Week 14: Florida Gators vs FSU Seminoles - 11/28/2021

[Escambia94]

The 65th edition of the Sunshine Showdown will be a battle of between 5-6 teams seemingly headed in opposite directions. The Florida Gators limp into the contest after losing in overtime to the Missouri Tigers 23-24. The FSU Seminoles come into the contest surging from their walk-off victory over the Boston College Eagles. The Gators will likely be without QB Emory Jones, who reportedly injured himself in practice the other day. The Gators are favored by 2 despite coming into this game without a head coach, an offensive line coach, a defensive coordinator, and QB1. Last year's game was canceled due to COVID, but the Gators did win the previous contests under Dan Mullen 40-17 as a 17-point favorite in 2019 and 41-14 as 8.5-point favorites in 2018. The Seminoles rattled off five consecutive victories prior to Mullen's arrival in Hogtown. The statistics will not matter in this game, but here they are anyway:

Florida	Statistics	FSU
32.5	Average points scored	28.2
27.1	Average points allowed	26.7
480.4	Average total yards	382.3
361.5	Average total yards allowed	379.6
18	Giveaways	18
10	Takeaways	17

The Gators are 36-26-2 all-time against their rival school out west in a contest that dates back to 1958. The Gators are 0-3 in years that the head coach is fired or retired since 2010, 2-3 since 2001, 3-5 since 1984.
- 2017 L 22-38 - McElwain fired after going 4-7 (3-5); FSU was 7-6 (3-5, Independence Bowl winner)
- 2014 L 19-24 - Muschamp fired after going 4-8 (4-4); #1 FSU was 13 -1 (8-0, ACC champion, Rose Bowl winner)
- 2010 L 7-31 - Meyer resigns after going 8-5 (4-4); #22 FSU was 10-4 (6-2, ACC champion, Chick-fil-A Bowl winner)
- 2004 W 20-13 - Ron Zook fired after going 7-5 (4-4); #14 FSU was 9-3 (6-2, Gator Bowl winner)
- 2001 W 37-13 - Steve Spurrier resigned after going ranked #4 at 10-2 (6-2, Orange Bowl winner); #15 FSU was 8-4 (6-2, Gator Bowl winner)
- 1989 L 17-24 - Galen Hall resigned after going 4-1; Gary Darnell and Hall combined for 7-5 (4-3); #3 FSU was 11-1 (Sugar Bowl winner)
- 1984 W 27-17 - Charley Pell resigned after going 1-1-1 (Galen Hall and Pell combined for 9-1-1 (5-0-1); #12 FSU was 7-3-2 (Citrus Bowl winner)


Here is a look at the Florida season to this point:

Date	Opponent	Result
9/4 #13	FAU	W 35-14
9/11 #13	USF	W 42-20
9/18 #11	#1 Alabama	L 29-31
9/25 #11	Tennessee	W 38-14
10/2 #10	at Kentucky	L 13-20
10/9 #20	Vanderbilt	W 42-0
10/16	at LSU	L 42-49
10/30	vs #1 Georgia	L 7-34
11/6	at South Carolina	L 17-40
11/13	Samford	W 70-52
11/20	at Missouri	L 23-24 OT
11/27	FSU

Here is a look at the FSU season to this point:

Date	Opponent	Result
9/5	#9 Notre Dame	L 38-41 OT
9/11	#16 FCS Jacksonville State	L 17-20
9/18	at Wake Forest	L 14-35
9/25	Louisville	L 23-31
10/2	Syracuse	W 33-30
10/9	at North Carolina	W 35-25
10/23	UMass	W 59-3
10/30	at Clemson	L 20-30
11/6	NC State	L 14-28
11/13	Miami	W 31-28
11/20	at Boston College	W 26-23
11/27	Florida

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1463161058047234048

This game will be the last time that Jeremiah Moon, Dameon Pierce, and Zachary Carter will play at the Swamp. Gator Great Lomas Brown will Mr. Two-Bits. I will be at this game, so I want to see the seniors win in their final game in a Gator uniform, and I want to validate my decision to fly across the country for this game. I predict a 42-38 victory for the Gators, but I could easily see this going to the Noles with the same score.

 

[DRU2012]

View attachment 642
The 65th edition of the Sunshine Showdown will be a battle of between 5-6 teams seemingly headed in opposite directions. The Florida Gators limp into the contest after losing in overtime to the Missouri Tigers 23-24. The FSU Seminoles come into the contest surging from their walk-off victory over the Boston College Eagles. The Gators will likely be without QB Emory Jones, who reportedly injured himself in practice the other day. The Gators are favored by 2 despite coming into this game without a head coach, an offensive line coach, a defensive coordinator, and QB1. Last year's game was canceled due to COVID, but the Gators did win the previous contests under Dan Mullen 40-17 as a 17-point favorite in 2019 and 41-14 as 8.5-point favorites in 2018. The Seminoles rattled off five consecutive victories prior to Mullen's arrival in Hogtown. The statistics will not matter in this game, but here they are anyway:

Florida	Statistics	FSU
32.5	Average points scored	28.2
27.1	Average points allowed	26.7
480.4	Average total yards	382.3
361.5	Average total yards allowed	379.6
18	Giveaways	18
10	Takeaways	17

The Gators are 36-26-2 all-time against their rival school out west in a contest that dates back to 1958. The Gators are 0-3 in years that the head coach is fired or retired since 2010, 2-3 since 2001, 3-5 since 1984.
- 2017 L 22-38 - McElwain fired after going 4-7 (3-5); FSU was 7-6 (3-5, Independence Bowl winner)
- 2014 L 19-24 - Muschamp fired after going 4-8 (4-4); #1 FSU was 13 -1 (8-0, ACC champion, Rose Bowl winner)
- 2010 L 7-31 - Meyer resigns after going 8-5 (4-4); #22 FSU was 10-4 (6-2, ACC champion, Chick-fil-A Bowl winner)
- 2004 W 20-13 - Ron Zook fired after going 7-5 (4-4); #14 FSU was 9-3 (6-2, Gator Bowl winner)
- 2001 W 37-13 - Steve Spurrier resigned after going ranked #4 at 10-2 (6-2, Orange Bowl winner); #15 FSU was 8-4 (6-2, Gator Bowl winner)
- 1989 L 17-24 - Galen Hall resigned after going 4-1; Gary Darnell and Hall combined for 7-5 (4-3); #3 FSU was 11-1 (Sugar Bowl winner)
- 1984 W 27-17 - Charley Pell resigned after going 1-1-1 (Galen Hall and Pell combined for 9-1-1 (5-0-1); #12 FSU was 7-3-2 (Citrus Bowl winner)


Here is a look at the Florida season to this point:

Date	Opponent	Result
9/4 #13	FAU	W 35-14
9/11 #13	USF	W 42-20
9/18 #11	#1 Alabama	L 29-31
9/25 #11	Tennessee	W 38-14
10/2 #10	at Kentucky	L 13-20
10/9 #20	Vanderbilt	W 42-0
10/16	at LSU	L 42-49
10/30	vs #1 Georgia	L 7-34
11/6	at South Carolina	L 17-40
11/13	Samford	W 70-52
11/20	at Missouri	L 23-24 OT
11/27	FSU

Here is a look at the FSU season to this point:

Date	Opponent	Result
9/5	#9 Notre Dame	L 38-41 OT
9/11	#16 FCS Jacksonville State	L 17-20
9/18	at Wake Forest	L 14-35
9/25	Louisville	L 23-31
10/2	Syracuse	W 33-30
10/9	at North Carolina	W 35-25
10/23	UMass	W 59-3
10/30	at Clemson	L 20-30
11/6	NC State	L 14-28
11/13	Miami	W 31-28
11/20	at Boston College	W 26-23
11/27	Florida

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1463161058047234048

This game will be the last time that Jeremiah Moon, Dameon Pierce, and Zachary Carter will play at the Swamp. Gator Great Lomas Brown will Mr. Two-Bits. I will be at this game, so I want to see the seniors win in their final game in a Gator uniform, and I want to validate my decision to fly across the country for this game. I predict a 42-38 victory for the Gators, but I could easily see this going to the Noles with the same score.

You’re right— “The stats don’t matter for this one!”...neither historical/performance/outcome/record ones nor individual talent/availability ones.
Whole lotta reasons to see us WIN it anyway though—If you are a Gator AND have a heartbeat, no explanation is needed.
Be nice to have an “announcement” forthcoming this weekend (something along the lines of, “The Florida Gators are happy, excited and proud to announce the hiring of ...” ,
—But that probably still too early yet to anticipate or hope for...

 

[Escambia94]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1464307854538596355

 

[Escambia94]

Gainesville is buzzing with excitement for some reason!

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1464323071389548546

 

[Escambia94]

@DRU2012 @Leakfan12 Spurrier’s Grille is awesome. I got my picture with Steve Spurrier himself!

 

[Leakfan12]

@DRU2012 @Leakfan12 Spurrier’s Grille is awesome. I got my picture with Steve Spurrier himself!

I hope to visit G-Ville soon so I can check it out.

 

[Leakfan12]

Also, not looking forward to this game. Really wish they fired Mullen AFTER the season.

 

[DRU2012]

Also, not looking forward to this game. Really wish they fired Mullen AFTER the season.

Yeah—I know what you mean.
I’m HOPING that “buzz of excitement” in G-vile that E— speaks of starts with our PLAYERS and manifests on the field. I can NEVER stomach a loss to the Criminoles—ESPECIALLY when played at OUR house!
But let’s face it, there’s little in the way of “strong oversight” now; It’ll take a real pride-filled, look to your TEAMMATES for mutual-drive-and-support now in order to rise above all the obstacles and impediments as we face what is certainly coming IN the “hotter team”.
And much IS on-the-LINE this time: Not merely the extra weeks of practice and public focus, but the in-state effect on RECRUITING that the game’s outcome, and overall appearance of direction and future for the respective programs inevitably affects.

 

[DRU2012]

@Escambia94,
As it turns out, though of course you were hoping for (and had every reason to EXPECT when planning this trip) a bigger payoff to a win for us in this game than simply “bragging rights” and a place in “ANY Bowl”, against all odds it sounds as if this was a good weekend to be in Gainesville after all...
If we WIN it, well, all to the GOOD—PLUS I’ll have the added pleasure of knowing YOU will be partying with your buds!
No matter WHAT:
“GO GATORS!!!
WON’T BACK DOWN!”

 

[DRU2012]

@miltongator,
How do YOU read this one, mg?

 

[DRU2012]

Well, here we go...
Still don’t know WHAT to expect...
Hope our players are as into it as we are—from that scrum on the field a few moments ago.
FSU currently looks the hotter team (giving ME a real pain in my GUT).
Special call-ours yo our own
@Escambia94, who of course is at this game with his AF buds
...GO GATORS!!!
Aw, hell...after all that talk, EMORY comes out to start after all—I just hope it doesn’t bun out AR. OK, here’s AR—runs for the first. Comes up a bit limp.
Aww nuts! Had him long, but JUST overthrows the receiver.
But Jones hits Copeland at midfield For a first.
ANOTHER “false start”...
I wish they’d just give AR a few full series...
TOUCHDOWN GATORS!!!
Jones to Gamble DEEP.

 

[DRU2012]

Good start, to say the least.

 

[DRU2012]

Aw, stupid penalty after the extra point. Kind of thing you get in this game—especially when Head Coach is gone!
(But our D responding so far after giving up field position due to penalty...)
Sack! QB hit hard. Punting time.
We definitely need another drive: Strike while things still somewhat going our way!

 

[Escambia94]

The Swamp is packed. Lots of Noles sitting in the alumni side, but lots of energy from the Gators.

 

[DRU2012]

Emory still overthrowing open receivers. Then NUTHIN’ on 2nd down run.
Aaaand, another missed open receiver on 3rd down...but we didn’t protect him either.
Gonna be on our D now...
Which does NOT bode well, of course...
Turning point right here, right now. They get the fresh set of downs, and either we beat down NOW, or we begin to let this one get away.
I’m afraid it’s gonna be heading more’n’more the other way...
In WHICH case, I’ll be outta here.
I remember too many of these “bad afternoons” vs these guys—THREE of ‘em in a row my undergrad years, one in the Swamp, two in Tallahassee...
Until one magical afternoon in Gainesville the Friday after Thanksgiving, when they introduced the “Chomp Cheer” (complete with diagramed instructions handed out to everyone as they came through the turnstiles BEFORE the game!), it seemed to unhinge the Noles the first time we tried it, the whole stadium going quiet and doing it together—
And we PROCEEDED TO WHIP THEM BADLY FROM THERE:
Something like 30-to-3, for our only win against them while I was there!!!
Anyway, this one’s still close at least.
INTERCEPTION Florida!
On the Seminole side of the field.
Let’s TAKE THIS IN!

 

[DRU2012]

FUCK—Jones throws it back to them.
Instead, he forces the throw poorly into coverage.
We have GOT to get a new Coach in to at LEAST install AR as QB-1 once and for ALL!
I am just disgusted:
That WAS our chance to snatch the mo in this one—and Emory Jones just threw it away in exactly the manner in which he has become a cliche about doing. REPEATEDLY.

 

[DRU2012]

Sorry, Guys, but I’ve seen enough of these to know “the crucial turning point” when I see one. Our ONLY hope now is that this number2 QB forced in with the FSU QB-1 injury can’t rally them, even against a confused Gator D—and a (foolishly, aimlessly-led) Gator offense TOO.
From the way they hit the field BEFIRE the game through to everything we’ve seen so far, it seems pretty clear (at least to ME) that thus team really IS rudderless, COACHLESS right now—and really SHOWING IT!
I can’t really watch much more of this unless we somehow turn it around PRONTO.
Sorry, boys: Personally, I think only “lack of courage” by our “interim Coach” explains why Emory Jones is still running this offense.
And he throws ANOTHER INTERCEPTION!!!
Stupid! Blind, and Completely UNFORCED.
Gaaahhh!!! Our whole season summed up in these last few series.
There is talent on this team, but now we see for sure what the problem’s been all along:
ZERO COACHING!!!
Now that you see us virtually WITHOUT ANY COACH, and basically ALL THE SAME THINGS HAPPENING as when Coach MULLEM WAS STILL HERE, well, there’s the truth behind it all now staring us in the FACE.
I think we will now proceed to fade, ultimately LOSE this one, guys.
They are driving to score now—but BOTH TEAMS are playing with very little poise.
But we will lose this now.
Our only hope was to knock that QB out and KEEP him out.
No such luck.
We won’t be going to any bowl.
Our ONLY HOPE was if AR-15 was given the opportunity to shoulder this offense and lead us to the win.
THAT isn’t going to HAPPEN.
When FSU scores in us here in a moment, I’m done talking.
Won’t be back til there’s a (likely unfortunate) decision.

 

[DRU2012]

Bye for now, my brothers.
I am truly sorry for us all.
What a mess—and no real hope for any soon improvement, I’m afraid.

 

[Escambia94]

It looks like both QBs EJ5 and AR15 are injured. EJ5 is less injured. AR15 has a noticeable limp. That was before the game.

 

[DRU2012]

DISGUSTING!!!
Jones had his guy open in the end zone but THROWS ANOTHER INT on a TERRIBLE throw behind him in the end zone.
Emory Jones SHOUJD MOT BE THE QB.
I really FEEL for E— at the game...it is all falling apart now. Geez, we need LEADERSHIP. But these fools they got in charge have neither the brains nor the cajones to pull this off.
I tried to stay with it—as much for Gator AND “GE” solidarity, knowing Escambia94 is there with his buds...
But THIS is frustrating to the point of having become unwatchable.
“Why is Emory Jones still IN there??!”
And why am I asking?
There is NO ONE HOME on the sideline to answer, assume responsibility, take control...at least, no one there who will do the job.
I have simply NEVER SEEN A SITUATION LIKE THIS ONE.