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It took almost four years, but the Florida Gators finally got their revenge on the Michigan Wolverines for the 2015 Citrus Bowl. Florida picked up a 41-15 victory over the Wolverines Saturday to win the Peach Bowl and cap off their first 10-win season since 2015, an undoubtedly promising sign in Dan Mullen’s first season at the helm.
While the score makes the game seem like a laugher, it was actually quite competitive in the first half, as the Gators led 13-10 going into the locker room thanks to a 20 yard Feleipe Franks rushing touchdown with two minutes to play.
Whatever Mullen said in his halftime speech certainly worked, though, as the Gators looked like a whole new team in the second half. The Gators came away with touchdowns on each of their first three drives of the second half, and Michigan answered with just a field goal. In fact, Michigan mustered just five points in the entire second half, with the other two coming on a punt block out of the end zone after the game was already well out of hand.
Lamical Perine had a nice day for Florida, leading the Gators with 76 yards, 53 of which came on the touchdown run that extended Florida’s lead to 34-13. Perine also had a receiving touchdown. The rushing attack was the big story for the Gators, as they outgained Michigan 257-77 on the ground.
Defensively, Florida was buzzing all day. The Gators recorded seven tackles for loss, and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson had two interceptions, the second of which he returned for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.