Pat Dooley, co-host of The Tailgate on WRUF, rates the Gators after their fourth straight win, a 33-8 win Friday against Tulane in the Gasparilla Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

INJURY: B-

First half: If you’re a fan of yardage and time of possession, the Gators did well. But as we all know, it’s all about collecting points. DJ Lagway’s first pick almost cost Florida points, but the second certainly did. A 269-yard half rarely results in six total points.

Second half: Lagway kept order and Florida found a way to make things laugh in the fourth quarter. Florida had 260 yards and was able to score 27 points on a few short fields for the Green Wave (9-5).

About the game: The offense looked rusty in the first half, which sometimes happens in these bowl games. But any offense that goes for 529 yards and one of them was a third-down conversion by Des Watson was having a good night.

DEFENSE: A+

First half: Yes, Tulane’s starting quarterback changed, but the first half was something of a defensive clinic. Tulane managed just 62 yards, had three first downs and Florida intercepted Ty Thompson on the first play of the game.

Second half: The Gators kept things going defensively with two fourth-down stops and two interceptions. That’s basically four turnovers in one half, which is why the result got out of hand.

About the game: Yes, I would have liked to see the shutout, but basically it was one because Florida had its third-team defense and Tulane was still playing the starters. Florida has allowed 52 points in the last four games. In total. I guess it didn’t miss anyone who unsubscribed.

SPECIAL TEAMS: B

First half: I can’t for the life of me understand why there are coaches in Florida who can’t count. However, the special teams had to call two timeouts because there were 10 men on the field. Kudos to Trey Smack for his two field goals.

Second half: Smack came through again when the game was still in doubt. When Florida needed to cover a kick, the Gators did a great job.

About the game: Florida gave nothing back and Jeremy Crawshaw only had to punt three times. But the special teams did their job as long as they had 11 people on the field. Smack was impeccable, which was expected of him on an evening of perfect weather.

OVERALL: A-

Billy Napier finally got back to .500 as Florida’s coach, and this team will be remembered as one of the bravest teams Florida fans have ever seen. Tulane was shorthanded, but we saw backup quarterbacks come into a game and light up the Gator defense. This would be an A+ if the offense had been better in the red zone in the first half. For Gator fans who are used to the season being an offseason, going 8-5 may not be cause for celebration, but hopefully this team helped UF regain relevance. Well done.

WRUF.com sports columnist Pat Dooley can be heard with Jeff Cardozo on “The Tailgate” on 98.1-FM/AM-850 WRUF, Monday through Friday from 4 to 6 p.m.