier --
and is 31-0 when scoring 28 points or more in a season opener.
The Gators won their 22nd straight home game, one short of
matching the school record set from 1990-93. It is the
second-longest active run in the nation to Nebraska's 44-game
home winning streak.
Palmer hooked up with Taylor for a 12-yard score midway through
the second quarter and a 29-yard TD pass with 46 seconds left in
the half as the Gators built their cushion to 28-3.
Quarterback Stanley Myers scored on a three-yard run to close
the deficit to 28-10 with 11:31 left in the third quarter, but
Jackson ran six yards for a touchdown less than two minutes
later to get back the points.
"We drove the ball on the defense in the country and that
is a lot to build on," Myers said. "We have to continue that
for the rest of the season. We know that if we can do it against
the defense in the country then we can do it against
anybody."
"We can do anything," Smith agreed. "We can drive on anybody --
the defense in the nation and we scored. This is just an
incentive to tell us that we can do it anytime."
Palmer threw his final scoring pass of the game midway through
the third period, connecting with Nafis Karim from 12 yards.
Karim finished with six catches for 110 yards.
Robert Gillespie closed the scoring with a four-yard run in the
final minute of the quarter.
Florida is 13-0 all-time against the Charleston, South
Carolina-based military school.
© 1998 Sportsticker Enterprises, LP
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