Week 3: #11 Florida Gators 29, #1 Alabama Crimson Tide 31, 9/18/2021

[Escambia94]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1438922524188839938

The #11 Florida Gators open their SEC competition by hosting the defending national champions, the #1 Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday, September 18, 2021 at 3:30 Eastern in the Swamp.

The Gators are 14-26 all-time against the Tide and have lost the last 7 games since 2009. Dan Mullen is 1-1 against the Tide as offensive coordinator, and is 0-8 against Alabama as head coach. In 2014 Mullen’s #1 Mississippi State Bulldogs came close to holding off #4 Alabama on the strength of Dak Prescott’s 290 yards/ 2 touchdowns passing and 82 yards rushing, but it was the vaunted Alabama defense that picked off Prescott 3 times and won the game. This time Mullen hopes to break his 8-game losing streak and the Gators’ 7-game losing streak to the Tide.

Both teams are coming in 2-0, with Alabama showing no signs of slowing down since the 2020 SEC Championship Game. Florida on the other hand has been playing coy with its play-calling and lineup, having the benefit of playing what amounts to be two preseason matchups so far this season. This game against Alabama will be the measuring stick for Florida as a team in 2021 and as a program.

The Tide are favored by 14.5 points and the O/U is at 60. Since the Gators have been hiding their capabilities over these past two weeks it is hard to determine key matchups. Gator fans will be watching the quarterback to see if Emory Jones has mastered the Dan Mullen offense and if Anthony Richardson is healthy enough to play. The Gator secondary is always a question as DBU has not been as dominant under Todd Grantham and a carousel of defensive back coaches. It will be interesting to see if the Gators won the transfer portal lottery with its mix of transfer students on the defensive and offensive lines. The Gators’ success on defensive will largely depend on the secondary and the linebacker corps.

Kaiir Elam is the only DB holding up to expectations. Avery Helm has been picked on consistently. Jason Marshall alternates between solid play and rookie mistakes. TreVez Johnson and Jadarrius Perkins have not been challenged in games by FAU and USF at STAR. They will be challenged by a reloaded Bama receiving corps comprised of John Metchie, Jameson Williams, Jojo Earle. The loss of Ventrell Miller as quarterback of the linebacker corps stings. Ty'Ron Hopper, Jeremiah Moon, Amari Burney and Mohamoud Diabate will need to fill that capability gap and one of them will need to step up as the MIKE. On the good news front the Gators are ranked first in the NCAA in yards with 381.5 per game, and have produced a whopping 8.5 yards per carry on 90 attempts so far this season. Nobody in their right mind expects that pattern to continue throughout SEC play—especially against Alabama, but it feels good to be number one for a little while.

The Gators can pull the upset if they minimize penalties, maximize explosive plays, and capitalize on mistakes. This team has shown against lesser competition that they are capable of doing these three things, but against Alabama—who has not lost a game in 18 months—no team has been successful. I neither want to be a sunshine pumper nor a Debbie Downer so I will throw logic out the window with my prediction snd and just be a fan: Florida 35, Alabama 32. Go Gators!

 

[DRU2012]

Burney and Mohamoud Diabate will need to fill that capability gap and one of them will need to step up as the MIKE. On the good news front the Gators are ranked first in the NCAA in yards

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1438922524188839938

The #11 Florida Gators open their SEC competition by hosting the defending national champions, the #1 Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday, September 18, 2021 at 3:30 Eastern in the Swamp.

The Gators are 14-26 all-time against the Tide and have lost the last 7 games since 2009. Dan Mullen is 1-1 against the Tide as offensive coordinator, and is 0-8 against Alabama as head coach. In 2014 Mullen’s #1 Mississippi State Bulldogs came close to holding off #4 Alabama on the strength of Dak Prescott’s 290 yards/ 2 touchdowns passing and 82 yards rushing, but it was the vaunted Alabama defense that picked off Prescott 3 times and won the game. This time Mullen hopes to break his 8-game losing streak and the Gators’ 7-game losing streak to the Tide.

Both teams are coming in 2-0, with Alabama showing no signs of slowing down since the 2020 SEC Championship Game. Florida on the other hand has been playing coy with its play-calling and lineup, having the benefit of playing what amounts to be two preseason matchups so far this season. This game against Alabama will be the measuring stick for Florida as a team in 2021 and as a program.

The Tide are favored by 14.5 points and the O/U is at 60. Since the Gators have been hiding their capabilities over these past two weeks it is hard to determine key matchups. Gator fans will be watching the quarterback to see if Emory Jones has mastered the Dan Mullen offense and if Anthony Richardson is healthy enough to play. The Gator secondary is always a question as DBU has not been as dominant under Todd Grantham and a carousel of defensive back coaches. It will be interesting to see if the Gators won the transfer portal lottery with its mix of transfer students on the defensive and offensive lines. The Gators’ success on defensive will largely depend on the secondary and the linebacker corps.

Kaiir Elam is the only DB holding up to expectations. Avery Helm has been picked on consistently. Jason Marshall alternates between solid play and rookie mistakes. TreVez Johnson and Jadarrius Perkins have not been challenged in games by FAU and USF at STAR. They will be challenged by a reloaded Bama receiving corps comprised of John Metchie, Jameson Williams, Jojo Earle. The loss of Ventrell Miller as quarterback of the linebacker corps stings. Ty'Ron Hopper, Jeremiah Moon, Amari Burney and Mohamoud Diabate will need to fill that capability gap and one of them will need to step up as the MIKE. On the good news front the Gators are ranked first in the NCAA in yards with 381.5 per game, and have produced a whopping 8.5 yards per carry on 90 attempts so far this season. Nobody in their right mind expects that pattern to continue throughout SEC play—especially against Alabama, but it feels good to be number one for a little while.

The Gators can pull the upset if they minimize penalties, maximize explosive plays, and capitalize on mistakes. This team has shown against lesser competition that they are capable of doing these three things, but against Alabama—who has not lost a game in 18 months—no team has been successful. I neither want to be a sunshine pumper nor a Debbie Downer so I will throw logic out the window with my prediction snd and just be a fan: Florida 35, Alabama 32. Go Gators!

Man, I LOVE and appreciate your outlook, “throwing caution to the winds” even while I KNOW your sincere and forthright dedication to noting and FACING “REALITY”, Escambia.

I also wanna thank you for coming through in every way in framing our “GameDay” thread here, today of ALL days!
Now, as for that “outlook” itself, and it’s likely accuracy as a basic foundation for what’s ahead here and whether we can rely on its tone and direction in “showing the way”, well, when YOU say it, and considering a “best case scenario” where we HAVE the components we do on the field, sidelines and in the locker room, we’d be throwing away ANY chance if we weren’t to bring hope and inspiration to this contest itself.
I can’t quite make any “blue sky prediction”, but in spite of myself and the “sinking feeling” that has been steadily eating away, gnawing at my confidence for DAYS, as of these early waking hours on a September Saturday morning, after finally finding your positive, as always thoughtful intro awaiting me upon stepping outta the shower and sitting at my desk, logging in, reading and now responding to your much-anticipated GE-thread, I am of course much-relieved and in an entirely new frame-of-MIND:
“Go GATORS!!!” is of course now my solid and over-arching attitude heading INTO Game Day now!
How could it be otherwise?
Once again,
“THANK YOU, Escambia94!”
Thankyou.
From myself and from ALL of Gator Nation...I CAN stick my neck out THAT far, MY “place” or NOT, OK?
Been a tough year or two...
For ALL of us, but for myself in particular, health-wise.
So I WELCOME the chance to say that...To you guys in particular.
So also ONCE AGAIN:
“GO GATORS!!!”

 

[Leakfan12]

Actually, it's SEC Nation with two alums hosting. As for the game, I hoping for the best but expecting the worst. It's a test for both teams, Bama hasn't faced a team like Florida nor been on the road. I believe the Gators O could do some damage against Bama's D, just hope the mistakes are at a minimal.

 

[DRU2012]

Actually, it's SEC Nation with two alums hosting. As for the game, I hoping for the best but expecting the worst. It's a test for both teams, Bama hasn't faced a team like Florida nor been on the road. I believe the Gators O could do some damage against Bama's D, just hope the mistakes are at a minimal.

Thanks, bra.
I always appreciate your “take” on things.

 

[DRU2012]

I have so little real “feel” as to how this will go...So it is difficult to imagine where head and heart will be at as things actually HAPPEN.
I apologize in advance if they “go south”, and my reaction is to drop out of sight.
So many underdogs at least CHALLENGED for surprising victories today. Late let downs caused/are causing most to fail late. It’s all got me all the MORE “on edge”. Nebraska should have beaten Oklahoma. Cincinnati just took back the lead at Indiana in the 4th quarter. So far Spartans still holding off Hurricanes in 4th quarter.
Aw, hell with it: This is no time to start looking for “moral victories” in any event.
Never been our style.
Let’s go out there and face our fate.

 

[DRU2012]

I guess I should have expected this: The network “pregame blah blah” is more like “nails on glass” to me.
I only had them on to get the word on AR—and sure enough, “Mullen says he’ll only play if Emory is hurt.”
He was out there doing his flying back flips f D urging warm ups—so far as I’m concerned this is really all about “team psyche and balance” and “program future” more than anything else.
Here we go.
You won’t be hearing much from ME unless/until we show well—and do far it is heading THEIR way early. They are driving—deep ball incomplete only because DB interfered with WR. Scripted drive working smoothly for Tide. Big 3rd down now. Delay of game. First big play here. Missed tackle. First down.
They will score now.
Talk to ya later, boys.

 

[DRU2012]

(Sorry: 75 yard march while D still fresh. Missed open field tackles, little pressure on young QB...I just don’t see us quickly adjusting, steadily driving and ultimately out-scoring them.
We had our one shot at stopping them on that first drive. Unless Jones finally shows all his supposed promise and growth, there’ll be few Gator highlights. We MUST cash in a long, strong drive here and now for any chance at all.
So far running game strong—but Jones off target with first down throw.
Are y’all likewise chewing your nails? Gamble with his 3rd catch for good yardage. We are inside the 20.

 

[DRU2012]

This has been a balanced, encouraging drive, overall...but 3rd and goal—and pass broken up. DAMN! Going for it? You CAN’T be “settling for field goals”—but sadly I think you MUST take at least the 3points here. We have shown we might be able to DRIVE on these guys; for now, we need to see if we can continue in similar vein. We kick the three, and it’s good. So far, so (sorta) good...
OK. We got a GAME here, Gators.

 

[Escambia94]

14-3 Bama. Gators are regressing.

 

[Escambia94]

Mickey Hubert: Emory Jones tried to make a move on gimpy-kneed Will Anderson…and fell down.

 

[DRU2012]

(Gonna need a turnover or two here to STAY in this one, don’t you all agree? Preferably a sudden Pick-6. The closer things stay and the longer they stay that way, the more possible that becomes.
Our D gets him in the backfield!
Third Down—Damnit! PI on Elam. I don’t SEE it. CRAP CALL! As if they NEED help from the officials. That was our “stop on 3rd down”; Now the Tide offense is working in “free bonus time.
Trade a FG for a TD, then STOP them but are handed an unfair reversal: This is how “close games” quickly slip away early.
Unless Grantham can come up with something BIG RIGHT NOW, that is what is happening here. Now MORE missed tackles! Had him at the line of scrimmage, only to let him to s amped 10 yards. Now they will probably score...we are starting to fade on defense: They just look faster, better than our defenders.
Long TD pass.
Sigh. We showed some promise—but FUCK Grantham and his “bend until you break”-Defense!
Alright—I WILL finally shut up, as previously promised.
Sorry, friends—but I’m turning off the sound and losing my laptop. At the crucial point in THAT drive our best DB committed (an admittedly questionably-called) Pass Interference—and that was it.
It wasn’t “fair”—but a “good team”, a truly competitive one, woukk in c have sucked it up and found a way to turn the tables, shut THEM down—at LEAST maybe held THEM to a 3. But no.
Now Jones throws his 5th INT.
That’ll do it. The BEAT DOWN is officially now in progress.

 

[Escambia94]

Yep. Whatever we saw against FAU and USF was not Mullen holding back the playbook, except maybe passes to the tight ends. This is who we are.

I have mentally moved on to Tennessee. Missing tackles is a bad sign against any team.

 

[Escambia94]

Fun fact: at this rate Emory Jones is on pace for the lowest season passer rating for a Gator QB in the modern era (since 1990) with a 103 rating. Malik Zaire posted a 105 in 2017. He is also on pace for the lowest passer rating for a QB coached by Dan Mullen, Tyson Lee (107 rating in 2009). Lee was Mullen’s first QB at State, and every other QB under him in Stark Vegas posted a rating over 117, with an average over 130.

 

[DRU2012]

NEXT season, AR15 will be the starting QB—and we’ll have a new Defensive Coordinator (we better!). Wonder who we can get. I can’t watch much more of this, do I’m wrapping things up with several thoughts before putting keyboard aside for good (TD Bama—over ELAM, no less; this could now turn ugly...Sorry guys).
We’ll more turn to what-to-do, who-to-do-it-WITH later, in the days and weeks ahead: So many remaining for an already “unmasked Gator team” in an already “lowered expectation” season.
Arguing point Number One:
Was all of this pretty well guaranteed on the heels of Grantham being retained by Mullen? Jones has been a let down as well, it’s true, but he’s NOT been the main problem—this season or this game.
We HAD to keep it close for the START to have a chance here.
We are already in “desperation mode” on 4th down in the “no kick zone”—and we have to call a timeout to “get organized” and prevent a delay-of-game call. We CAME to play—but it’s only the early 2nd quarter and we are already looking like a desperate, beaten team holding on by our fingernails—and we fail on 4th and short, turn it over on downs.
This has been even worse than I feared. We are embarrassing ourselves. Our fans there are staying in it—WILLING the team to TRY and do so as well:
This moribund defense FINALLY forces a punt. Too bad about AR: Looks like we REALLY WON’T see him today—while more than EVER he appears to be the one person who MIGHT be able to get us back IN this thing. At least get us CLOSE—and what a great story that would BE.
MAYBE that’s a story Coach DOESN’T wanna have to deal with here and now...maybe HE is “thinking LONG TERM” now. But we’ll save such discussions for later—as I say in the long weeks and months to come out there in the “non-contending universe”.
Bye fer now.

 

[DRU2012]

Fun fact: at this rate Emory Jones is on pace for the lowest season passer rating for a Gator QB in the modern era (since 1990) with a 103 rating. Malik Zaire posted a 105 in 2017. He is also on pace for the lowest passer rating for a QB coached by Dan Mullen, Tyson Lee (107 rating in 2009). Lee was Mullen’s first QB at State, and every other QB under him in Stark Vegas posted a rating over 117, with an average over 130.

It’d be downright FUNNY, if it weren’t so sad.
The most irritatingly disappointing part is that at this point this season’s version is looking WORSE IN EVERY WAY than the team that lost 4 straight in the middle of a headfirst DIVE LAST season.
Hard to feel anything but embarrassment and dismay.
Sorry—I gotta go away for awhile (“going away” comprised of a shot, a beer, a bit of a quiet walk alone through the neighborhood).

 

[Escambia94]

This is looking historically bad. I looked it up: if Emory’s season passer efficiency rating does not stay above 100 he will be the first Gator QB to have a season rating under 100 since Jackie Eckdahl and Larry Rentz in 1968 (they split reps about 50/50 and had rations under 90). Even in 1979 with an oh, 10-1 record the Gator QBs were able to post ratings over 100.

 

[Escambia94]

And a doinked point after.

 

[DRU2012]

I’ve set my phone to alert me if and when the Gators happpen to get back within a single score of Alabama, btw—just in case.
(Hope springs eternal, I guess)

 

[Escambia94]

The Gator defense held Alabama to 3 yards of offense in the 2nd quarter and they kept the Bama QB at 1 of 5.

Oddly enough the Gators have outgained the Tide with 200 yards to 175. Penalties and missed tackles definitely hurt.

 

[Escambia94]

That actually was a well executed drive!