NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Jordan Scarlett ran 48 yards for the go-ahead touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter, and No. 14 Florida rallied from an 18-point deficit to beat Vanderbilt 37-27 Saturday in a game marred by a near brawl , with both head coaches yelling as each team spilled onto the field.

• The Florida Gators erased an 18-point deficit in the second quarter to defeat Vanderbilt on the road
• The benches cleared and nearly fought when a Florida lineman had a hard block injuring a Vanderbilt player on a punt return
• The Gators face No. 2 Georgia next after a bye week next week

Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey was on hand for a first-hand view of the incident.

An official held back Florida coach Dan Mullen as he yelled at Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason , who was near the Gators' sideline after checking on the Commodore defender whose helmet was knocked off by a hit by linebacker James Houston IV. Both teams spilled onto the field, drawing unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.

The penalty cost the Gators their leading tackler, with Vosean Joseph ejected for his second such penalty of the first half. Two people escorted an emotional Joseph off the field.

Mullen and Mason hugged each other at midfield after the game.

That overshadowed the Gators (6-1, 4-1 Southeastern Conference) scoring 24 straight points after Vanderbilt jumped out to a 21-3 lead midway through the second quarter. 

With the comeback, Florida won its fifth straight this season. The Gators also beat Vanderbilt (3-4, 0-3) for the fifth straight year and 27th time in 28 games in this series.

Vanderbilt turned three turnovers into 17 points, and the Commodores also sacked Feleipe Franks twice and stripped him of the ball once. They also intercepted Franks once. Kyle Shurmur threw two touchdowns with his father, New York Giants coach Pat Shurmur, in the stands. Jamauri Wakefield also ran for a TD.

When Florida could hold onto the ball, the Gators simply dominated and outgained Vanderbilt 576-336 in total offense.

Scarlett finished with 113 yards rushing, and Lamical Perine added a TD run and 121 yards rushing. Franks threw for 284 yards and two touchdowns. His second, an 11-yarder to Freddie Swain, padded the lead midway through the fourth quarter to seal the comeback.