GAINESVILLE — For a few minutes, the Florida Gators looked ready to stun the college football world and emphatically announce their legitimacy with an upset over No. 3 Alabama.
They were ahead from the first play of the game, and Ben Hill Griffin Stadium was roaring, but the feeling steadily evaporated. The Crimson Tide withstood Florida's early surge to win 38-10 and smack the Gators back to reality in front of 90,888.
No. 12 Florida coasted through its first four games of the season - overwhelming inferior opponents - but now knows it is far from fighting off the elite powers of the SEC. As the Gators (4-1, 2-1 SEC) analyze what went wrong Saturday night, they now prepare for what is likely an even more imposing challenge: a trip to Baton Rouge, La., to face No. 1 LSU.
"This loss really opened our eyes and humbled us," UF receiver Andre Debose said. "We have to stay with it."
Increasing the odds against the Gators, starting quarterback John Brantley was knocked out for the second straight week. Unlike the previous game, when he took a shot to the ribs before halftime and came back in the third quarter, he could not return.
Brantley started with a 65-yard touchdown pass to Debose on the first play of the game, but his night ended before halftime.
Alabama linebacker Courtney Upshaw took him down hard on a sack with 35 seconds left in the first half, and Brantley's right knee bent forcefully. UF trainers had to help him off the field.
Brantley did not come back to the sideline. He completed his first four passes for 113 yards and finished 11-for-16 for 190 yards and a touchdown with an interception.
True freshman Jeff Driskel replaced him and struggled. Driskel made some outstanding plays, including a scramble for 31 yards in the third quarter, but never got Florida in the end zone. He completed 2-of-6 passes for 14 yards and ran for a total of 18 - after losing yardage on other plays. He also fumbled a snap that Alabama recovered in the fourth quarter.
Upshaw tormented the Gators all night. Not only did his sack eliminate Brantley for the rest of the night, it also pushed Florida from the Crimson Tide's 25-yard line to the 35, and kicker Caleb Sturgis missed from 52 yards. He was perfect in 11 attempts during the first four games.
Florida got as deep as the Crimson Tide's 13 on that drive, threatening to take a big cut out of Alabama's 24-10 lead, but suffered two straight sacks.
At the onset of the second quarter, with the game tied 10-10, the Gators drove into Alabama's side of the field on a 24-yard pass from Brantley to Debose but began backpedaling again. After two straight plays that lost yardage, Brantley threw a panicked pass to his left that Upshaw intercepted. Upshaw then went 45 yards for a TD.
Upshaw's takeaway put Alabama ahead 17-10, its first lead, with 12:17 remaining, and the Crimson Tide (5-0, 2-0) was up the rest of the night.
"We lost to a better team tonight," Gators coach Will Muschamp said. "We're going to Baton Rouge, and we need to move on."
Alabama survived Florida's opening touchdown and methodically worked its way from trailing 7-0 in the opening minute to leading by two TDs late in the second quarter.
Florida's defense was strong at times but allowed two long scoring drives in the first half. The Gators also let Marquis Maze get loose for a 70-yard kickoff return near the end of the first quarter, which led to a quick score.
Alabama running back Trent Richardson burned Florida for 181 yards and two touchdowns. A.J. McCarron completed 12-of-25 passes for 140 yards and scored on a sneak.
Five weeks into the season, Florida sits in the same undesirable spot it did at this point last year. The Gators began 4-0 last season before opening October with a blowout loss at Alabama, then sputtered through back-to-back home losses and fell to 4-3 at the bye week.
This October, the schedule is just as rough, possibly worse. After the trip to LSU, the Gators travel to face defending national champion Auburn before ending the month against Georgia in Jacksonville.
