Where Have They Been?
Going into the Florida State game we all knew it would be difficult to win on the road in Tallahassee. With the struggles on offense and the injury status of the team, things would have had to have fallen in the right place to get the victory. Sadly, that didn’t happen and Florida State eventually put the Gators away in the 4th quarter.
After the LSU win, many were confident in this team’s ability to get the win. The tough thing about a win like LSU, is that it did not fix the issues that have been present for most the year. After the first drive, the Florida offense went into the tank. There is probably blame that can flow in many different directions, but I must agree with Coach McElwain in his assessment that the play calling has been predictable. Florida finds itself between a rock and a hard place. I am sure the understand the need to be more creative, but there is also the fact that the simple things they are asking the players to do are not executed at a high level.
It was only a matter of time before the injuries caught up with the Gators. LSU could not take advantage of the losses of Maye, Davis, so on and so on, but the Seminoles did. It just becomes increasingly difficult to maintain the level of play with reserves when playing mediocre talent, but when a talented team is across the field, the odds change dramatically. There is no question the Gators gave a great effort but it was not enough to overcome the shortcomings in personnel and the mistakes made in the game.
If the Gators had any outside change of making the playoff, they needed to win this game. Now that conversation can be laid to rest, it is time to move on continue to pursue the chance to win a championship.
What’s Next?
Next up in this three-game stretch is the defending SEC and National Champion Alabama Crimson Tide. Recently that statement can be made in just about any given year. What Nick Saban has done can be described in many ways. Some have said this is his best team yet, which remains to be seen, but regardless of the number of adjectives we use to describe the Saban era, one thing is constant, winning.
The Gators will enter this contest as nearly 25 point underdogs. I am not sure if that is because of Florida recent struggles or Alabama’s recent success. Either way it seems a bit high, but is justified considering how both teams are entering the game.
This will be the 9th time the Tide and Gators have squared off in Atlanta. It is fitting that the two teams that participated in the first conference championship game will be celebrating the 25th anniversary. If the outcome of the 25th edition is as tight as the 1st edition, many Gator fans will take that.
As for what the Crimson Tide bring to the table, very few teams in the country can match it. Defensive dominance remains their calling card but the changes on offense have been the defining factor of this team. Inserting Jalen Hurts in the first game probably changed the outcome of the Crimson Tide season. The traditional power running game is still there but they have gone about it a different way. There is no Mark Ingram, Trent Richardson, T.J. Yeldon or Derrick Henry, but Hurts has made the transition as seamless as any other year.
If the Gators are going to take down the Tide it is going to take an out of character performance by Alabama and an out of body experience for the Gators. Nothing is impossible but this game presents one of the biggest challenges for any Florida football team in recent years.
What’s Down the Road?
As the Gators make their 12th appearance in the Georgia Dome, the fan base has to remember that getting there is not easy. This game should not be looked at as a waste because of the presumed outcome but because it is an accomplishment Gator nation should approach this game with the same fervor and passion as they would opening day. This has been an odd year for the Gators, but at the end of the day they have a chance to win their first conference championship since they beat Alabama in 2008.
Over this three week span we have learned and will continue to learn more about this staff and this team. Going up against LSU, Florida State and Alabama in consecutive weeks is probably the toughest stretch any team has faced this year. Florida will then play a bowl game against another quality opponent before closing out their year. This stretch will provide us more insight heading into spring before we learn even more in the 2017 season that kicks off in Dallas against Michigan.
As for bowl prospects, there is still a chance to earn a berth to the Sugar Bowl. This will depend on how the committee views the Gators loss to Florida State and their performance against Alabama. It would be surprising if they landed back in Orlando, which means they either end up in Tampa or Jacksonville.
Over the last month the Gators have had the highest of highs and some very low lows. From losing to Arkansas to a goal line stand for the ages and a disappointing performance last weekend. As this team moves forward they will learn from those experiences. A positive for this coaching staff is having the young players play and experience these moments rather than taking it in from the sideline. The fruit of those experiences may not be seen this week but in the future, they will be able to point back to this stretch and learn what it takes to win.
The Gators are not as far away as it may seem, but they are not close as some may think. The roster is still lacking in certain areas, there may be turnover on the coaching staff moving forward and the facilities are being upgraded. You may be a glass half empty person or a glass half full type, regardless of where you stand, this Saturday is a reason to celebrate and cheer on a team that has fought through adversity to once again find themselves competing for championships.