Florida football had the game within reach on Saturday before discipline unraveled in the final minutes. South Florida kicker Nico Gramatica drilled a 20-yard field goal as time expired, handing the Gators an 18-16 upset loss inside the Swamp. But the sequence that set up the winning drive was sparked by a moment that drew comparisons to Jalen Carter's Thursday night NFL ejection: a costly spitting penalty on Florida defensive lineman Brendan Bett.
With the score tight late in the fourth quarter, Bett was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct after spitting into the facemask of USF lineman Cole Skinner. Officials immediately tossed him from the contest, giving the Bulls a free first down and fresh momentum. On the very snap, quarterback Byrum Brown connected with Alvon Isaac for a 29-yard gain, moving the ball deep into Florida territory. Six plays later, Gramatica's kick sealed one of USF's biggest road victories in program history.
After the game, head coach Billy Napier did not mince words about Bett's actions. He admitted he had not yet spoken with the sophomore but called the play ”unacceptable” and a violation of team values.
”When a guy does something like that, he’s compromising the team,” Napier said. ”It’s putting himself before the program. That’s not what this game is about. Lessons will be learned.”
The penalty was only part of a larger problem. Florida was hit with 11 flags totaling 103 yards, including two that wiped out touchdowns earlier in the game. Quarterback DJ Lagway finished with over 220 passing yards but struggled to find rhythm against a USF defense that kept him under pressure.
Preseason expectations placed the Florida football team at No. 15 in the AP Poll, but setbacks like Saturday's defeat suggest the team could finish lower. The Gators now face a brutal stretch against LSU, Miami, Texas, and Texas A&M; a gauntlet that will quickly reveal whether Napier's young roster is ready for the SEC grind.
Bett's ejection will remain a flashpoint, not only for the loss but for what it signaled about discipline and accountability moving forward.
