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Florida QB Jeff Driskel leaves injured, comes back

 
Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel is helped off the field after being tackled during the second quarter. He returned later.
Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel is helped off the field after being tackled during the second quarter. He returned later.
Published Oct. 19, 2014

GAINESVILLE — Florida QB Jeff Driskel's troubled season continued Saturday night. With 3:21 remaining in the first half, the junior from Oviedo suffered an ankle injury while being sacked. Driskel remained on the ground for more than a minute before he was helped up and went directly to the locker room.

He returned after halftime and started the second half.

It was part of another tough night for Driskel, who started the game, but shared time with freshman Treon Harris, who entered on the Gators' third possession.

With 5:22 left in the second quarter, Driskel threw a pass that was intercepted by senior S Braylon Webb and returned to the Gators' 5-yard line. Driskel entered the season with 10 career interceptions (in 340 attempts), but in five SEC games he has 10 (in 128 attempts) in 2014.

In the third quarter alone, Driskel had a fumble and an interception returned for touchdowns. He was booed mercilessly throughout the game.

Coach Will Muschamp said recently he has never seen a tougher player, taking on both physical and mental abuse this season.

"It's tough, but Jeff's a tough kid," Muschamp said. "It's not just Jeff, it's our entire offense right now. We're just not very good."

Second-quarter letdown: The second quarter has not been kind to Florida this season, and Saturday was no exception. After being shut out in the first half by Missouri, Florida has scored six points — two field goals — in the second quarter against SEC opponents this season.

Quick impact: Florida knew coming in that Missouri WR Marcus Murphy could be a serious threat on both offense and special teams. Murphy proved it immediately against the Gators.

Murphy returned the opening kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown. It was his second career kickoff return; he had a 100-yarder in the opener against South Dakota. Murphy has joined Jeremy Maclin and Brad Smith as the only Mizzou players with 4,000 all-purpose yards.

Third and what? With just under two minutes remaining in the first quarter and Missouri facing third and 17, QB Maty Mauk rushed 19 yards for the first down. It was the first third-down conversion for the Tigers in five quarters.

Against Georgia in its previous game, Missouri was 0-for-7 on third-down tries, and the Tigers entered the game last in the SEC in third-down conversions (2-of-23).

Of note: Muschamp is 3-6 at UF against the final three SEC opponents on the Gator schedule: Georgia, South Carolina and Vanderbilt. … The Gators rushed for more than 100 yards for the sixth consecutive game. … C.J. Worton became the first true freshman to start at receiver since Chris Thompson against Florida State on Nov. 30, 2013. … Marcus Maye recorded his second career interception on Missouri's first drive.

Did you know: Unless South Carolina enters the AP top 25 by Nov. 15, this will be the first time since 1979 that a ranked team has not played at Florida Field in a season — including Florida.