1. Florida Gators defense shows up big
Two weeks after they felt embarrassed by they way they played against LSU the Florida Gators came to Jacksonville on a mission and played inspired football.
Florida forced five turnovers, including Vernon Hargreaves’ fourth interception of the season and Jarrad Davis’ first. The Gators held Georgia to just 223 total yards on offense, the lowest total Georgia has been held to since to 221 against Vanderbilt on October 19, 2013.
Additionally, Florida’s rush defense held the Bulldogs to just 69 rushing yards — the lowest total that Mark Richt’s team has gained since the 2012 Outback Bowl against Michigan State.
Juggling quarterbacks, Georgia hoped to keep the Gators’ defense guessing but were left guessing where to turn after being completely dominated.
This was just about as complete a performance as the Gators defense has produced this entire season.
2. Gators may have a two-headed rushing attack
Jim McElwain joked, sort of, that the Gators should move their home games to EverBank Field the way that Kelvin Taylor rushes the ball here. Taylor carried the ball 25 times for 121 yards and two touchdowns on Saturday, to give him a career total of 70 carries for 394 yards and four touchdowns against Georgia in his career.
I think Kelvin will be joining his dad in the Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame when his career is all said and done.
While Taylor was the main attraction, freshman running back Jordan Scarlett enjoyed a heavier workload after Jordan Cronkrite was ejected for targeting in the third quarter. Scarlett — who had just 13 carries coming into the game — carried the ball nine times for 96 yards, including an electric 60-yard run in the fourth quarter. Scarlett showed speed, quickness and power in his running ability and looks like he has proved that he can be the Gators’ backup to Taylor moving forward.
3. Antonio Callaway is a star
This is starting to be a reoccurring theme in t he five thoughts article. Don’t blame me, blame Callaway.
After scaring fans briefly on Wednesday when Jim McElwain announced that Callaway had sustained an ankle injury in practice, the standout became the first freshman receiver in Florida Gators football history to record three 100-yard receiving games in their first season. Callaway caught the game’s second touchdown when Treon Harris found him for a 66-yard score and ended the game with three catches for 110 yards. He’s developed into the Gators’ biggest threat on offense and is truly an electrifying player to watch.
4. Special teams a mixed bag
Punters are people too and Johnny Townsend continues to be a weapon for the Gators. Townsend punted the ball five times for 189 yards and pinned two punts inside the 20-yard line. Townsend regularly flips the field, making up for stagnant offensive drives and gives the defense a lot of field to work with.
However, placekicking is an utter mess. After having 216 students attend a walk-on try out, McElwain let Austin Hardin kick.
Hardin missed the lone field goal he attempted from 45 yards and had his first PAT blocked as well. McElwain confirmed that Hardin is no longer dealing with the injury that held him back earlier in the year, he’s just struggling and the only player behind him wore a Florida Gators jersey for the first time in his life a few days ago.
5. Jim McElwain wins rivalry games
It’s a point of emphasis that Jim McElwain stresses to his team. “You just don’t lose to Tennessee” and he’s making sure that the Gators end up on the right side of every rivalry game they play in.
Florida didn’t look great offensively, the game wasn’t pretty, but Jim McElwain is 2-0 against Florida’s main rivals this season.