When was the last time University of Florida was shut out?

The 2022 Florida Gators football season began with high hopes as the Billy Napier era kicked off in Gainesville, and all looked bright and merry early on with a statement victory against a stout Utah team in Week 1. But that was nothing more than a mirage as Florida ultimately stumbled to a 6-7 finish in Year 1 of Napier, capped off with a 30-3 Las Vegas Bowl loss to Oregon State Saturday.

The Gators entered Saturday's matchup against the Beavers with a streak of points scored in 435 consecutive games played — that streak dated back to the 1988 season — but it was nearly wiped out alongside the Vegas Strip as Oregon State prevented the Gators offense from getting anything going. Florida was held scoreless until hitting a field goal in the final minute.

Florida ends the year with three consecutive losses, sending them into an offseason that is sure to be a busy one for Napier's staff. Coaches often get a mulligan when things don't go accordingly in Year 1, but that grace period will be over soon enough as Napier continues to adjust to life as an SEC head coach.

Subscribe to 247Sports YouTube for the latest college football, basketball and recruiting news including live college commitments.

Reaction from Saturday's Las Vegas Bowl follows:

Gators get stuck in the mud:

Bowl season can be weird, and Florida certainly felt those vibes on Saturday as the offense sputtered. Nothing seemed to be working, not even the usually-productive Gators rushing attack. And the scoreboard spoke for itself when the game concluded. Now comes a long offseason for Florida as it looks to get things turned around in Year 2 of Napier. And doing so will be important with patience surrounding coaching hires seemingly shorter than ever these days. 

#Gators, one of the nation's best running teams, ran for 39 yards on 33 carries ... 62 on 31 minus sacks. Season-low 219 yards.

— Edgar Thompson (@osgators) December 17, 2022

The streak survives:

College kickers. It looked as if the longest streak in NCAA history of points scored in consecutive games by a single team was about to end when Florida found itself without points and starting a drive deep in its own territory entering the final minutes of play, but the field goal unit saved the day as Florida finally got on the board with less than a minute to play. Florida has now played in 436 straight games without being shutout as the streak lives into 2023.

Florida FG with 37 seconds left extends the Gators' record scoring streak to 436 games over 33 years.

Oregon State leads 30-3

— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) December 17, 2022

Going the wrong way:

No matter how you cut it, the showing by Florida's offense was anemic on Saturday. But it's not as if the Gators were steadily improving either. Over the first three quarters of play, the production on offense only worsened as the game progressed. Add it all up, and Florida only had 98 total yards of offense through three quarters before things finally picked up a bit over the final 15 minutes.

Florida’s total yards by quarter:

1st: 91
2nd: 2
3rd: 5

— Barrett Sallee ???? (@BarrettSallee) December 17, 2022

West Coast woes:

While Florida opened the year by beating a Pac-12 team, college football's westernmost Power 5 conference has a track record of being unkind to the Gators in bowl season. Florida now moves to 0-3 all-time against Pac-12 opponents in bowl games, and this one was not particularly close. Better luck next time, whenever that might be.

Bowl games against #Pac12 teams haven't been kind to the Florida Gators; they're about to go 0-3, having lost to Oregon State, Washington, and UCLA. #LasVegasBowl

— *Chris Fetters (@Chris_Fetters) December 17, 2022

Where is the Billy Napier era headed?

Florida's hire of Napier last December was praised by many given his success at Louisiana, and that was only reaffirmed in Week 1 when the Gators knocked off eventual Pac-12 champion Utah for an AP Top 10 win in Napier's Florida debut. But the honeymoon quickly evaporated after that, and the Gators now find themselves closing out the year on a polar opposite note compared to the opening triumph. It's clear Napier has some work to do in Gainesville if Florida is to get back to the SEC title contender status it enjoyed as recently as 2020, when the Gators made it to Atlanta before falling to Alabama. 

Many, many things for Billy Napier to fix if he is going to make Florida a title contender.

The interior of the front seven getting reinforcements might have to be atop the list.

— Alligator Army (@AlligatorArmy) December 17, 2022

What is clear — and Florida fans can be grateful for this — is that Napier is not used to losing as a collegiate head coach. He's only endured that fate once, regardless of his respective role on staff, and the feeling Napier and Gators endure walking out of this one is not something he'll want to feel again anytime soon. Will that serve as some extra motivation for Florida this offseason. We'll find out in Fall 2023. 

Billy Napier, now in his 20th season as a college coach, has experienced one losing season. That was a 6-7 finish in 2010 at Clemson.
Trailing 30-0 in the Las Vegas Bowl, the #Gators are staring at another one today.

— G. Allan Taylor (@GAllanTaylor) December 17, 2022

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas:

There's certainly no shortage of nightlife on the Las Vegas strip, and if you didn't know any better, you might think Gators players were enjoying it Friday night. Jokes of that nature quickly poured in as Florida had no answers for the Beavers as the two teams clashed in Sin City. In reality, a first year coaching staff and a slew of transfer portal entries likely have more to do with the performance, but the jokes write themselves when you don't show up in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Florida players must have had WAY too much fun on the strip last night.

— Barrett Sallee ???? (@BarrettSallee) December 17, 2022

Oregon State goes out on a high note

What a year it was in Corvallis for coach Jonathan Smith and the Beavers. Oregon State, with today's win, has its first 10 win season since 2006 and just its third in program history, all of them occurring in the 2000s. For a program that has roots back to the 1800s, it's a little hard to believe they only have three to show for, but it's clear Smith is pushing all the right buttons for a program that can use some winning to raise its profile amid uncertainty for the Pac-12's future. There was certainly no stepping off the gas in the Beavers' final two games of the season, a rivalry win against Oregon and then Saturday's bowl game win against the Gators.

Oregon State was down 31-10 w/4 minutes left in the 3rd Q of the civil war. Since that Oregon TD, the Beavers have scored Oregon and Florida 58-3

When was the last time the Florida Gators were shut out?

Florida football: Media reacts to Las Vegas Bowl defeat as Gators narrowly avoid first shutout loss since 1988.

Has Alabama ever been shut out?

2000: In the first Iron Bowl played in Bryant–Denny Stadium and the first played in Tuscaloosa since 1901, Auburn kicked three field goals to beat Alabama 9–0. This would be Mike Dubose's final game as Alabama head coach. It is also to date the last time Alabama has been shut out in any game.

When was the last time LSU was shut out?

LSU survived its final nonconference tune-up Saturday before hitting the full gauntlet of SEC play. The Tigers' defense led the way with another strong performance, holding New Mexico (2-2) to just 88 yards in the 38-0 victory, the program's first shutout since Sept. 8, 2018.

When was the last time UF lost to Kentucky?

Kentucky hasn't beaten Florida on the football field since 1986.