Florida’s win over North Texas — a 32-0 victory in which the Gators allowed just 53 yards, the smallest tally in school history — on Saturday night was largely unremarkable on offense, legendarily stingy on defense, and fully forgettable on special teams.
Except for this: Florida quarterback Luke Del Rio left the game late in the third quarter after taking a low hit to the left knee, headed directly to the locker room, and did not return.
And though Del Rio walked off partially under his own power, coach Jim McElwain sounded disconsolate after the game in a postgame interview, saying that Florida “will probably be missing (Del Rio)” and strongly implying that the Gators will have to turn to Austin Appleby or other quarterbacks going forward.