Late in the fourth quarter of the Sept. 6, 2025 game in Gainesville, Florida, Florida defensive tackle Brendan Bett spat in the face of South Florida offensive lineman Cole Skinner after a rushing play; Bett was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct, ejected, and the 15-yard penalty set up a 20-yard game-winning field goal by USF’s Nico Gramatica as time expired, handing South Florida an 18-16 victory.
Key Takeaways
- Brendan Bett (No. 90) spat at Cole Skinner late in the fourth quarter of Florida vs. South Florida on Sept. 6, 2025.
- Referees assessed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and ejected Bett; South Florida gained 15 free yards.
- The penalty quickly put USF into position; kicker Nico Gramatica converted a 20-yard field goal to win 18-16 with 1:54 left.
- Florida coach Billy Napier called the action “unacceptable,” saying it compromised the team.
- The incident came days after a separate high-profile spit-related altercation in the NFL involving Jalen Carter and Dak Prescott.
Verified Facts
The sequence occurred late in the fourth quarter of the Sept. 6 game between the University of Florida Gators and the University of South Florida Bulls in Gainesville. Video circulating on social platforms showed Bett rise after a South Florida rushing play and project saliva toward Bulls lineman Cole Skinner, who shoved Bett before officials intervened.
Officials threw a flag for unsportsmanlike conduct on Bett and ejected him. The 15-yard penalty advanced South Florida into field-goal range. On the next series, USF completed a 29-yard pass that helped set up kicker Nico Gramatica’s 20-yard game-winning kick. The final score was 18-16 in favor of South Florida.
Florida head coach Billy Napier addressed the incident after the game, calling the act “unacceptable” and saying it put the team at risk, according to reporting by the Tampa Bay Times. The Gators did not immediately announce additional discipline beyond the in-game ejection.
Social video of the confrontation circulated on X (formerly Twitter) and was shared by multiple sports accounts; those posts show the sequence that led to the penalty and the game’s decisive possession. Photographs from earlier in the season show Bett wearing No. 90 for the Gators.
Context & Impact
The spit-and-ejection sequence directly affected the game’s closing minutes by granting South Florida free yardage and momentum; within one play USF moved into field-goal position and then kicked the winning score. For Florida, the incident cost field position and a key defender in the final moments.
Timing and optics matter: the episode came three days after a widely publicized exchange between NFL players Jalen Carter and Dak Prescott that also involved alleged spitting. That earlier incident drew league attention and media scrutiny, increasing public sensitivity to similar actions at all levels of football.
Disciplinary consequences at the collegiate level can include suspensions and team penalties beyond ejection, depending on school and conference review. The immediate competitive impact here was clear; any further team or NCAA action will depend on Florida’s internal review and conference policies.
“It’s unacceptable. When a guy does something like that, he’s compromising the team. He’s putting himself before the team.”
Billy Napier, Florida head coach (postgame, per Tampa Bay Times)
Unconfirmed
- No public statement has confirmed whether Florida will impose additional suspension or fines beyond the in-game ejection.
- There is no official report yet linking Bett’s action to any prior incidents involving other players; any motive beyond the on-field confrontation is unverified.
Bottom Line
The spitting incident by Brendan Bett changed the outcome of the Sept. 6 game by producing a penalty that set up South Florida’s game-winning field goal. The episode highlights how individual misconduct can have immediate competitive costs and broader reputational consequences for players and programs.
Sources
- Tampa Bay Times (postgame comments)
- FanDuel/X (video posts of the on-field sequence)
- Associated Press (game coverage and images)
- NBC Sports (coverage of related NFL incident)
- Pro Football Talk (quotes regarding the NFL incident)
- NFL Network (reported NFL review of the earlier Carter/Prescott exchange)