Gardner's two picks help No. 17 Florida win Outback Bowl
The Sports Xchange
Jan 2, 2017
TAMPA, Fla. -- Chauncey Gardner had two interceptions and returned one for a 58-yard touchdown to lead No. 17 Florida to a 30-3 win over Iowa in the Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium on Monday.
The Gators finished the season 9-4 while Iowa dropped to 8-5.
Gardner stepped in front of an errant third-down pass by Hawkeyes quarterback C.J. Beathard and raced down the sideline for the score that gave the Gators a 24-3 lead early in the fourth quarter.
Florida quarterback Austin Appleby threw interceptions on the Gators' first two possessions but settled down to finish 14 of 25 for 222 yards and two touchdowns. His 85-yard touchdown to running back Mark Thompson on a screen pass gave the Gators a 10-3 lead.
On Florida's first possession of the third quarter Appleby went 5 of 6 for 62 yards and found tight end DeAndre Goolsby on a six-yard touchdown pass to give Florida a 17-3 lead. Appleby had a 24-yard completion to Freddie Swain and a 21-yarder to Goolsby on the drive.
Beathard was 7 of 23 for 55 yards and he threw three interceptions -- all in the fourth quarter. Iowa's Akrum Wadley led all rushers with 115 yards on 22 carries.
Jordan Scarlett had 94 yards on 14 carries for the Gators while wide receiver Antonio Callaway had seven catches for 55 yards. Kicker Eddy Pineiro made field goals from 44, 25 and 48 yards
NOTES: QB Austin Appleby's first collegiate game was a 38-14 loss against Iowa on Nov. 9, 2013. He was a redshirt freshman quarterback at Purdue and went 5 of 6 for 68 yards and a touchdown in the game. ... The SEC is now 15-9 against the Big Ten in the Outback Bowl. ... QB C.J. Beathard was shaken up after a collision with Florida S Marcell Harris in the second quarter but he didn't miss a play. ... The 85-yard touchdown catch by RB Mark Thompson was the longest scoring play in Outback Bowl history, breaking the record of an 80-yard touchdown pass from Georgia's Aaron Murray to Tavares King in the 2012 Outback Bowl.
Jan 2, 2017
TAMPA, Fla. -- Chauncey Gardner had two interceptions and returned one for a 58-yard touchdown to lead No. 17 Florida to a 30-3 win over Iowa in the Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium on Monday.
The Gators finished the season 9-4 while Iowa dropped to 8-5.
Gardner stepped in front of an errant third-down pass by Hawkeyes quarterback C.J. Beathard and raced down the sideline for the score that gave the Gators a 24-3 lead early in the fourth quarter.
Florida quarterback Austin Appleby threw interceptions on the Gators' first two possessions but settled down to finish 14 of 25 for 222 yards and two touchdowns. His 85-yard touchdown to running back Mark Thompson on a screen pass gave the Gators a 10-3 lead.
On Florida's first possession of the third quarter Appleby went 5 of 6 for 62 yards and found tight end DeAndre Goolsby on a six-yard touchdown pass to give Florida a 17-3 lead. Appleby had a 24-yard completion to Freddie Swain and a 21-yarder to Goolsby on the drive.
Beathard was 7 of 23 for 55 yards and he threw three interceptions -- all in the fourth quarter. Iowa's Akrum Wadley led all rushers with 115 yards on 22 carries.
Jordan Scarlett had 94 yards on 14 carries for the Gators while wide receiver Antonio Callaway had seven catches for 55 yards. Kicker Eddy Pineiro made field goals from 44, 25 and 48 yards
NOTES: QB Austin Appleby's first collegiate game was a 38-14 loss against Iowa on Nov. 9, 2013. He was a redshirt freshman quarterback at Purdue and went 5 of 6 for 68 yards and a touchdown in the game. ... The SEC is now 15-9 against the Big Ten in the Outback Bowl. ... QB C.J. Beathard was shaken up after a collision with Florida S Marcell Harris in the second quarter but he didn't miss a play. ... The 85-yard touchdown catch by RB Mark Thompson was the longest scoring play in Outback Bowl history, breaking the record of an 80-yard touchdown pass from Georgia's Aaron Murray to Tavares King in the 2012 Outback Bowl.
