Gator Country brings you our Friday prediction podcast for the Florida Gators vs. North Texas on Saturday night in the Swamp.
Andrew Spivey and Nick de la Torre break down how they see the game going, plus give you their takes on the injuries and who will fill in for those guys.
Andrew and Nick like every Friday, give you three names a piece to watch out for during the game, plus they make predictions on five games around the country.
TRANSCRIPT:
Andrew:What’s up, Gator Country? Your man right here, Andrew Spivey, with my man, Nicholas de la Torre. Nicholas, Friday before North Texas. Let’s get this last cupcake game out of the way and get onto big boy football. Got a little taste of it last week with Kentucky and the SEC, even though they weren’t good, SEC. One more game, then we get to the good stuff.
Nick:Are we sleeping too much on the fighting mean green North Texan Conference USA Juggernauts?
Andrew:No.
Nick:No?
Andrew:No.
Nick:The green is not mean?
Andrew:The green is not mean. Say that 10 times fast.
Nick:Is not mean. It’s more like gangrene.
Andrew:I didn’t go that far. Yeah. I don’t know. This game shouldn’t be close. We’ll see what it is. Said that about UMass, and it wasn’t. We said the opposite against Kentucky. Nope. I got it, Nick. It’s going to be a really close game.
Nick:Let’s get some procedural stuff out of the way. Big injury news this week. Last week it was big news that Florida was getting a bunch of guys back. This week, total opposite.
Andrew:Yup.
Nick:In my opinion, the biggest news is not Antonio Callaway being highly doubtful, as Jim McElwain said it. It’s Tyler Jordan. He broke his orbital bone, I think it was about a year and a half, maybe two years ago, and his mom put on Facebook that he has like a rare condition that has caused a cyst to grow in that area, and it’s affecting eyesight. On Facebook she said he’ll have a procedure, surgery, Friday, and that if everything goes well, he can start training again seven days after surgery. That means he’s not playing against Tennessee. You don’t have surgery, start training a day before a game, a day Florida will be traveling. So that means he’s out for Tennessee. You’re looking at an offensive line that was already struggling, and now you’re putting in new pieces and taking out somebody who had solidified a starting spot. No Tyler Jordan this week. I would say extremely doubtful for Tennessee, and to me that’s the biggest injury news.
Andrew:I’m going to disagree.
Nick:Well then, you’re just choosing to be wrong.
Andrew:Okay. Tyler Jordan hasn’t done well this year. In my opinion, he and Martez Ivey were the two biggest disappointments of this season. I understand Mac says the biggest thing Tyler did on the field was he was able to communicate. For me, that’s a lose there, but as far as playing goes, Tyler wasn’t playing well. He wasn’t playing well at all, and to see Richard Desire-Jones play this week, I think it’s big to see what he can do. I’m not going to lie. I was kind of impressed with what he did against Kentucky. It’s Kentucky, I understand that, but I am kind of excited to see it. Then I’m going to say this. I’m excited to see what big Fred can do at guard, because the biggest thing, Nick, you and I kind of talked about this on Wednesday when the news broke was it wasn’t Fred’s blocking on really run blocking, more of he just couldn’t protect against these speed rushers. I’m pumped to kind of see what he will do at guard where he doesn’t have to go against that speed rusher off the edge.
Nick:Here’s my take. My take is that you have starters, and you have backups for a reason. Tyler Jordan, his starting spot at right guard was never in question throughout the spring, throughout fall camp, throughout the first two weeks of this season. Never in question, his starting job.
Andrew:You’re right.
Nick:That to me means the coaching staff sees a drop off in play, at any level, whether it’s significant or slight, sees a drop off in play from Tyler Jordan to whoever plays after him. So in my mind, there is already a talent gap and a talent loss that you’re dealing with at right guard, no matter who comes in. Now, Richard Desire-Jones, STA pride, we talked about this on the podcast when he was a recruit. He was an all regional, all district, champion wrestler, and when we talk about wrestlers and offensive linemen, wrestlers have a great knowledge of body, their body, body control, leverage, and how to create leverage advantages for them, which comes into play when you’re an offensive lineman, and you’re trying to get low, you’re trying to block somebody who is as big or bigger than you.
Andrew:Right.
Nick:So that’s something that we said way back then, that will play into him being able to, that’s a skill trait and something that you develop that’s almost an innate skill, but that can translate from wrestling to football.
Andrew:Here’s another thing. He knows how to shoot the hands, and that’s going to be big. There’s a couple of other things that I was impressed with on Saturday. His ability to get off the line, I was very impressed with that. Now, here’s the thing. Don’t get me wrong, it is a loss losing Tyler. You can’t say it’s not a loss. You lose a starter, it’s a loss, whether it’s a huge loss, whatever it is, it’s a loss. There’s no doubt it’s a loss. I’m just saying it is better to have it happen now than next week, and I do think that it maybe happened at a spot that you did have someone that could play. Had this happened to one of your tackles, you’re screwed.
Nick:Yeah. I think you would rather have an interior. You have more depth, especially Jim McElwain mentioned late last year that Brandon Sandifer and Nick Buchanan were close to having their redshirts pulled and playing late last year because of how they progressed. My question would be, how true is that statement if now Richard Desire-Jones is the guy that will be earning the start ahead of those two. Certainly, if Richard has gotten to a point where now he’s starting over them, now you have three guys, and that just speaks to the depth, and that’s not even talking about TJ McCoy, who can also play. So definitely more depth inside. It would be more impactful if David Sharpe were to get hurt, certainly, because then you’ve got to figure out what you’re doing at left tackle.
Andrew:Let’s not even talk about it. I want to sleep tonight.
Nick:We’d waste all of our time trying to figure out how you shuffle around those pieces. To me, that’s the biggest injury news. Antonio Callaway is doubtful with a quad injury.
Andrew:Sit him out. Sit him out.
Nick:Sure. Sit him out. To me, that’s not a big deal.
Andrew:What does he gain from playing?
Nick:Yeah. He’s a kid that football is everything to him. He wants to play, and I think if it was LSU, if it was Tennessee he’d be playing. So nothing really long term you need to worry about there. Tyrie Cleveland, I think there might be something long term to worry about here.
Andrew:Yes.
Nick:With the hamstring injury and just the way that McElwain has addressed that hamstring injury. If you’re watching these press conferences, I’m at every single press conference. You’re watching every press conference. His tone and the way he treats injuries I think is telling of how he perceives that injury or how the person is handling it. Last year with Matt Rolin it was almost a roll of the eye whenever a reporter would bring up Matt Rolin. To me, that made it seem like McElwain didn’t think the injury was that severe. There was a difference between being hurt and being injured.
Andrew:Right.
Nick:Hurt, that’s something you can play through. If you’re injured, absolutely not. You’re not playing through that.
Andrew:Right.
Nick:It’s getting to me to be to the point where Jim McElwain is kind of thinking maybe he’s hurt and choosing not to play through hurt rather than injured, you can’t.
Andrew:Is his feelings hurt.
Nick:Maybe. Also, Tyrie Cleveland moved from Jacksonville to Houston to get away from trouble, and Jim McElwain, part of the recruiting pitching is winning over the family and winning over the parents. Gainesville is a stone’s throw away from Jacksonville, so part of that recruiting pitch has to be, you would assume, I’m going to keep your son safe. I understand that you moved him away from this area. Gainesville and Jacksonville aren’t the same area, but it’s not far away.
Andrew:Same state.
Nick:Yeah. You moved him away to keep him away from trouble, so I’m Jim McElwain had to make assurances that we’re going to take care of your son. His aunt, sorry. That we’re going to take care of him. Then two months on campus, arrested. To me, maybe that’s a sign that McElwain says, “Listen, I made promises. You made promises to me. I made promises to your family. What are you doing?” Maybe there’s some lost trust because of that.
Andrew:Mac is a guy you…
Nick:You don’t want to cross him. It’s hard. He’s a guy that he will trust you.
Andrew:He loves you.
Nick:Well, he’s going to love you, his players, unconditionally, but he will trust you until you cross him, and I think once you cross him it’s kind of, fool me once; shame on you. Fool me twice not going to happen.
Andrew:Right. It’s exactly right.
Nick:Now it gets into that situation where is there broken trust because of the incident, and now how does that factor into I don’t think you’re actually hurt. The training staff is telling me one thing, that you can go, but you’re not.
Andrew:Right. Who knows? It’s something. There’s something weird going on there. It’s kind of like what I said on the message board the other day. I think too, I mean I think you’re right. The trust is gone, and I think that has something to play with it there. We’ll see. I mean, here’s another thing. Rick Wells is practicing, and then all of a sudden he’s injured again. It’s starting to become a little fishy.
Nick:I don’t expect much from Rick Wells.
Andrew:You know what I’m saying. He didn’t even dress the other day.
Nick:Can we stop asking when is Tyrie going to start? He’s played a handful of plays. The answer is not any time soon.
Andrew:When he gets his shit straight. I mean, that’s the truth. It’s the truth.
Nick:Stars don’t earn you playing time. What you do once you get to campus earns playing time. So I understand why fans are asking about a five star player, but there’s been nothing reported of Tyrie, at least from us, to warrant the question of when’s he going to start. I get that question, and I’m like, are you new here? What are we talking about?
Andrew:Exactly. I don’t know. We’ll see for that going forward. I will say this. You even mentioned this to me yesterday about practice and talking to some other people as well. The one thing Mac’s not happy about is special teams. He is a guy that is very old…
Nick:Three penalties last week on special teams.
Andrew:Yes. He’s a very old school guy in that he believes special teams should be something you want to be a part of, and he’s not very happy about that. Here’s the thing, it was some veteran guys, Duke Dawson being one of them, getting hit with penalties. Not happy about that.
Nick:No. He let him hear it too for a little portion that we were out and we were able to watch. Let him have it. Didn’t like the energy. It seems to me that that has been a point of emphasis this week.
Andrew:Can’t have those penalties against Tennessee.
Nick:No. Sure can’t. This is one more tune up game, and you want to be firing on all cylinders. Caleb Brantley last week after the game said, “The machine was well oiled today.” McElwain found a spot where the gears were rubbing against each other and needed a little more oil. So he will look to have the entire machine well lubricated before they take off for Knoxville next week.
Andrew:Have you seen the little Napa truck or whatever truck delivering some oil this week?
Nick:No.
Andrew:No? Hopefully it gets better.
Nick:Let’s just let me stick to the jokes. I’ll handle the jokes on this podcast.
Andrew:That was a pretty good joke.
Nick:I’ll handle the jokes on this podcast.
Andrew:No, I’m good. I kind of like my own here. Just kind of invent them as we go. Nothing wrong with that. We’ll see where that is. Eddy still got a little bit of improving to go. I do, I expect him to do well there. It’ll be interesting to see how the penalties go. I will say that one of those penalties last week was complete horseshit, the one they called against Duke on the block in the back. You and I were talking about it in the box, and I was like, can someone show me where the block in the back was? We’ll see where that is.
The one thing I think though Mac will be pleased about is how the team comes out. He continues to preach that this program has had problems with having letdowns, and I think that’s something big he’s preaching this week, and if I was predicting how the team would come out, I would say they come out fast. I think that’s something Mac has been preaching, and I don’t know if those guys want to go back in that locker room if they don’t come out fast, because he’s not mixing words around when he says that.
Nick:Yeah. I think that is a huge point. It’s human nature not to get up for the mean green of North Texas. It’s human nature not to get up.
Andrew:Hell, we can’t get up for it, and we’re not even playing.
Nick:I’m not on scholarship. If I was on scholarship, maybe, but that’s a story for a different podcast. I think that’s why he’s really hammering it, and I kept asking the players after the game, how do you assure, how can you assure me, how can you assure fans that you won’t have a UMass let down this week against North Texas? Especially when you’ve got a game that every player in your locker room has circled. Everybody. I don’t care what they say next week. They’re all lying to my face when I ask them next week if they say they didn’t circle Tennessee, if they weren’t looking forward to this game. So how do you focus on North Texas, a team that you should just be able to roll your helmet on out there and walk off the field with a win? How do you go out there and not have that mentality? How do you go out there and say, I’m going to enforce my will and dominate them as if it was the SEC Championship game? The answer I get is just, we showed you the standard last week. But that’s against Kentucky. That’s an SEC opponent. It’s easy to get up for SEC opponents, some maybe even more than others, but it’s something that I will interested to see. Jim McElwain certainly has made setting that standard a priority this week.
Andrew:Yeah. He’s not happy about that at all. I would expect the team to come out a little bit more pumped for the game. It’s one more tune up before Tennessee. It does kind of need to be like a final preseason game where it’s we’re going to have all of this here. This is how we want to do things, and go. I think that Mac wants to do some things different, maybe not show anything different, but wants to do some things different with guys on offense and just really get things oiled and ready to go.
That goes for the offensive line. This is going to be a new offensive line on the right side. Needs to see it. How does it happen? The backs are going in. This is a really good opportunity, in my opinion, for Freddie Swain, for Josh Hammond, and for CJ Worton, those three guys, to step up. We know what Brandon Powell is going to bring to the table. Every day we know what Brandon Powell is going to bring. What are those other three guys going to bring to the table? Can they put something on film to where Tennessee now has to hedge their bet on triple covering Callaway? Can they put something on tape for that? For me that’s the thing.
Chris Thompson coming back. Can Chris Thompson do something that we haven’t seen? We know what Ahmad Fulwood is going to do. It’s going to be nothing. The tight ends, C’yontai looked rusty last week. DeAndre really hasn’t put that emphasis on him being that junior playmaker we all thought he was going to be. So there’s some questions on offense that I think can be answered this week. On that offense there’s some guys that can stand up to get more playing time next week in Knoxville.
Nick:My biggest thing would be to see how, like you said, how that right side of the line, how they do, because you’ve got find an answer.
Andrew:Right.
Nick:If Tyler Jordan is not going to be there in two weeks in Knoxville, got to find an answer this week. I agree with you. Great opportunities as well. If your #1 go to guy is out, listen, Antonio Callaway’s got 13 receptions this year. Only Brandon Powell has double digit after him. So Josh Hammond, Freddie Swain, CJ Worton.
Andrew:Right.
Nick:Ahmad Fulwood?
Andrew:No. No.
Nick:Maybe my dude, CJ Worton, that’s my south Florida boy. I have gotten hell for two years for saying that he was one of Florida’s best receivers. Maybe it’s his breakout week.
Andrew:I think he has a good game. I really do. It’s big. Those tight ends got to step up too. It’s got to be a big week for the tight ends. Nick, we have plenty, and I say plenty, of buy and sell questions this week. You want to start naming some of them off, and we’ll play a little buy and sell here?
Nick:Some of these will be quick and won’t really warrant much conversation.
Andrew:Okay.
Nick:And some of these will probably warrant some conversation.
Andrew:So you’re telling me you don’t want me to talk.
Nick:No, no. You’ll know. You’ll know when they come. I’m just pulling these out right now.
Andrew:Okay. Go ahead.
Nick:Buy or sell, Freddie Swain goes for six catches, 85 yards, touchdown?
Andrew:Negative. Sell.
Nick:Also sell.
Andrew:Here’s the thing.
Nick:I think some of these numbers that we’re getting are really inflated, like the one we got last week for Jalen Tabor with eight tackles.
Andrew:Right.
Nick:Really inflated when you consider nobody’s throwing at him.
Andrew:Yeah. I mean, here’s the thing with Freddie, and that is it’s not so much that I don’t think he’s good, but six catches for 85 yards, that’s targeting him a lot. I mean, I think it’s possible, but no. I’m selling.
Nick:Easy sell for me. Buy, sell, Florida plays more than seven offensive linemen this week.
Andrew:Absolutely buying.
Nick:Easy buy. Easy buy this week. You’re going to have to figure out, so you’ve got your starting five, and then I also think you’re going to get in…
Andrew:Fred.
Nick:Well, are we sure Jawaan’s starting?
Andrew:I do.
Nick:Could be. You’re also going to have to get in Fred. You want to see Buchanan. Desire-Jones is starting. So you want to see Sandifer, Buchanan, maybe see McCoy. You got to find a plan, and that means getting all of these guys reps. There’s also going to be garbage time.
Andrew:And Harkless played some last week, so you’re going to see him as well.
Nick:There’s going to be garbage time.
Andrew:You could see 10.
Nick:I don’t if there are 10.
Andrew:You had 10 last week.
Nick:I actually asked McElwain that last week. I said, “Where is your comfort level with the lineman number without Tyler?” He said, “Eight, possibly nine.”
Andrew:Last week you saw 10, which I guess that was with Tyler. So I’m buying that.
Nick:This week Florida will have a 300 yard passer, 100 yard rusher, and a 100 yard receiver.
Andrew:Sell. I don’t think Del Rio goes for 300.
Nick:Okay. I also sell. I think you’ll miss the 100 yard receiver and the 300 yard passer.
Andrew:I think you will run the ball. I think the team’s going to run the ball a lot more.
Nick:North Texas is not stopping a nose bleed on the ground.
Andrew:Yeah. I’m going sell.
Nick:North Texas is ranked 11th in Conference USA. They’ve given up 429 rushing yards, and they’re giving up 5.5 yards per rush.
Andrew:You don’t keep Del Rio in there a ton.
Nick:That is playing against the mighty Southern Methodist, don’t know what your mascot is.
Andrew:Mustangs isn’t it?
Nick:SMU, sorry. SMU tried to rush 46 times. You’re right. The Mustangs. Then the Bethune-Cookman Chefs.
Andrew:Yeah.
Nick:They ran for 157, both teams scored a touchdown, but SMU ran for almost six yards a carry, and Bethune-Cookman ran just shy of five yards per carry. Florida will run the ball and run it well.
Andrew:Hold on. I have a buy and sell. Florida goes for—
Nick:Sell. They won’t have 200 yard rushers. That was also a buy or sell coming up.
Andrew:Okay. Florida has 250 rushing.
Nick:Buy.
Andrew:Buy?
Nick:Buy. Florida will run the ball for 250 yards.
Andrew:Sell. 220.
Nick:Buy.
Andrew:Okay. Go ahead.
Nick:Next one, three Gator running backs rush for 50 yards or more.
Andrew:Buy.
Nick:Buying that.
Andrew:Buying that.
Nick:I’m going to buy it. I think you’ll have two, and somebody will get it in the 4th quarter when garbage time happens. So I think it’ll be a cheap three. Somebody will get it when the game’s already pretty much done, but I think it will be three at the end of the day.
Andrew:You care to name the three?
Nick:Lamical Perine, Mark Thompson, and Jordan Scarlett.
Andrew:Taking out Thompson. Give me Cronkrite. Cronkrite gets the garbage time in the 4th.
Nick:Okay. Buy or sell, Mac’s statement that Florida was more vanilla against Kenticky than they were in the opening week?
Andrew:I buy that, because they didn’t have to show much. Kentucky was so bad that Florida was running simple ISO, simple counters. They weren’t showing much. The screen touchdown to Freddie Swain, everyone acts like that’s a different play. That’s a play designed every time where the two guys go to block, and then if they see that nobody’s blocking they keep running. So I’m buying.
Nick:I buy that, because, like you said, it’s not necessarily to say that the game plan was more vanilla. They could have had the same game plan, but you had to use more against UMass, because it was a close game.
Andrew:Right.
Nick:It’s kind of like against Kentucky we didn’t have to use everything that we put into the game plan, because real quick we’re up 28-0. Hey, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. It’s like when Florida ran when Muschamp finally beat Georgia. Florida ran power all game. Why? Because Georgia couldn’t stop power, so you don’t stop running that. Like I know we had 60 different plays installed that we could run this week, but these four haven’t been stopped. Let’s just keep running those four.
Andrew:Right. Exactly.
Nick:So I say in execution yes, the offense was more vanilla against Kentucky, because you didn’t need to pull out some of those tricks.
Andrew:I agree. Buy.
Nick:Buy or sell, three or more rushes over 20 yards.
Andrew:100% buying.
Nick:That’s something Jim McElwain got on, that we need to be more explosive. We need to have more explosives in the running game. I’m going to sell.
Andrew:Okay.
Nick:I don’t know why I’m going to sell. I’m just selling.
Andrew:I’m buying.
Nick:I think this one’s a little silly. Tell me if you think this one’s silly. I think it’s too soon. Buy or sell, Luke Del Rio is the best quarterback since Tebow.
Andrew:I’m not answering that question.
Nick:I think it’s too soon. You’ve seen him for two games. It’s too soon to say anything about that.
Andrew:We’re not answering that shit.
Nick:Buy or sell, Lamical Perine rushes for over 100 yards against the mighty mean green of North Texas.
Andrew:Man. Go ahead.
Nick:I buy.
Andrew:Man oh man. I can’t.
Nick:Andrew Spivey’s sweating.
Andrew:I’m sweating here, because I think, I just don’t know how much, I don’t know. I just don’t know. They’re going to split it up a lot. You don’t want none of your backs getting a ton of carries in the game. LP, buddy, sorry. I’m buying, I mean, I’m selling. I’m selling it. I think everybody gets too many carries.
Nick:That’s a surprise.
Andrew:Sorry, LP.
Nick:Buy or sell, the Gators offensive line will struggle a little bit without Tyler Jordan.
Andrew:Against North Texas, I sell.
Nick:I buy.
Andrew:Okay.
Nick:I’m saying I buy because I think Mac’s whole thing of once you play you’re not a rookie anymore, and Richard Desire-Jones played. All of the offensive linemen that we anticipate playing have played, but playing a couple snaps in the 2nd quarter and in a 3rd quarter, and then in the 4th quarter playing drives when the game’s already over is much different than being on the field warming up and hearing your name announced next to, with the starting five. It’s just a completely different feeling inside for the player, and completely different to start a game, in my opinion.
Andrew:I’m with you. We’ll see. I said that just because I think that it’ll be something where Florida should be okay in this game. I really do. Is it because you don’t have high hopes for Desire-Jones or Fred?
Nick:I just think it’s a position that we talk about so much. That it just takes communication, takes cohesiveness, and it takes trust, and it takes familiarity with each other, and now you’re plugging and going again. That’s the problem that you had in 2013, problem you had in 2014, and not really as much last year, but just the plug and play.
Andrew:Okay.
Nick:Not having that cohesiveness is I think what takes. I don’t expect them to be a train wreck on Saturday. I just expect there to be missed assignments and missed cues. Plays where Luke Del Rio gets sacked, and you’ve got two offensive linemen looking at each other like that was your guy; what was that call supposed to be? I called hot here. I think there’s going to be some communication errors.
Andrew:Okay. That’s cool. That’s all the buy and sell, right?
Nick:That’s all the buy and sell.
Andrew:Alright. We got about 10 minutes here, Nick. Let’s go to our predictions. Your boy over here is out to a commanding lead. The train is pulling out, Nick. You better stop it quick, because if not it could get out of hand.
Nick:You know what I didn’t do? I didn’t go up and tally.
Andrew:I’m 6-0.
Nick:I didn’t tally our picks, our game picks.
Andrew:I’m 6-0 on player picks.
Nick:No. You’re 5-0.
Andrew:I’m 6-0. You can’t tell me…
Nick:5-0. You got one that we took it out.
Andrew:Okay.
Nick:You had Duke Dawson Week 1, and he got hurt on the first drive, so we didn’t count it against you, but you didn’t get the point for it.
Andrew:Alright. Go ahead.
Nick:I think I am…
Andrew:You’re atrocious right now. You’ve lost three?
Nick:I was 2-1 and 1-2. I’m 3-3 right now. This is poor. Poor.
Andrew:Yeah. That’s really bad. You get first pick this week. Who you got?
Nick:I’m going, even though you don’t believe in him, I’m going with Lamical Perine to rush for another 100 yards against North Texas. I’ve got him. It’ll be interesting to see. I wonder if a freshman has gone back to back weeks at 100 yards rushing.
Andrew:That’s true. How many touchdowns?
Nick:One touchdown. I think you’ll get the spread around, so much of that touchdown, unless it’s a long run, like when you get into the red zone, so much that it’s just formation and personnel, so it’s hard to predict that. I think he’ll get a touchdown.
Andrew:My next pick is CJ Worton. I believe it, man. I really do. He steps up to be that guy. I’m going CJ Worton.
Nick:Going back to the well. Tried and true, Alex Anzalone. Come on, Thunder, or Thor. Thor, Sunshine, whatever you want to be called. Come on. I need a win. I need to get back into this thing.
Andrew:Del Rio with two touchdowns, 250 passing, no picks. Pick #2.
Nick:Will that give you a win? Two touchdowns.
Andrew:Yes.
Nick:What bar are setting here? 250 and two touchdowns, against North Texas.
Andrew:He’s not going to play much.
Nick:I would say 250 and two touchdowns against Tennessee for a win.
Andrew:He’s not going to throw much in the game, and he’s not going to be in passed the 3rd quarter. 250 and two touchdowns wins the game, boss.
Nick:If he doesn’t play in the 4th quarter that’s a win. If he plays all four quarters and has 250 and two touchdowns.
Andrew:That’s a loss. If he plays the whole game and is throwing the ball around. Now if he stays in the 4th quarter just to hand the ball off, that’s a win, but if he’s still throwing in the 4th quarter, that’s a loss.
Nick:Okay.
Andrew:Alright. Your third pick is?
Nick:My third player is Brandon Powell.
Andrew:Brandon Powell.
Nick:I’ll be honest. I wanted CJ Worton, so I went with a different receiver.
Andrew:My last pick is DC Wilson, #6. This time he gets a two handed pick.
Nick:That’s not who you said.
Andrew:I know. It’s okay.
Nick:Every week.
Andrew:I was going Duke Dawson, but then I said North Texas might be stupid this week. North Texas might be stupid. DC Wilson with a pick.
Nick:I’m going to run us through the games, because I know you didn’t write them down, and I did.
Andrew:Oh, yes I did.
Nick:I don’t know about that.
Andrew:Okay. Go ahead.
Nick:First one, big game, Alabama at Ole Miss.
Andrew:Alabama at Ole Miss. The Crimson Tide ends that losing streak. Alabama by 10 points.
Nick:I really think Ole Miss has Alabama’s number. I really think they do.
Andrew:Nobody has Nick Saban’s number.
Nick:I really think they do, and nobody thought they’d win two in a row. First time Ole Miss had ever beaten Alabama was last year. They beat them two in a row. Ole Miss is a 10 point dog at home to Alabama. Hell with it. I’m going Ole Miss. Ole Miss shocks Alabama, wins three in a row.
Andrew:Okay.
Nick:That’s dumb. I already feel terrible about that.
Andrew:That’s stupid.
Nick:Let’s move on.
Andrew:You’re in the loser’s roll anyway.
Nick:I got to start taking some shots. FSU at Louisville.
Andrew:I’ve went back and forth on this game this week. I really have went back and forth. I’ve convinced myself Louisville. Then I convinced myself Louisville couldn’t win. I’m going Louisville. I’m going Louisville and Mark Jackson. Without Derwin James, how do you stop that guy? Louisville wins, close game.
Nick:Without Derwin James is the key, because I think Lamar Jackson is a special talent, and we’re talking about the kind of talent that Johnny Manziel was where you can do so much to game plan for him, and you throw it out the window, because he’ll do something that you haven’t seen yet.
Andrew:Right.
Nick:To me, Derwin James is a freak that could match up with that where you just spy. Derwin spies on Lamar all game. Lamar will win a couple of those, but for the most part you think Derwin can keep him in check. I don’t think you have that player now. FSU has more speed than anyone else he’ll face, but I don’t think you have the player that you needed to really cancel out what Lamar Jackson does. I’m going Papa John, Louisville for the win.
Andrew:There you go. Both of us got Louisville.
Nick:The fighting Urban Meyers, Ohio State heads down to Oklahoma.
Andrew:Oklahoma, because it’s a home game.
Nick:I’m going Ohio State.
Andrew:I don’t know much about either team. I mean, I know the main stuff, but I don’t know the nitty gritty, but I’m going Oklahoma, boomer Sooner.
Nick:I got Ohio State. So we differ on two games.
Andrew:Who is the last game? Well, we have two more games.
Nick:Two more games with Florida. Last game is clanga, Mississippi State at LSU.
Andrew:This is really tough for me, because I was listening to something. I was listening to Booger McFarland, and he’s talking about how Les has kind of lost the locker room with the Brandon Harris thing. So it’s tough for me, but LSU at home in Tiger Stadium, I’m going LSU.
Nick:LSU for me as well.
Andrew:Gators/North Texas, both picking Texas, right?
Nick:I’m picking the…I’m picking Florida.
Andrew:Okay.
Nick:I picked North Texas to cover 36.5.
Andrew:I wouldn’t even pick that, North Texas.
Nick:I picked them to cover that just because I think Florida’s just going to run the ball.
Andrew:Okay.
Nick:You’re going to run the ball.
Andrew:I would have taken Florida in the points. My biggest here, Nick, is do the Gators…
Nick:I took Florida in the points Week 1, and it bit me in the ass.
Andrew:Here’s our prediction for this. 10 points North Texas scores, or no?
Nick:Under.
Andrew:Under. That’s me too. So we both do under with the Gators winning. I do. I think it’s going to be a good game for the Gators out there. I think it’s a good test for them, and excited to see how they respond in the cupcake game on Saturday. Whoa, that just popped up out of nowhere. I don’t know what happened. Nick, I will say this. I do think that…
Nick:Podcast started drinking early. It is after 5, so it’s fine.
Andrew:Had Gator Talk on in the background. So Coach Mac popped up and gave a little promo. Nick, I will say this. I think that it will be interesting to see how this game goes for Florida, if they come out ready to go. So, Nicholas, tell the people where they can find us. We’ll get out of here, and I guess we’ll listen to Gator Talk, since it wanted to interrupt our podcast.
Nick:www.GatorCountry.com for all your Florida Gators news. Follow us on all the social medias. That is @GatorCountry on Facebook and Twitter. @TheGatorCountry on Instagram. Hit that subscribe button on iTunes for the Gator Country podcast. Never miss any. If you are not an iTunes subscriber you can always find it with a transcript on the website at www.GatorCountry.com. Follow me, @NickdelaTorreGC. Follow Andrew @AndrewSpiveyGC. Looking forward to getting into the meat of the schedule next week, and hopefully not a close game, so I don’t have to stay at the stadium till 4:00 writing on Saturday.
Andrew:Are you hoping for the meat of the schedule next week, or are you just really ready for Tennessee?
Nick:I’m ready. We’ve got, I think, two guys lined up to come on next week.
Andrew:Yeah.
Nick:Vince, who is our paisan, our Italian brother up there, and you got somebody to come on, and I think that will be the highlight of our week.
Andrew:It will be testy.
Nick:Testy?
Andrew:Yes.
Nick:Yeah. I will put on my pinstripes for that and referee those shenanigans.
Andrew:I’m fired up. It’s my favorite week of the freaking year. Pumped for it.
Nick:You have to give us a Rick Flair woo like you did last year.
Andrew:On Wednesday? I mean, on next week?
Nick:Next week.
Andrew:It’ll come out. We’ll get some of that. Get some of that going. Nick, let’s hope out of here. See everybody on Monday after a Gator victory. Stay tuned to Gator Country. As always, chomp, chomp and go Braves.
Nick:You stay classy, Gator Country.