Florida DT Brendan Bett ejected after spitting on South Florida lineman late in game
The 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty set up a 29-yard completion that put South Florida in field-goal range with 1:54 remaining.
Florida defensive tackle Brendan Bett was ejected late in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game against South Florida after he was seen spitting on Bulls offensive lineman Cole Skinner, a sequence that drew a 15-yard unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty and immediately altered the closing moments of the contest.
Following a South Florida rushing play, Bett (No. 90) rose and confronted Skinner and appeared to hock a spit toward Skinner’s face. Skinner pushed Bett in response before officials threw flags. Bett was assessed an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty and was ejected from the game for the action.
The penalty moved South Florida 15 yards closer and, on the very next play, the Bulls completed a 29-yard pass that put them into field-goal range with 1:54 remaining on the clock. The sequence effectively gave South Florida improved position in the game's final moments.
The incident drew widespread attention on social media and in postgame coverage, where some observers compared it to a high-profile altercation earlier in the week involving Jalen Carter and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. Media reaction focused on the unusual nature of the on-field conduct and its immediate impact on the outcome of the drive.
Officials did not announce further penalties beyond the ejection during the game. No immediate statements were released by Florida or South Florida representatives in the moments after the contest, and the play may be subject to additional review by game and conference officials.
Bett, a defensive tackle for the Gators, had been an active participant on the line during the game before the incident. Skinner, the Bulls’ lineman who was targeted by Bett, was involved in the on-field exchange but was not ejected.
The unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty and ejection underscored how an in-game altercation can have immediate strategic consequences. With the game clock winding down, the 15-yard penalty directly altered field position and set up the play that gave South Florida a clear opportunity in the closing stretch.
Game officials and both programs may provide further comment or disciplinary decisions in the days following the matchup. Until then, the ejection stands as the immediate in-game action taken for the conduct observed on the field.