FLORIDA GATORS FOOTBALL: Breakout Game for Bryce Thornton

With the game on the line, first and 10 on the 39-yard line with 1:32 left, Ole Miss was driving for the tie and Thornton made his first interception in the fourth quarter. Jaxson Dart overthrew his receiver, right into Thornton’s hands.

BRYCE THORNTON

At a school known for great safeties, Bryce Thornton had a coming-out party against the #9 ranked Mississippi. By all accounts, he should be playing for Georgia, with both father Bruce Thornton and mother Tiauanna Briggans having played for UGA. Bruce was a defensive back for the Bulldogs and Tiauanna won an SEC basketball tournament title for them in 2001.

Bryce came to Florida last year as an early enrollee, playing in all 12 games and starting four. The sophomore defensive back finished with a game-high and career-high 14 tackles and two interceptions. Moreover, both of his interceptions were crucial in taking down the Rebels as they came on the final two drives of the game.

Ole Miss had chances late but Jaxson Dart threw interceptions to end the team's last two drives. Beaten for a touchdown in the first half, Thornton picked off both. The second one came with 17 seconds left remaining and set up a raucous celebration by defenders in the end zone. On Mississippi’s second drive, Thornton had a tackle for loss and on 3rd and 13 was there to assist in the tackle. You had a feeling it was going to be a good day for the defense and Bryce had a big part in it, Napier said in the postgame press conference:

“Bryce has been a huge bright spot, stepping up in a major way. Obviously, we've had some injuries there. Two picks and a career high in tackles and coming off an injury. Bryce has been in that training room every day for weeks and I think he's really stepped up for our team in a major way. Bryce got good experience last year and I think ultimately he's a very capable player. He showed out today.”

BRYCE THORNTON IN WIN OF OLE MISS - PHOTO BY CHRIS SPEARS GATORBAIT MEDIA

Old school Gator defense showed up on that first drive as Ole Miss TE Dae’Quan Wright was crushed by DB Jordan Castell on second and four. Targeting was called on him, however, it was picked up after replay review. That brought back memories of Ahmad Black and Lawrence Wright destroying wide receivers, back when that was more of the norm. Earlier in the season, Coach Austin Armstrong spoke of Thornton and Castell:

“Bryce Thornton and Jordan Castell, those guys have been in the fire now. They have been out in third and five in the Swamp against Tennessee. Everybody thinks they know how to do it and it’s time to do it. So, the balance of those players who played in those games and adding guys that have done it somewhere else, you couldn't put a price tag on it. They have done a great job.”

Defense wins championships and for years the defense was not only not up to the Gator Standard, it was just plain BAD. After the bye week before Tennessee, the 2024 defense has really turned it up. Bryce was asked about the open date:

“I feel like especially the leaders and the seniors came and brought the team together and we were like, how do we want the season to be. I feel that played a big part, and we all said we don't want to go out like this, so I feel like everybody came together and we started working even harder and I feel like it's starting to show now.“

Asked about playing against the #1 Offense in the SEC, Bryce said:

“I felt like this defense, everybody played a part and the D-line had a great game. I feel like they helped, especially the back end containment, made him throw, especially for my pick, difficult throws and I feel like the linebackers played a big part in my picks just getting him to overthrow the ball and then the defensive backs we’re always going to be together. So I feel like just the whole, we're always coming together.”

 With the game on the line, first and 10 on the 39-yard line with 1:32 left, Ole Miss was driving for the tie and Thornton made his first interception in the fourth quarter. Jaxson Dart overthrew his receiver, right into Thornton’s hands.

Thornton’s second interception of the game came with 17 seconds left, crushing the dreams of Ole Miss making the playoffs and introducing, perhaps, another legendary safety, in a long line of greats that have played for the Florida Gators football program.