Welcome to November.
In most years, the open-date run-up and week-long hype across the annual Florida-Georgia recreation would carry the day(s), however Saturday’s showdown between the Gators (4-3, 2-2) and No. 2 Bulldogs (6-1, 4-1) at EverBank Stadium, as huge as it’s for each groups, represents the primary turnstile – granted, a quickly whipping one – of a brutal five-game paddle wheel for Coach Billy Napier‘s squad.
[Read senior writer Scott Carter’s comprehensive “Opening Kickoff” setup here]
After UF takes on a UGA group that has received 53 of its final 56 video games, courting to the Gators’ final victory within the sequence again in 2020, the schedule reveals a street date at No. 6 Texas, then back-to-back residence video games towards No. 16 LSU and No. 18 Ole Miss, adopted by the season-ending rivalry recreation at Florida State, the place the Gators have received simply as soon as in 11 years.
Napier and his gamers, in fact, aren’t trying previous the rapid and monumental problem of the Bulldogs. UGA has received three straight within the sequence (none of them shut, with the common margin 24.0 factors) and 6 of the earlier seven, courting to 2017. The gorgeous 53-3 file since UF’s final victory right here (when Kyle Trask led the Gators’ to a 44-28 win ) is marred solely by a trio of losses to Alabama, the most recent a 41-34 shootout at Tuscaloosa on Sept. 28, from which the Bulldogs have rallied for 4 straight wins, together with a one-sided knockout of then-No. 1 Texas on the street two weeks in the past.
Florida, in the meantime, has received three of 4 since getting clubbed at residence by a pair of CFP contenders, Miami (Week 1) and Texas A&M (Week 3), the latter the lone unbeaten group remaining within the Southeastern Convention., The Gators, regardless of shedding beginning quarterback and sixth-year senior Graham Mertz, have seemed significantly better in all three phases the final 4 video games, however the three groups they’ve overwhelmed over these 4 video games – Mississippi State, UCF and Kentucky – are a mixed 7-19, with MSU and UK an combination 1-10 in league play.
Translation: The smooth a part of the schedule is over.
Translation II: If Florida actually, really is a greater group than a month in the past, everybody will know on the finish of this month.
Possibly even by Saturday night time.
The Bulldogs’ rating is not essentially mirrored of their convention stats, however that should not idiot anybody. Quarterback Carson Beck (1,993 yards, 15 TD, 8 INT) leads an offense that ranks 41st nationally and eighth within the SEC at 427.9 yards per recreation and is averaging 33.0 factors (35th NCAA, 6th SEC). Enthusiastic UF followers level to UGA’s struggles – and scare – in a 13-12 win at Kentucky, an opponent the Gators took to a 48-20 woodshed two weeks in the past in Gainesville.
Do not take an excessive amount of from that.
Those self same followers will probably be on the lookout for some form of revenge towards traitor tailback Trevor Etienne (82 makes an attempt, 422 yards, 7 TD), who transferred from UF to Georgia and is coming off a three-touchdown efficiency within the win at Texas.
Florida freshman quarterback DJ Lagway (1,024 yards, 5 TD, 5 INT) will get his first style of the split-stadium rivalry, to not point out probably the most ferocious cross rush he is confronted as a collegian to this point. Lagway accomplished simply seven of 14 passes in his final outing, however bombed Kentucky for 259 yards – or 37.0 per completion – in focusing on surging wideouts Elijhah Badger (22 catches, 525 yards, 2 TD) and Chimere Dike (21, 420, 2). Of UF’s 476 yards towards the Wildcats, 197 got here on the bottom together with 105 yards and a faculty record-tying 5 touchdowns by freshman tailback Jadan Baugh (259 yards), who stepped in for injured senior starter Montrell Johnson Jr., and excelled.
Defensively, the Gators fee 73rd within the nation and next-to-last within the SEC (370.9 yards per recreation) at 65th in scoring (23.6 factors per recreation), however over the past three video games they’ve reduce these numbers to simply 298.0 yards and 18.7 factors.
The extent of competitors, nevertheless, is about improve in a most difficult approach. As in probably the most difficult schedule within the nation over the following month.
Will or not it’s a November to recollect?
The route of the Florida program is probably going driving on it.
Protection begins at 3:30 p.m. on ABC, with the A-crew of Chris Fowler on play-by-play, Kirk Herbstreit offering evaluation and Holly Rowe on the sidelines. The Gators Sports activities Community from Learfield broadcast will air with pregame protection starting at 12:30 p.m. and finally give solution to Sean Kelley and Shane Matthews within the sales space, with Tate Casey reporting from the sphere. For GSN stations, click on right here.
The sport will probably be re-aired Tuesday at 2:30 a.m. and once more Thursday at midday, each on SEC Community.
Lastly, observe senior author Scott Carter (@GatorsScott) for commentary and evaluation all through the sport. FloridaGators.com could have full post-game protection from the sport late Saturday night time and follow-up content material Sunday, additionally.
E mail Chris Harry at chrish@gators.ufl.edu