Where Have They Been?
After another week off the Florida Gators football team beat their border rivals Georgia Bulldogs for the 3rd consecutive year and for the 21st time in the last 27 meetings. It wasn’t a performance that would win a beauty pageant but it was enough to maintain the Gators lead in the SEC East. The Florida defense was the story after a few brain farts in the secondary. The Gators locked down the Georgia offense and dominated on the line scrimmage holding the Bulldogs to 21 yards rushing on 19 attempts. Georgia stud running back that has had an inconsistent year due to injuries was held to 20 yards on 9 carries.
The Florida offense didn’t fare much better statistic wise totaling only 231 yards of total offense. The Gators benefited from great field position for the majority of the game with their longest scoring drive going from 56 yards. There were some moments that may have made you frustrated whether it was the play calling or just the inconsistencies on the field.
The rivalry between Florida and Georgia has been so one sided there is a generation out there that does not know the depth and hatred when these two meet. Florida came into the game as the better and more established team and proved such. Florida has one of the best defenses in the country, that is national championship worthy. The offense is not so, but good enough to get this team to Atlanta, which could be due to the weakness of the SEC East.
Jim McElwain is happy with where this team is and the direction that it has been heading in. McElwain isn’t trying to sell us a Ferrari, he not even be trying to get us in Honda Accord. McElwain could simply be trying to get us in a Chevy Astro Van that is reliable and gets you from A to Z. If the final destination has this team in Atlanta, then who cares how they got there or what got them there.
What’s Next?
The Gators now are into the meat of their schedule and with no disrespect to Georgia, this weekend will be a stronger test to the mentality and mettle of this team. As the Gators roll up to Fayetteville they will be two wins away from back to back SEC East titles.
The Razorbacks have shown the tendency in the month of November to pull off some shockers and this should grab the Gators attention. Don’t let the Arkansas outcome sway your opinion of the Razorbacks. They are a gritty team that has a weird way of rising up and making games sticker than they should be. The Razorback team has been tested and will not back down against the Gators.
Arkansas is led by quarterback Austin Allen who ahs thrown 18 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. He is flanked by sophomore running back Rawleigh Williams III who is on his way to a 1,000 yard season. We should expect a strong performance from the Razorbacks coming off a bye week. This will be their opportunity to spark their program and give some life to a life Tennessee team still hoping to somehow get to Atlanta.
What’s Down the Road?
And speaking of a spark, any that the Vols had after beating Florida has turned into a dumpster fire. They have lost 3 in a row, Butch Jones is still winless against Will Muschamp and players are jumping ship. I do not believe Butch Jones is on his way to being fired, unless they continue to sink. Unless Florida opens the door for the Volunteers to get to Atlanta, there is no conceivable finish that can call this season a success considering the expectations and coming into the year. I’m pretty sure some Vols fans would take a 12th straight loss to Florida if it meant they went to Atlanta.
Will Muschamp must have the Vols figured out, had he been able to replicate that success against everyone else he might be walking the sidelines at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium as the head coach and not the opposing coach in a couple weeks. This was a big win for the South Carolina program and they may have found a young leader in Jake Bentley at quarterback to lead them in the early stages of the Will Muschamp era.
The only other team with a realistic chance to get to the Georgia Dome is…Kentucky, since losing to Florida, Kentucky has won 5 of with the only loss coming on the road to Alabama. Granted they have not faced the stiffest competition but after the opening loss to Southern Miss and beat down from Florida, Mark Stoops deserves credit for getting this back on track and one win from bowl eligibility.
Another team that is going through a disappointing season is that team from Tallahassee. A team that many picked to win the national championship just lost their 3rd game in a heartbreaker. Florida State had every opportunity to win Saturday evening but just didn’t slay Deshaun Watson and he ended up getting the best of them. If Deondre Francois still has a body by the time they play Florida, there is a chance he may not survive the Florida defense if that line doesn’t tighten up.
Even though the Gators and the Gainesville community will lose the home game with Presbyterian that will not stop me from following the Blue Hose. This past weekend they dropped their 6th game of the year falling to Coastal Carolina 48-17.
As for the Gators the path to the SEC Championship parted like the Red Sea. Two wins and they are in with a realistic shot a playing for more than just a conference championship. It is not time to panic about the offense. In 2006 that offense did not score 30 points against what would be considered a power 5 opponent until the SEC Championship game. Not saying this team is the 2006 team, but what I am saying is that this offense has room to grow and the defense will give them an opportunity to do so.