Where Have They Been?
The Gators got the win they needed to continue their march towards Atlanta. Not only was this a necessary win for team goals, but this team needed some positive energy before heading up to Baton Rouge. For the majority of the game, Florida was in control and the final score should have been by a wider margin if not for two turnovers in scoring position.
Good news for the Gators is that Austin Appleby, though not perfect, played well and stabilizes the quarterback position for the remainder of the year, barring injury. Appleby showed athleticism and threw with conviction as well as displaying the physical tools that we knew he possessed. He played a solid game that should give this staff confidence that this offense can come out with some ball plays to be effective against an extremely stubborn LSU defense.
The win wasn’t without some losses in personnel. Sadly, safety Marcus Maye played his last game as a Gator due to an arm injury. David Sharpe and Tyler Jordan were also lost to injury and did not return to the game. TJ McCoy and Kavaris Harkless filled in admirably and will be called upon again this week while Tyler Jordan is questionable and David Sharpe will most likely be out. On top of those injuries that Gators will continue to be with Jarrad Davis and Bryan Cox.
Entering the game there were concerns about the offense but to start the game they looked fluid and move the ball effectively. Scarlett set a career high for rushing yards and hopefully this time around he becomes the primary recipient of carries. You could see the concerted effort to get the ball in Callaway’s hands as well as some nice plays from Swain and Hammond. It is not a secret that this offense has struggled to be consistent and this week they may be facing their toughest task yet. It is not an impossible challenge but will definitely require the units’ best effort.
The future is bright for Florida seeing the young talent continue to emerge. Those performances should encourage the fan base, and maybe talks about firing the staff will slow down a bit, which has been slightly premature, considering we are 23 games into McElwain’s tenure.
This has been an emotional roller coaster of a year for the Gators and that isn’t going to change after this weekend, win or lose. It would be tremendous for this staff, current roster and recruiting if the Gators can go on the road in back to back weeks and knock off LSU and Florida State. Just buckle up and get ready for an exciting finish to the season.
What’s Next?
Finally, after discussions, accusations and speculation the LSU Tigers will get their shot at the Gators. We all know the story and how it got to where we are, but for the Tigers this game has taken on a new meaning. At that time LSU was fresh off of their first win under interim head coach Ed Orgeron and discussions were just kicking off about who will take over the job full time. Orgeron now is coaching for an opportunity to have the interim tag removed.
In addition to Orgeron’s future as head coach, the Tigers get a chance to spoil the Gators SEC Championship hopes. We are all aware of the back and forth between the two schools the week of and weeks following the game. That conversation will now resurface and it can finally be settled on the field. Back in October, the Gators were looking to fight their way back in the east and come Saturday they will be fighting to hold on to the lead and earn the second SEC East title under McElwain.
Credit must go to Orgeron for keeping this team engaged following the Miles firing. He also deserves credit for getting the team back up to play Arkansas on the road after the disappointing loss to Alabama. Outside of the game against the Crimson Tide, LSU has scored above 35 points four times and seemed to have found a groove offensively. This season has been disappointing considering the expectations coming in, but a win in their last two games will be a strong finish and put Orgeron in a good position to land the job permanently.
The major concern over Les Miles was the offensive philosophy and not much has changed for Orgeron but the little changes have made a difference, the bread and butter are still riding the back of Leonard Fournette and the continued emergence of Darius Guice makes them that much tougher to stop. Both backs will have a shot at 1,000-yard seasons.
The defense has been vintage LSU, only allowing 10 touchdowns this year. That defensive dominance along with a bruising running game will be a baptism by fire for a lot of the young parts that will see the field for the Gators this Saturday. Thankfully this game is played in the early afternoon, rather than at night on the bayou.
This should be a very physical game and LSU should attempt to mirror the Razorbacks strategy of attempting to be the most physical team. The Gators beat up before the game in October and may be in a worse position this week. LSU will look to pound the Gators into submission and put to sleep any hopes of a return trip to Atlanta.
What’s Down the Road?
With the chaos that ensued on Saturday, it did return a glimmer of hope for the Gators to make a potential run at the playoffs. It is slim chance, but it is a chance.
First things first, though, the Gators have to take care of business on the field because the Wildcats could not take down Tennessee on the road. Kentucky was the first team this season to run for 400 yards and lose a game. Kentucky had a somewhat surprising season and Mark Stoops most likely has saved his job.
As for Tennessee, they have kept hope alive. Since the South Carolina debacle, the Vols team has played with more energy, scoring 55 and 49 points in their last two wins over Tennessee Tech and Kentucky. John Kelly and Alvin Kamara have developed into a nice 1-2 punch heading down the stretch. With an LSU win versus the Gators, the Vols will be in prime position to get to Atlanta to face the Crimson Tide. If Tennessee were to make it to the SEC Championship game against Alabama, they will be a much more formidable opponent than the previous 49-10 bulldozing they took before in Knoxville.
Two weeks from now Florida will face arch-rival Florida State in Tallahassee. The Seminoles are coming off of a blowout win over Boston College 45-7. Florida State continues to make improvements and though they have fallen short of goals, they are still in line for another state title.
This week was supposed to be a ‘rest and relax’ week for the Gators. The Presbyterian Blue Hose team they were scheduled to compete against were dominated by Kennesaw State this past weekend 45-10 The Blue Hose fall to 2-8 on the year and close the year against South Alabama.
The odds seem to be against the Gators this week when they take on the Tigers. They opened as a 12.5-point underdog, heading on the road and technically starting their backup quarterback. The Gators still have an opportunity to finish strong and potentially throw the biggest monkey wrench into the plans of the Playoff committee. This weekend the Gators don’t need to scoreboard watch, they don’t have to worry about what anyone else is doing on the field other than themselves. It’s all about the product they put on the field against an opponent that has been rejuvenated and will be ready to back up the talk. For Florida, their season comes down to sixty minutes against LSU, plain and simple.