JACKSONVILLE ? Florida QB John Brantley had a hot and cold day, and the Gators followed suit Saturday, falling to Georgia, 24-20.
It's Florida's fourth straight loss, their first such skid since 1988. It also gives them a winless October, the first time that has happened since 1979. And it was the Gators first loss to Georgia since 2007.
Richard Samuel IV ran in a 4-yard touchdown early in the fourth to give Georgia the go-ahead score. It came after Brad Phillips' 40-yard field goal had broken the first tie score of the day and put Florida ahead 20-17.
Down 17-10, Georgia got the ball at the Florida 18-yard line after WR Frankie Hammond Jr. lost a fumble. Four plays later, Aaron Murray threw a fourth-down touchdown pass to Tavarres King. It was the third offensive touchdown of the day between the two teams, all of which came on fourth down until Samuel's.
Andre Debose returned the ensuing kickoff 63 yards, setting up Phillips' go-ahead field goal.
Brantley led the Gators' offense, throwing 226 yards and a touchdown in the first half, a career-high for Brantley in any half in two years as a starter. His career-high for a game is 248 yards. It was the quarterback's first game back since suffering an ankle injury on Oct. 1. But he struggled mightily late in the game.
He had a 31-yard touchdown pass on 4th-and-19 on the second drive of the game to put Florida ahead first, marking the first time this season that the Bulldogs did not score first in their games.
After Georgia's Blair Walsh hit a 32-yard field goal to cut into the lead, Jeff Demps took the kickoff back 99 yards untouched for a touchdown. It was the longest kickoff return of his career, with his previous high at 54. He became the sixth Florida player to have a kickoff return touchdown for 99 yards or more.
Kicker Brad Phillips, playing in place of injured starter Caleb Sturgis, made his first career field goal from 43 yards out to extend the lead with 10:06 left in the second quarter.
But Georgia capitalized late in the quarter, recovering a Chris Rainey fumble in UF territory. QB Aaron Murray found Michael Bennett on fourth down for a 20-yard touchdown pass to cut into the Florida lead.
Brantley's first pass as a swing to Demps, who took it 72 yards on the first play of the game. Florida could do nothing from the Georgia 21-yard line, and kicker Brad Phillips missed a 38-yard field goal attempt.
Sturgis was dressed on the sideline. A Lou Groza Award semifinalist, Sturgis injured his leg in the Gators' last game, a loss to Auburn on Oct. 15. Muschamp said Monday that he expected all injured players except for CB Jeremy Brown to return.
Brantley, meanwhile, took the field as one of the team's captains after not warming up befoore kickoff of its game vs. Georgia at EverBank field.
The Gators' senior did throw passes on the sideline during the stretching period but was not on the field as the position groups warmed up. His right ankle was heavily taped when he was on the field earlier Saturday afternoon.
Florida appeared to be dealing with other injuries as well. Tackle Chaz Green did not dress for the game and linebacker Lerentee McCray came out before halftime. He was in street clothes on the sideline with ice on his shoulder.
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