Dan Mullen says Marco Wilson didn't have any intent to taunt LSU in his shoe-throwing personal foul
Florida coach Dan Mullen doesn’t believe Marco Wilson was trying to taunt LSU when he threw Kole Taylor’s shoe late in the fourth quarter of the No. 6 Gators’ loss to the Tigers on Saturday night.
Florida appeared to have LSU stopped on third down after Taylor was tackled. But Wilson chucked Taylor’s shoe down the field after the play and received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. That penalty gave LSU an automatic first down and led to Cade York’s 57-yard winning field goal with less than a minute left in the 37-34 victory.
*Austin Powers voice*
WHO THROWS A SHOE??? pic.twitter.com/YAfAwE2Xka— Yahoo Sports College Football (@YahooSportsCFB) December 13, 2020
Sunday, Mullen called Wilson’s penalty “unfortunate” and said that he had talked to his disappointed junior defensive back after the game.
“I went back to watch the play and he made the tackle and part of the football move and the kid’s shoe is in his hand and he kind of threw it and jumped and celebrated with his teammates,” Mullen said. “So it’s pretty unfortunate. In that situation, I don’t think there was any intent to taunt. It wasn’t like he was throwing it at their sidelines or doing any of that. It was a huge play. He thought possibly a game-winning play and he kind of threw the shoe and went to celebrate with his teammates, and it unfortunately was a penalty.”
What’s also unfortunate for Florida is that the shoe throw ruined any chance the Gators had of making the College Football Playoff with a win over No. 1 Alabama in the Dec. 19 SEC title game. Florida will drop from No. 6 in the CFP rankings on Tuesday and fell to No. 11 in the AP Top 25 on Sunday.
LSU was three-touchdown underdog entering Saturday night’s game and it was the first start for freshman QB Max Johnson. He’s the son of former NFL QB Brad Johnson.
Florida should still go to a decent bowl game regardless of its playoff hopes. Unless Florida is annihilated by Alabama on Saturday, the Gators should end up in a New Year’s Six bowl game.
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