This week’s High Five after a great weekend in Knoxville.
1. On Saturday, I wrote that if I had a vote I would have Oregon No. 1 on my ballot. Alabama has been dominant as well and both teams have all of their difficult games ahead of them. But the Ducks have outscored their opponents 189-13 and lead the nation in both scoring offense and defense. You’ll need two TVs in the living room the night of Oct. 2 because Florida-Alabama and Oregon-Stanford overlap.
2. I keep getting this question about whether or not Mark Richt is on the hot seat and I have the same answer. It will take a disaster of a season to get him there. But at 0-2 in the SEC, the Bulldogs may be heading there. Richt is now 2-6 in his last eight SEC games. Those are Vanderbilt numbers. There is a lot of grumbling in Athens, but with a new athletic director and Richt’s track record it’s hard to believe he could be in trouble this season. On the other hand, if things go the way they have been going for Georgia (losses, arrests) and the Bulldogs have a third straight disappointing season, Richt will be able to see the hot seat wherever he is.
3. Tennessee showed a lot of fight against Florida and it’s not like the Vols are devoid of talent. But the offense almost requires a breakdown on defense to get anything going and we could be looking at a 2-6 Tennessee team when October is over. Here’s the UT schedule next month: at LSU, at Georgia, Alabama, at South Carolina. The Vols have their usually easy November but Kentucky is not an automatic win, Vandy is showing some spunk and Ole Miss, well, I don’t know what to say about Ole Miss. I have neither the energy nor desire to look this up but I’m pretty sure the Rebels are the first team to ever lose to Jacksonville State and Vandy at home in the same month.
4. Nothing better than getting back to the hotel in Knoxville after a long day and being treated to back-to-back overtimes. Great wins for Auburn and Michigan State and you have to give Mark Dantonio a Manwich for the fake field goal call. At the same time, you have to wonder why Notre Dame wasn’t in safe coverage. It was a 46-yard field goal with an inexperienced kicker and even if he makes it you’re going to another overtime. Those games were followed by a pair of late night games that I couldn’t make all the way through because of a 7 a.m. flight. But just when you thought things could not get any worse for the ACC, Wake Forest gets beat 68-24 by Stanford.
5. MVP for the week — I’m going with Mark Ingram. I know it was against the soft Duke defense, but to bounce back from surgery and gain 151 yards on nine carries deserves some praise.
THE SLATE
If you are not going to see Florida and Kentucky, here are your best three viewing options.
Alabama at Arkansas, 3:30, CBS: Put up or shut up time for the Razorbacks.
South Carolina at Auburn, 7:45, ESPN: Both are undefeated with big wins under their belts.
West Virginia at LSU, 9 p.m., ESPN2: Big East gets a chance to save some face.
Boy, there will be some Gator fans pulling for Auburn next Saturday! We need all the cushion we can get! The way our offense is playing, we could easily loose to SC, Bama and LSU! Go War Eagles!
Hey Pat, by implication I think you answered my question: UF v. Kentucky is not on local TV, is it? I agree with you on Richt, I think having a new AD means he’ll get a pass on another bad season. Besides, who is there out there to hire right now? I like to see Richt at Ga. forever, he is starting to remind me of Ray Goff.
Hey Pat, do you have inside scoop on the time of the UF/Bama game? I have not seen it listed anywhere, including Gatorzone.com.
Or as SOS used to call him, Ray Goof!
Andrew, I’m pretty sure UF-Bama is an 8:00 p.m. kick on CBS.
I don’t know if any of you noticed but when UT thought they had stopped the Gators before the fake punt on third down, their Rocky Top chant got abruptly stopped almost half way through the song with the Omar Hines 39 yard fake punt scamper. I had to contain myself from laughing in order not to jinx the Gators on the next play. That was awesome! If some people thought that Coach Meyer forgot to coach and be agressive, they were wrong. That was a hell of a call and now it would go down in the UF-UT history books as the play that changed the momemtum of the 2010 game. Kudos for Coach Meyer form pulling that out of his sleeve!
GO GATORS!!!
Hey Pat. Will you ask Coach Meyer why he places Trey Burton in so many formations? He was a good quarterback in high school and good as a wildcat. In too many formations he is more trouble than benefit.
i def noticed it too…..they abruptly stopped……and the crowd went almost dead
I know you would love to see Alabama look human. So would we. You certainly don’t want to play ‘Bama after they lose. We all know that. I just wish the Gators had looked a little more like a top ten team. Maybe ‘Bama would be looking ahead. You guys aren’t doing enough to get their attention. I’m just glad we are playing at home.
Anybody can be beaten. Bama is no exception to any rule. Keep underestimating the Gators GolfHog. This team looks a lot like the 2006 Team. Remember who won the championship that year? Concentrate on your swines. Ready or not the games will be played.
Peace.
JR, dont think many gators will root for AU. You had better worry about Malzahn and his offense. Has he blew any top teams out yet?
Hey Junior, you are right about that, and I almost called him that, too. Lately I have taken heat for using names like that, so I edited myself. I’m trying to keep the Nancy boys from getting upset. Here goes, Goof, Goof, Goof!
HHO: Target hit, anyone can be beat, even at home: Go talk to Appy State. We will need stops on D, turn overs, and some dang points in the first quarter! Go Gators!
Roll, Tide, roll, around the bowl and down the hole!
The statements are true, anyone can be beat, but after watching Alabama play this year, I think they could beat a few NFL teams, right now, like my beloved Jags. The way in which Alabama plays with such speed and power, they look like an NFL team. I don’t know what’s in the water over there, but I’d like to get a hold of some.
I’d like to read someone’s game plan for that game, because this is all I can see happening: Alabama- Run on 1st down, 2nd & short or maybe 2nd & 5; Run on 2nd down, 1st down or 3rd & inches; maybe a pass play here and there, but I don’t see us keeping Alabama from getting 10 yds on 3 plays. We need penalties and mistakes, which they don’t make often.
Here are the stats that stick out to me:
3rd downs per game (last in SEC): 8.7 – They don’t need 3 downs to go 10 yards.
46.15% completion of 3rd down: So they get half of those 3rd downs.
McElroy passer rating – 203.4 (1 interception): He doesn’t mess up
Defense – 1st in the SEC and 1st in multiple categories.
I really want something, besides faith, to cling to. So if anyone has a game plan to beat Bama, I’d love to hear it and this Oregon being ranked higher than Alabama mess, not going to happen.
I really enjoyed reading your “Gator Fans Aren’t Enjoying all This Winning” article – something I would like to preach from the pulpit myself. I follow you closely on GatorSports and think you do an outstanding job!! Keep it up!
Bro. Art
I DISAGREE with the idea of rooting for AUBURN as a CUSHION for FLA…IF we CANNOT win it on the FIELD THIS YEAR ~than I want USC to win IT ALL for OLE COACH SPURRIER -he is a GATOR, TOO!!!!!
I will root for FLA ‘in all kinds of weather’ …but not when the outcome is FLORIDA, ALABAMA, AND USC ~Spurrier!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!TRIFECTA!!!!!!
GO GATORS-WIN it all ON THE FIELD!!!!!!
gatorgi70x7