GatorCountry brings you our Friday prediction podcast as we continue to preview the Florida Gators game against Vanderbilt on Saturday.
Andrew Spivey and Nick de la Torre break down the key match-ups to the game, plus tell you what they want to see on Saturday.
Andrew and Nick give you there three players to watch on Saturday, plus predict five key games plus the Gators game.
TRANSCRIPT:
Andrew:What’s up, Gator Country? Friday is here. Your man, Andrew Spivey, is here with Nicholas de la Torre. Nick, Friday before Vanderbilt. Gators headed to Nashville this afternoon for that noon kickoff. Gators have struggled in that noon kickoff, but I think that Mac has put more of an emphasis on that noon kickoff this year. It’s weird, because Florida’s not the only team that struggles with those noon kickoffs. A lot of teams around the country struggle with them.
Nick:I’ll get to that, but the most important thing that I have to talk about, I am in Nashville. I am in probably up there with Atlanta, in my opinion. They’re close. We had a great time in Atlanta last year. Greatest city in the South, Nashville, Tennessee. Love it here.
12:00 kickoffs are tough, especially when you’re on the road at Vandy. If you have a 12:00 kickoff last week against Tennessee, that environment’s going to get you up. The F Jalen Tabor chants, the F Florida chants from the student’s section, that’s going to get you up. You’re going to walk into a stadium this Saturday at around 9:30. It’s going to be empty, and you’re going to look around. Kyle Trask is going to look around and go, “I played in bigger high school stadiums coming from Texas.” That, to me, is an issue, almost another opponent. You’re playing Vanderbilt, and you’re also playing that noon kickoff, stands aren’t going to be full. You’re going to be tired. It’s almost a whole other opponent. Like Florida’s playing two different opponents this week.
Andrew:There’ll probably be more Florida fans than Vandy fans.
Nick:I would say, it’s tough to say, because people always bitch at me when I say, I take a picture from my vantage point in the Swamp. I can only see the student section, and people will say, “You’re not looking at the alumni section.” I can’t see the alumni section, because I’m sitting on top of them. So I can’t see the Vandy sideline, but last year I would say most of that opposite sideline behind Florida was orange and blue. I don’t know if I would say there were more Florida fans, but it was very close to 50/50, which is crazy.
Andrew:We always talk about what it is for that noon kickoff. Yes, it’s early to be up and moving, but football players and athletes in general become a creature of habit, of nature, and most practices start at 3:00. Even in the fall camp, they had night practices start at 7:00. So you kind of get your body adjusted to that, and then you get these back to back noon kickoffs. Now, one thing I’ve been thinking about all weeks is how much of a help this nooner will be for next week against LSU, when LSU hasn’t had a noon kickoff yet.
Nick:I thought you were going to say how much of a help will it be to ensure that Nick gets out to the Nashville bars after the game, before closing.
Andrew:I’m happy about it. I get to go check out my South Alabama Jaguars, since I’m not traveling this week, playing #19 ranked San Jose State. I haven’t seen my Jags play this week, so I’m making a decision to go see my Jags.
Nick:I’m making a decision to go to Broadway, find a bar that’s got Louisville/Clemson on, and enjoy myself.
Andrew:There you go. I think it’s good for next week. I think it’s good for that LSU game to get this noon kickoff. Now, next week you don’t anything hyping you up. It’s Florida/LSU. No matter who’s on that other sideline, it’s a big game. You’re in the Swamp. You’re at home. It’s a big game. You don’t need it, but from, I guess, a time of waking up, what you’re going to do this time, this time, it’s good for next week. We’ll see. Mac seems confident that his team’s rebounding, Nick, and that is something that I’ve noticed. You and I have had some people tell us that Florida’s had really good practices. I believe they’ve turned the corner, but I’m still, until Saturday and I see it.
Nick:I would say Mac is cautiously optimistic.
Andrew:There you go, cautiously optimistic. That’s it. Someone sent me a Twitter message, and they said, “You guys have turned negative.” I sat back, and I said…
Nick:You got a little hot on Wednesday.
Andrew:But I don’t know if I was negative, Nick.
Nick:You just got a little hot.
Andrew:I think I’ve raised some pretty good questions. First of all, if you call me negative you don’t know me. Am I right, Nick?
Nick:I think Antonio Riles would say that you’re negative, but other than that you’re fine.
Andrew:Yeah.
Nick:You’re a very class half full guy when it comes to Florida. I’m the negative one. I’m the one that gets yelled at for being negative. I don’t know why you’re getting attacked for that.
Andrew:I feel like I’m very pro Florida. I don’t hide that from anything, but I’m also realistic, and I also have football knowledge that a lot of people don’t have, and that’s okay, especially in the media industry. So I just got that weird sense after Saturday’s game, and it was a weird sense that, someone said, “I remember getting that weird sense after Florida lost to Ole Miss.” I’m like, that’s fine. That’s perfectly fine. I’m sure there was a lot of people that questioned how that team was going to turn around. I have the same question this year, and it’s nothing that is bad against this team.
This team very well may do well going forward. I think they have a chance to do well going forward, but I have to see it. There was a question mark, and it was something that was very unexplainable from me that I just got that weird sense of seeing the guys after the game. It was not negative. It wasn’t intended to be negative. It was just something that was there. I think Mac admitted that there was something there. He said there was a lot of guys that were hurt, had their feelings hurt, and he said they should have, and he in a way kind of admitted that there was something weird happening in that locker room. I’m just saying I need to see Saturday. After Saturday I’ll feel better, and I’ll be able to let you know where I think the season’s going.
Nick:I feel like you’ll be saying that again next Saturday with LSU.
Andrew:I probably will have some of it. It’s Vanderbilt, and I understand that, but there is a sense of you have to come out with a sense of urgency in this game. If you don’t, I worry about this team, and it is simply from a you got your ass whooped on Saturday, rebound. Take it out on Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt’s a weaker opponent. Take it out on them. If you beat them 70-0 and everybody says, Vanderbilt’s not very good; you beat a bad team, who cares? For me, personally, it would let me know that this team rebounded. I’m not saying they’re going to win 70-0, but if you come out and win 31-0 or 24-0, for me that would show me something.
Nick:This offense ain’t scoring 70.
Andrew:It was meant as, you know what I’m saying.
Nick:I’m just trying to take some of the hate off of you. I need to be negative, so that they can stop calling you negative. I can take it.
Andrew:You know what I’m saying. I don’t think, they don’t score 70, but you know what I’m saying.
Nick:I don’t think you necessarily need a shutout. You look at last year. Ralph Webb breaks off, 67, 74 yard touchdown. I think it’s 74 yard touchdown. Something like that can happen. A missed tackle, you’re in man, someone’s out of position. Ralph can run a little bit. If you win 34-7, I don’t consider that a bad game.
Andrew:No. 34-7 is good. What I’m saying is if it comes out and it’s 17-14.
Nick:Yeah. What about 17-13 game? How are you feeling after that?
Andrew:I’m feeling very concerned, very concerned, Nick.
Nick:We’re kind of just assigning points to it right now, but it’s not necessarily just points. Florida could look good and not score. A fumble happens, Appleby throws a pick, something like that. You know how you have games where you say, it wasn’t close as it was on the scoreboard, or the scoreboard was a lot closer than what the actual game was.
Andrew:Right.
Nick:Having a game like that. I think it’s not just saying Florida has to score X amount of points, and they have to hold Vanderbilt to under X amount of points, or else it’s not successful.
Andrew:No. It’s not that at all. It’s more about a perception, in my opinion. It’s about the way they come out. One thing I wanted to talk about, Nick, and you and I talked about this off the air yesterday. Did Ralph Webb suddenly become a Heisman Trophy candidate? If I have to hear about how damn great he is one more damn time this week, it’s about to get on my nerves.
Nick:Come on.
Andrew:He’s 472 yards rushing this year. That’s cool. That’s four games. That’s cool.
Nick:He’s a Gainesville kid.
Andrew:I don’t care. I’m sick of hearing about it. I had to listen to two straight teleconferences where they raved about how great he was, and it’s like, get out of here. Derek Mason talking about, and he has to say it, he would take Ralph over any kid in America. Okay. Cool. Whatever. You’re a liar. I’m sick of hearing about it. For me, let’s go Davis. Let’s go Anzalone. Shut him up.
Nick:Right now Webb is averaging 23.5 carries per game.
Andrew:118 yards a game.
Nick:He’s averaging 118 yards a game, but he has 94 carries through four games. That is tied for 3rd in the country. Only D’angelo Brewer and Brian Hill from Tulsa and Wyoming have more. 94 carries through four games. That’s a lot. I mean, he’s averaging over 5 yards a carry. He has five touchdowns and 118 yards a game. He’s a very good running back. I can’t really say he’s played great against Florida. As a freshman he had a very good game, 16 carries for 83 yards. Last year though, the number is kind of deceiving. You have 22 carries for 118 yards, 5.3 yards per carry, and a touchdown. You take the 118 yards, minus the 74 yards he had on the one run, and now you’ve got 21 carries for 44 yards. He was earning inches every time he touched the ball. Not yards, he was earning inches, and then bust a big one.
Andrew:You just kind of hit on my point that I was making. This defense got ran over last week, right? Tennessee had a really good week on the ground.
Nick:Yeah. The first half wasn’t. You get the two goal line stands, but the second half, yeah.
Andrew:So, for me, Ralph Webb should be the victim of that. He should be the guy that pays the consequences for that. That’s what I’m talking about.
Nick:But, this can’t be understated or overstated, Joey Ivie’s out. Joey Ivie was having a great season.
Andrew:Yes.
Nick:And stats may not show it.
Andrew:Stats never show for that.
Nick:You know whose stats show it? Alex Anzalone’s stats show it, because when Alex Anzalone, and he’s had unbelievable timing on his blitzes, but he’s coming in untouched, because Joey Ivie is eating two guys. Now there’s not an extra guy to pick up the linebacker.
Andrew:For me that means CeCe Jefferson. We talked about how he was missing all year.
Nick:Carl?
Andrew:I’m ready for Carl. Speaking of which, we’re about to get out of here.
Nick:We’ve got to find out where that came from.
Andrew:What just happened on Wednesday with Mac out of nowhere? Carl?
Nick:Because Edgar Thompson for the Orlando Sentinel asked him, “Where did that nickname come from?” Mac just kept saying, “Carl? Oh, you mean Carl?”
Andrew:He said Carl first.
Nick:That’s just his nickname, but I don’t know how he got it.
Andrew:Carl’s his real name.
Nick:Carl’s his real name.
Andrew:Carl’s his real name. I don’t where CeCe came from, but Carl’s his real name.
Nick:See, you ruined it for me. I wish his real name as CeCe, and he just picked a random name up. Call me Carl.
Andrew:Just call me Carl. Carl Jefferson. My name is Carl Jefferson, fellas.
Nick:Like, call me Dustin. I just picked a random name.
Andrew:No, Carl’s his real name, but I’ve never understood where the other C came from. I believe he’s a junior, and his dad goes by Leo. I don’t know where that was. His dad goes by Frog.
Nick:That’s right.
Andrew:Wherever Frog, maybe CeCe should be like…
Nick:They’re out there in the country.
Andrew:What else is like a frog? Lizard?
Nick:Toad.
Andrew:Lizard.
Nick:Lizard?
Andrew:Lizard CeCe. Carl the Lizard. I’m going to get that trending on Twitter tomorrow.
Nick:This podcast has spiraled out of control.
Andrew:It has. You can tell it’s Vandy week.
Nick:That’s how you can tell. It’s Vandy week, and Spivey’s talking about lizards and frogs.
Andrew:Talking about nature. That should have been Tennessee. Holy hell, good Lord. I don’t even know about Tennessee. Them hillbillies up there, they crazy, and I thought I was a redneck. Back to Vandy though, this is CeCe’s time. CeCe is a guy that has been missing. They need someone to play Joey Ivie’s spot. Khairi Clark has had a good year, in my opinion. He will help fill that. Taven Bryan, still not sold there. Luke Ancrum, still not sold there. Maybe Jachai Polite, he’s had a solid season for a freshman. We’ll see where that goes, but for me it’s CeCe. CeCe and Brantley can become a dynamic duo in the middle. Now, is CeCe going to get the stats he did at end? No, but he can become a guy that will make a lot of money in the League by doing what Caleb Brantley, Joey Ivie, do at defensive tackle. For me, I’m more ready to see Carl or CeCe, or whatever you want to call him, do work inside. I would rather see Khairi and Jachai too. I’ve just not been impressed with Taven Bryan.
Nick:I don’t know that I disagree with you. It’s kind of maybe like what I said about cornerback, but not as drastic. So I said, after those three cornerbacks, done. It’s over. I don’t think it’s over at defensive back, but I think that there is a drop off after, even to Khairi Clark.
Andrew:Really? See, I think, I guess there is a drop off, but I don’t see it as big of a drop off as you do.
Nick:Listen, it’s not Quincy Wilson to Chris Williamson drop off. It’s not that.
Andrew:See, I’m a little higher on Khairi than you are.
Nick:Yes. You are.
Andrew:I was very down on Khairi coming into the year, but I’ve seen a different Khairi, a Khairi that’s getting low, not being out of shape. I’m seeing a different Khairi.
Nick:I agree that Khairi is better, absolutely.
Andrew:Joey Ivie just has a knack for being in the right spot at the right time. That senior leadership, it is what it is. Four year player, it’s something you don’t replace there.
Nick:Yeah.
Andrew:Now, CeCe can be that guy. CeCe is a better athlete than Joey Ivie. We just need to see CeCe turn it on, and I think that’s where it goes there. Nick, let’s talk offense. You get Kerry Dixon on Wednesday. He talks about Tyrie Cleveland, exactly what you and I talked about. That was his growth, his learning curve, is just now really picking up. I think you find a way to get him in the game with certain plays every game until he learns. There’s certain guys, and I’m not ready to appoint Tyrie Cleveland as a great one or anything like that, but Tyrie Cleveland, outside of Antonio Callaway, is probably Florida’s best athlete on offense at receiver. No disrespect to Brandon Powell. He just can’t do that. I just feel like you need, now that you’re in the midseason form, down the stretch, you need to find a way for Tyrie and Antonio to get on the same field together. There’s not many teams that have two great corners that would be able to cover both of those guys. Tyrie is going to be better than the man he lines up across a lot of occasions.
Nick:Yeah. The issue is, Kerry Dixon illustrated it, or said it, in my opinion said it perfectly. You and I have both been told that Tyrie will be running with the ones and the twos in practice. Kerry said, “We’re trying to put him in as many concepts as possible during the week,” and it’s like we’ve talked about before, the concepts can be option routes where you have to read a defense. It can be having to know two plays when you get to your position on the line, because you might kill a play, and then now what am I running? What are they doing? How does that affect my new route? So to me, Dixon’s saying that we’re putting him in as many concepts as possible, then when the coaches go back and watch his film, they can tell what he’s comfortable with.
Andrew:Right.
Nick:That’s what you do on the field, but until, and we’ve said this before about other positions, the more you’re comfortable with, or the more the coaches, even more so, are comfortable with you doing, the more chances you have to get on the field. If you’re a running back, and you can’t pass block, you’re not going to be in on 3rd down, ever. It doesn’t matter what it is, you’re not going to be on 3rd down. If a coach doesn’t feel good with you in stick route concepts, any time a play is called with that concept, you’re out, because you don’t know that yet.
We’ve talked about it with the running backs, making the most of every opportunity. It’s different when you’re playing receiver. There’s two, maybe two, other receivers on the field and a tight end on the field. When you’re a running back you’re the only one in there. You’re going to get the ball. To me, it’s not even making the most of your opportunity, because a wide receiver’s not guaranteed to get the ball. It’s you need to make yourself knowledgeable of the playbook and make the coaches comfortable with you enough to be out there for more snaps. I think that’s where he’s still working.
Andrew:You can’t go just long ball with Tyrie, every time.
Nick:No. You can’t, and people will say, why not? He’s faster, and he’s tall, and he can jump.
Andrew:They’ll just double team him.
Nick:Just tell him to run it straight. Yeah. How did that work out for Andre Dubois?
Andrew:Yeah. Just don’t. A guy like Tyrie I think needs some of those stand passes as well, because he is physical. He doesn’t have the Demarcus Robinson disease. He is physical. I think you just need to find a way. You got to find a way to get him the ball. I think it helps Callaway. We talk about Callaway needing more catches. You can’t force it to Callaway, but now if the defense has to at least respect that receiver at the Z, and let’s just face it, they’re not respecting CJ Worton. They’re not respecting Ahmad Fulwood. They’re not respecting either one of the true freshmen. They’re not even respecting Brandon Powell right now. That’s not to say that they won’t respect the freshmen, because I think Swain and Hammond are going to be two really good players. Right now they’re just not respecting them. You need to have Tyrie step up to be that guy that teams fear.
Nick:If for anything, to take the heat off of Callaway.
Andrew:That’s what I’m saying. To bring that extra DB back to the middle of the field, instead of shifting him to the left.
Nick:Right.
Andrew:You line up with your two over the top, your two safeties. That one safety is just saying, “I’m not worried about where anybody else on this field goes. I am going to lock into 81.” The other safety is sticking in the middle of the field, so you have one on one matchups everywhere else except for this. Here’s the thing. Receiver is a lot about confidence. This is a good game to get your confidence up, against Vandy. I would like to see Tyrie get a lot of playing time, even if it’s Appleby telling him, “Listen, we’re going to run this route. You run this route.” I know it’s stupid, but if it means him getting the ball, right now you’re in desperate needs on offense. Tell him what to do.
Nick:That’s tough.
Andrew:Urban Meyer said he used to do it all the time with his guys.
Nick:It can set, you coached, and it can set a bad precedent.
Andrew:It can set a terrible precedent.
Nick:Where are you, I remember Billy’s, not his last year, maybe his last year, the second to last year, saying, “We’re not going to cut off our nose to spite our face. We’re not going to change what we have here that are core principles just to maybe win a couple more games this year.” To me, do you? Are you in dire straits enough as a coach to say, okay, I’m going against it, and I’m setting a different precedent?
Andrew:Yes.
Nick:So when I look at my players, when I look at my wide receivers the rest of the way, I can no longer tell them, you’re going to play when you’re ready to play and when we’re comfortable that you know enough. Coach, you just lined Tyrie up on the near sideline every time and had Kerry tell him what he was doing. He didn’t even go into the huddle. He just stayed by the sideline.
Andrew:Become Tyrie Cleveland. Become that kind of athlete. Right now you’re in that position. Offensively you’ve got to find a way. Offensively you have got to find a way to do things. You saw it on Saturday. When Florida was able to go deep, what happened? The offense looked good. When they weren’t, the offense looked like shit. It is what it is, and until the offensive line becomes mauling son of a guns, you’ve got to do it. It is what it is. Is it the wrong precedent to set? Yes. Is it stupid you have to do it? Yes. Any word, any adjective you want to say, it is, but sometimes you have to do things you don’t want to do. We always talk about you want to suspend a player, but if you really need to win that game, you maybe not suspend that guy. This is one of those times where you maybe just tell him what to do.
Nick:I don’t know.
Andrew:Let’s go to buy/sell, Nick. We had a lot of buy/sell questions.
Nick:I’m selling that.
Andrew:Okay.
Nick:I’m selling what you just said.
Andrew:Maybe so. Whatever. That’s why we have the best Gator podcast there is, because we can’t agree on nothing. We can’t even agree on what color the Gators wear on Saturdays.
Nick:First one, buy or sell, the Gators will get one more loss in SEC play this year? Basically, this is really an over/under question that I got from Twitter, but it’s buy or sell Florida will finish the SEC slate undefeated?
Andrew:I wish this question would have come in next week. Every part of me…
Nick:You’re so negative, Andrew. You’re so negative.
Andrew:Every part of me wants to sell this, every single part of me wants to sell this, but when I look at what’s down the stretch in the SEC it just isn’t very good. Georgia’s not very good. Who knows what LSU’s going to show up with. They’re talking like Brandon Harris may throw the ball around the field, and if he does Jalen and Quincy may set the career high in picks in a game. I’ll buy it. I mean, whatever. I’ll but it. I want to redo this question next week, but I’m buying right now. You’re selling. I know.
Nick:Sell.
Andrew:We can move on.
Nick:Florida will lose another SEC game this year.
Andrew:Are you willing to be on which one?
Nick:I think they will lose to Arkansas, at Arkansas coming off of Georgia. I have no idea what will happen in the Georgia game. I could see them losing two more.
Andrew:I think a lot of it depends on what happens in Athens this weekend and in Aggie land next week with Tennessee.
Nick:So you are buying.
Andrew:Yeah. I’m buying.
Nick:I’m marking this down. This is a long term, we’re not going to know this until November.
Andrew:Right now I have Florida losing two games, and that is to Tennessee and to Florida State. And that Tallahassee game is a toss-up, because both teams are dwindling.
Nick:This one’s going to be easy for us, but I got it from multiple people, so I figured I would ask it. Buy or sell, the Gators will use only two running backs this weekend?
Andrew:Sell.
Nick:Sell.
Andrew:No question about it. They’ll probably use all five.
Nick:Four.
Andrew:I think Herndon may get a little dump time at the end.
Nick:Okay. Buy or sell…
Andrew:Let me say this real quick. What is the notion of this running back crap? Nobody has separated themselves. What do you guys want?
Nick:Maybe Scarlett has.
Andrew:Maybe.
Nick:As far as being the one.
Andrew:Maybe. The rest of them haven’t.
Nick:No.
Andrew:Mark and Cronk are still running very tentative.
Nick:How are they running?
Andrew:Very tentative.
Nick:I was hoping you’d say it the exact same way.
Andrew:I don’t even know what I said. Let’s go. Go to the next one.
Nick:Buy or sell, the Gators will be in Atlanta as the SEC East champions playing for the SEC Championship?
Andrew:I can’t answer that today.
Nick:You have to. That’s our buy or sell question.
Andrew:I can’t answer it today.
Nick:I don’t understand. This is your question.
Andrew:I can’t answer it today. I don’t know today. I don’t know. We’re pushing this question back to next week. I don’t know today. I’m not answering it.
Nick:Why next week? It’s Vanderbilt we’re talking about here.
Andrew:This game means a ton from a perception standpoint. It does. I don’t think people understand how much this game means from a psychological standpoint. It’s a big game psychologically for this team. It is. I mean, I don’t understand. People have been telling me this all week, like you’re crazy; it’s Vanderbilt. I’m like, you’re crazy; this is a big week. You can’t go out and win 17-14. You come out, and you win 17-14, and this team shuts it out.
Nick:So you think if Florida wins 17-14 the team packs it in.
Andrew:I don’t know if they so much pack it in, but I think they lose confidence.
Nick:Then they lose to LSU.
Andrew:Probably. Then when you lose to LSU you might as well say, F the season. You’re not winning the rest.
Nick:Then you lose to Missou.
Andrew:You don’t lose to Missou. Missou is bad.
Nick:You could lose to Missou.
Andrew:It’s at home, whatever.
Nick:Then you lose to Presbyterian.
Andrew:Let’s not even go that far now.
Nick:So you refuse to answer that question.
Andrew:Yeah. We didn’t have a podcast back in Georgia Southern and the good Lord is thanking my mouth that it wasn’t.
Nick:That question is being asked next week.
Andrew:That’s fine. Go to the next buy or sell.
Nick:Buy or sell, the Gators have four sacks this week?
Andrew:Buy. Rumph has put a big emphasis on that this week. I know that for a fact. Heard that from several people. Four sacks this week, including the true freshman, Antonneous Clayton, with his first career sack.
Nick:Very interesting. I am selling this.
Andrew:Okay.
Nick:Vanderbilt has allowed seven sacks this year. That is 4th best, tied for 4th, in the SEC. I am selling.
Andrew:Buying it.
Nick:How many does Florida get this week?
Andrew:Four.
Nick:Four exactly.
Andrew:Four exactly. If you’d have said five, I’d have sold it.
Nick:What if I said 4.5?
Andrew:I’d have sold it.
Nick:That’s the same thing.
Andrew:Actually, no, it’s not the same thing.
Nick:Yeah, well the way I have it worded here is that they get at least four, so that would be four. That would be saying like if you make a bet, you would say the over/under is 3.5. Like baseball, that means they’d have to have four.
Andrew:Got you.
Nick:That would be a stupid over/under in baseball.
Andrew:Okay. Go ahead.
Nick:Anyway. Buy or sell, Florida holds Vanderbilt to under 243 yards of offense. That’s not a random number. 243 yards of offense is their lowest output of the year.
Andrew:Who is that against?
Nick:That was against, sorry. I need to adjust the number. They had 242 yards against Will Muschamp’s defense.
Andrew:How many?
Nick:242. So Gators hold Vandy to under 242 yards. They hold them to a season low in total yards.
Andrew:Buy.
Nick:I also buy that. It’s my first buy.
Andrew:Buying that. Defense, let me say this. If it don’t, then that question about being concerned comes back.
Nick:Man. For your health, I hope Florida blows Vanderbilt out this week.
Andrew:I appreciate that.
Nick:You, if Florida loses to Vanderbilt…
Andrew:They’re not losing to Vanderbilt.
Nick:You are going to come in like Tammy.
Andrew:They’re not losing to Vanderbilt.
Nick:Is that his name, under boy Finebaum show?
Andrew:I don’t know. I had to quit watching Finebaum.
Nick:Why’d you quit watching Finebaum?
Andrew:Because he’s a bozo. He got these people…
Nick:What happened to Finebaum? Is Finebaum what I told you it was?
Andrew:He’s always been what you told me he was.
Nick:The Jerry Springer of college football.
Andrew:He always has been. That’s never been a question, but I don’t know. It has really taken a turn for the worse this year. Let’s go to the next buy or sell.
Nick:Buy or sell, David Sharpe gives up 12 sacks this week?
Andrew:I’m not even that big of an asshole.
Nick:That was a joke. This is the last one I have. Buy or sell, David Sharpe will do better this week against the speed rush?
Andrew:I hope so. Vandy’s speed rusher isn’t as good as Derek Barnett. So I would hope so.
Nick:Vanderbilt has three sacks this week, this season.
Andrew:He does better. If not, bring Kavaris Harkless out.
Nick:Goodness.
Andrew:Yeah. Bring it out. Nick, let’s go. It’s prediction time. Listen, the Tennessee/Georgia game is going to be saved for right before Florida, because that is the second biggest game of the week. Let’s go first. We’ll give the two non-ranked teams first, Nick. Missouri travels to interim head coach Ed Orgeron in LSU at Death Valley, at night.
Nick:The fighting Ed Orgerons rally around their fallen head coach, Les Miles, and their new head coach, who is injecting some fun into the program. I got LSU winning Saturday night in Death Valley, taking the rightful spot as Tigers. I don’t know. They lost to Auburn. So I guess we’re not going to figure out who the ultimate SEC Tiger is this year.
Andrew:I’m also going LSU, but I think it will be a close game. LSU is what they are on offense. You don’t fix their quarterback.
Nick:They are who we thought they are.
Andrew:Brandon Harris is not a good throwing quarterback. I don’t care if you’re running the speed option, the triple option, the fun and gun, or the wishbone. He’s not a good quarterback. LSU beats Missouri close, because it’s in Death Valley. You Louisiana Boy, isn’t that what the song is?
Nick:No. That was not good.
Andrew:What is it?
Nick:I’m not going to sing it, but that was not good.
Andrew:Isn’t it Louisiana Boy?
Nick:No.
Andrew:What’s it called?
Nick:The one they play before kickoff?
Andrew:Louisiana Man?
Nick:It says, bitch, I’m from Louisiana.
Andrew:Yeah. I’m from Louisiana. Here we go. Stanford travels to Washington. Do the trees or the huskies win?
Nick:Trees.
Andrew:Trees?
Nick:Trees.
Andrew:Trees as well. Let’s head up north to Wisconsin and Michigan.
Nick:This is tough. Wisconsin, that LSU win doesn’t look as great anymore, right?
Andrew:Let me throw this stat at you before you do. Michigan has lost 11 consecutive games against top 10 opponents.
Nick:Michigan also hasn’t had to go anywhere.
Andrew:They’re at home this week too.
Nick:Yeah. They have to leave the big house. Wisconsin’s coming off of a big win at Michigan State. I’m going to go Blue. The fighting khakis win it again.
Andrew:Can’t stand Jim Harbaugh. This is strictly a homer pick against Harbaugh. Wisconsin wins. Let’s see. Wisconsin wins. Louisville travels up to Clemson.
Nick:I’m going to do it. I’m going to say the Heisman rolls on, Lamar Jackson and the Cards get it done. No. Petrino’s not going to get it done. It’s Clemson.
Andrew:I’ve got Clemson too.
Nick:Clemson at home. I tried to talk myself into it. It’s going to be a very high scoring game. I tried to talk myself into it, couldn’t do it.
Andrew:I just don’t believe in Bobby Petrino. Who knows? He may be on the motorcycle with some little fine blond right now.
Nick:There we go.
Andrew:Who knows?
Nick:There we go.
Andrew:If we were picking the beauty pageant, we know who we would be picking here.
Nick:Alright, Andrew.
Andrew:What?
Nick:Your two favorite teams in…
Andrew:Hold on. Why are you messing with me about Bobby Petrino? You act like I was lying.
Nick:No. I’m just moving us along.
Andrew:Okay. Let’s go.
Nick:Your two favorite teams in the entire country.
Andrew:South Alabama.
Nick:Tennessee traveling between the hedges, Athens, Georgia Bulldogs. Who you got?
Andrew:I’ve thought about this a lot. I still think Tennessee’s a fluke. I said it before. Tennessee and Florida play multiple times, Florida wins. I still think Tennessee’s a fluke. I’m buying into Mr. City Slicker, Jacob Eason. I’m buying into it. I’m buying into there’s about to be a three way dog fight in the East. Kirby gets his big win. He pulls out the Nick Saban playbook of how to stop Dobbs, and Georgia wins.
Nick:I’m going with Tennessee.
Andrew:Okay. I knew you would, but I’m still not a believer that Tennessee’s a good football team.
Nick:You’re salty right now.
Andrew:I’m being honest. I didn’t think they were before Florida went in. I don’t think they were at half time, and didn’t think they were at the end of the game. I still don’t think they are now. I just don’t. I don’t think Tennessee is a good football team. I don’t think Butch Jones is a good football coach.
Nick:Why’d you call Jacob Eason a city slicker?
Andrew:Because he’s got that little hairdo.
Nick:He’s from Washington state.
Andrew:Yeah, but he’s got that little swag little haircut that he like throws like a John Parker Wilson. He’s got the Alabama quarterback haircut.
Nick:No he doesn’t. He doesn’t have the swoop. He just has long hair.
Andrew:Yeah, but that’s kind of how JP was at Bama.
Nick:He doesn’t have the Bama swoop.
Andrew:He doesn’t have the Brodie Croyle swoop?
Nick:We call that the Bama swoop.
Andrew:Yeah. Going there. Gators/Vanderbilt, Nick. Hold on. I want to pull the line real quick. What is the line, Nick? Do you know right off the top of your head?
Nick:I don’t.
Andrew:Here, let me see. Here it is. Gators are a 10 point favorite with a over/under of 40.5. We’re both going Florida. Do you take the over/under on 40?
Nick:I’m under. I picked the under last week, and that was a gigantic fail.
Andrew:I see. I’m trying to figure what I was going with. I was going 31-7, Gators. So that would be under, so I’ll stick with that. Under, 31-7, Florida.
Nick:Okay.
Andrew:I was between 31-7 and 31-10. That’s kind of where I’ve been all week. That’s where I’m going to go. 31-7 or 31-10, kind of right in that back and forth.
Nick:Okay.
Andrew:Let’s go. We got about five minutes, Nick. Let’s fire off our picks. You had pick #1, and you went?
Nick:My pick #1 is going to be Jordan Scarlett.
Andrew:Okay.
Nick:Going to lead the Gators in rushing again, and he will also find the end zone once.
Andrew:Antonio Callaway is my first pick. Goes over 100 again, which is just about a weekly occurrence, and no boneheaded plays on special teams.
Nick:I am pulling an Andrew Spivey, and I am changing my pick. I am going to go with Tyrie Cleveland.
Andrew:I almost went with Tyrie.
Nick:Tyrie Cleveland is going to get his first touchdown this week.
Andrew:Okay. That is perfectly cool. My second pick is going to be the leader of the defense, JD, Jarrad Davis gets back on track, and gets me back on a winning streak.
Nick:My last player is going to be Quincy Wilson, battling through a little groin issue. Still has yet to allow a pass on him this year.
Andrew:Okay. My next pick was Deandre Goolsby, and will still be Deandre Goolsby.
Nick:Wow. As soon as you told me that before the show, when we’re getting all this stuff ready, I said, “You’ll change that.”
Andrew:I’m sticking with Goolsby. I think Mac listened to the podcast, and I think he realized that he needs to get the tight ends more involved. I think Goolsby gets in the zone this weekend. Not agreeing?
Nick:No. I don’t agree. No.
Andrew:We’ll see. That’s what this is for. Nick, tell the people where they can find us. We’ll be back Monday after a Gators win. LSU week. Tons of recruiting stuff coming next week for LSU week. Tell the people where they can find us, Nick. We’ll get out and see everyone Monday.
Nick:www.GatorCountry.com for all your Florida Gators news. On iTunes you can find the podcast. Search @GatorCountry. If you want to read the podcast, it is on the website. @TheGatorCountry on Instagram. @GatorCountry on Facebook and Twitter. I am @NickdelaTorreGC. He’s @AndrewSpiveyGC. Thank you for hanging in there this week. If you are in Nashville and see me, come and say hello. If you have any restaurant recommendations, food recommendations, food truck, anything that I need to try, tweet at me. Hit me up. Let me know.
Andrew:I know there’s a lot of people coming in for LSU weekend next week. If you’re in town and want to say hello, Nick and I will be at Gator Walk, be at the game, and then mingle afterwards a little bit before we write. Hit us up next week if you’re coming into town. I know a lot of people from out of town are coming in. Guys, we appreciate it. See you guys on Monday. Chomp, chomp. Go Braves.
Nick:You stay classy, Gator Country.
Friday Before VandyPage 19
Transcript by Five Stars Transcription