Ok, I’ll go ahead and admit it. I made a fool of myself by picking the Gators to upset then No. 3 Alabama last Saturday. In retrospect, it was just dummy on my part (although I still think if John Brantley had played the entire game it would have been a much different game, if not result).
I made a mistake. I misjudged the Gators’ talent on both lines of scrimmage. I thought the UF defensive line was stout and would slow down Trent Richardson. I thought the UF offensive line would protect John Brantley and create some openings for Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey. I thought the Gators would find a way.
I was wrong, wrong, wrong and wrong again.
But guess what? I’m predicting another Gator victory this week.
A moral victory.
I know, I know. At a program like Florida, there is no such thing. In this case there is. The Gators go into Baton Rouge against the nation’s No. 1 team with a true freshman quarterback (Jeff Driskel) and all kinds of questions about just how good they are on both lines of scrimmage.
This could really get ugly, especially if Driskel can’t move the offense and the Florida defense is on the field the whole game.
I’m predicting that won’t happen. I think Driskel, with the expert guidance of Charlie Weis, will manage the offense and the Gators will take care of the ball. And I’m predicting the Gators will play much better on defense against an LSU offense that is potent, but has had some struggles of its own.
It would take a perfect game by Florida and a bunch of mistakes by LSU for the Gators to win this game. I don’t see that happening.
But I do see the Gators covering that almost two-touchdown spread.
If they can do that, it’s a victory — a moral victory that will help the Gators move forward with a talented freshman quarterback for the rest of the season.
Prediction: LSU 24, Florida 14.
UF will play better against LSU! They grew up a lot last week and it will translate in to better play this week. I don’t see us winning, because we are just too young. Our LB’s have to get more physical, cause LSU has a bulldozer at RB, as well! I noticed, after watching the tape, that Bama held our guys the whole game! When that happens, they need to be in the Officials’ faces, asking why they aren’t calling the holds! I counted 8 obvious holds where the Referee or the Umpire was looking right at it! They had no problem seeing penalties against us! I just hope Driskell can have a good game, to boost his confidence!
Robbie, if you would change the word “think” or “thought” with “wish” or “wished”, it might show even the slightest bit of objectivity in your reporting. I know that word “objectivity” is foreign to you, but look it up, it is usually somewhat infused in journalism.
@ John Curtis
I’m not trying to be critical of your opinion but since Florida hasn’t played since the Bama game, how do you know they “grew up” last week? I also think they will play better this week. Not because I think they have grown up, but because they know their weaknesses now and hopefully have addressed them during the week. That being said, poor qb play could result in another embarrassment.
Interesting to note that even with a loss to LSU, and I would be shocked if the Gators win, they will still control their own destiny in the SEC east, since both Georgia and SC will go into their games with the Gators with at least one SEC loss themselves. No illusions about this team here, but the season still has potentail to be a good one. Beat those Dawgs and “Noles, and it’s a good year.
Another beat down at the hands of a far superior western division team awaits the gators in Baton Rouge!
Unless we aspire to be Tennessee, there is no place for moral victories in the discourse of the Florida faithful.
If we realize there are other RBs and WRs on the roster than the 3 that constantly seem to get the spolight, if we play all aspects of special teams correctly, if we capitalize on any LSU miscues (field position, turnovers, etc.) if we stay away from stupid, drive/momentum killing penalties and if we score touchdowns instead of field goals…maybe there’s a chance we pull the upset.
In reality, they’re going to key in on the new QB with blitzes, diffirent looks; stuff our little RBs trying to run in between 300lb DTs; cause fumbles/interceptions and score off those chances and use their workhorse RBs to pound the line all game long.
Always love my Gators, but this has the real chance of getting very ugly, very quickly…
I really don’t know what to expect. I hope it’s not like last week. Has anyone heard anything about Demps? I don’t remember him playing much, if at all in the second half. What about Easley..is he going to play?
It’s called “opinion,” RealityBites. Look it up.
SOUND LIKE A BUNCH OF QUITTERS ON HERE TO ME!!! IS THIS THE SAME LSU TEAM THAT SQUEAKED OUT THE THE SWAMP LAST YEAR AND ENDED THE SEASON WITH ONE LOSS? OUR TEAM SUCKED LAST YEAR! THIS GAME IS EITHER TEAMS TO WIN. TOO MUCH NEGATIVITY ON HERE!! IF YOU AIN’T A GATOR, YOUR JUST GATOR BAIT! GO GATORS!!!!!!!
Gotta love the delusional optimism. However, Alabama’s defense is as good as LSU’s so no doubt we are looking at another blowout 28-3
Good article Robbie! And it is always interesting to read the comments/opinions. I agree with you, it would take nearly a perfect game for the Gators to win. However, if they lose but put up a good fight and don’t give up I am going to be proud of them and their coaches —— Some folks say there are no moral victories? I am glad I don’t live in that world.
Speaking of Tennessee, if we lose to LSU and they win this weekend… we don’t control our own destiny, they do.
Robbie, don;t hammer yourself too hard over the Bama loss, because just like every season you have new coaches and systems, you’re going to have that brain-fart game and we had it last Saturday. I do not for minute believe our DL is as bad as it was against Bama. Not for a second. Also, Driskel has had an entire week to prepare for LSU mentally instead of having only a 30 minute halftime like against Bama. He went from holding a clipboard to starter in half an hour. I think we can give LSU a good, competitive game, but we’re going to need some LSU mistakes for us to win.
Don’t care about destinies MATT. Any Georgia loses (or FSU too), is like Chrismas time!
Couldn’t agree more Gator Todd!!!…GO GATORS!!!
You guys can do all the agreeing you want! Just don’t be too disappointed when you get two lumps of coal for Christmas.
Who will get the “most improved” award in the SEC the very week?
Why not these gator coaches & these very young gator players?
Oftentimes one player gets “in the zone (e.g. Alex Brown’s Multiple sacks vs.
a “?superior UT team”) thru owning some individual matchup a decent # of plays. Do we have any potential candidates?= Demps, Rainey , Reed , Dobose , or Burton ? Is it impossible for Driskel to have a coming-out party? impossible?
Also perhaps a DL or OL will have a “zone-game”?
Seems the all-out best our DBs can do is hope to block completions , not jump an interception . Let’s root for an upset like we have had before .
I’m just glad it’s a day game so I don’t have to lose sleep watching this thing. Gator lover, but these days we’re in are much like many seasons I lived through in the 80’s. Last week wasn’t a grow up game – this season is a grow up season. Expecting new coaches and new players and a new system to win big in year one is like expecting Obama to know how to run the economy. It just can’t be expected to work. But at least the coaches know what they’re doing and they have a plan.
am i the only gator that thought the ala debacle is with the coaches. i dont know how the players are, they never had a chance. i would have bet the house against uf if u told me the game plan was to run demps and rainey up the middle. i would have added all the personal items if u also told me they would stop richardson with three down lineman. im sure ill hear of passing situations, but thats exactly when richardson goes for forty. that was a game for eveyone to play the run except necessary db on islands and stop run and invite the pass. i think the gators are doomed against better teams if the coaches keep this line of thinking.
You are a dummy
To expect two fast but underweight runners to scare any ruggereed D-line is fantasy and wishful thinking. This may work against cupcakes and Big-10 slowboats, but not against SEC lines or upper-tier teams. Are there any 230-240 lb walkons out there??
I have to disagree with Robbie. I doubt Florida covers the spread. But hey, this is the rebuild year. Losing to #1 and #2 ( as the troll said, far superior teams) in the country is no cause for shame. They are elite teams. We are not at this point. Take some lumps, learn something and move on to games we are expected to win.
Will, you have a mulligan this year, but come on! we gators can understand losing to the #1 and #3 teams in the country, but we want our boys to play hard and play hard till the last whistle. Poor tackling, and poor effort from several of our “big time” players in the last couple of games. Maybe need to sit down a couple of guys for a game and see if you can get their attention. NOBODY should be able to run over 5, 6, 7 of our defenders like we have seen against Bama and LSU the last couple of weeks. ( not just in the 2nd half when they were “tired” either. Don’t lose heart Gator Faithful,, just “wait till next year”…
Alligator…you are BRILLIANT!!! ~NOT!!!
The precitons are fun to go back and read ‘after the fact’…I thought FLA would put up more of a FIGHT!!! They obviously didn’t…and now the SEASON really begins at Auburn…Win out the remaining SEC games and GO TO THE ATL and get another THUMPING, but it would BE VALUABLE EXPERIENCE!!! This team needs experience and some depth…THE COACHING is IN PLACE…the FACILITIES are top-notch…these YOUNG GATORS are lacking experience and a little “UMPH”…not enough controlled craziness in their demeanor for me -BUT NOTHING STAYS THE SAME…except “Alligator (with his weak one-liners that are intended to harm rather than help..I’d throw your sorry butt out of the loop if I were the Editor) …GO GATORS!!!
Roll Tide! 101-29 last 3 years!