So as we move into November, it sure doesn’t feel like it
here in Sunny Florida, let’s take a look at my football predictions for our
Gators. Here’s what I wrote after the first four games as an update to what I
wrote before the season.
But let’s look at the
next four predictions. I said we would lose at home versus Ole Miss and I still
stand by that prediction. I do think we have a better chance than I thought at
the start of the season, but I don’t think our o-line can block well enough to
give the run game any chance and Grier will have to be running for his life
back there. Our only hope is that the young QB from Ole Miss will get rattled
by the swamp and the hits from our defense and throw a couple of picks and maybe
a pick-six!
The Missouri game is
one that could change depending on the status of Maty Mauk. If he’s back from
the suspension, it’s a toss-up and the loss on the road is still a definite
chance. If he’s not, then I think the Gators will win that game and the chance
for the magical season of 10-2 drastically increases. A lot hinges on what he
did to get kicked out for one game!
Nothing has changed
about my prediction for the LSU game. Well with the exception that unless #7
gets hurt, he’ll run for 200 yards against our weak Linebackers. They still win
the game and now the next game against Georgia becomes huge!
I still think we can
win against Georgia, but I must admit they are better than I thought they would
be. However, they haven’t played the toughest of teams yet and this week we
will know if they are for real or if they are the pretenders that they usually
are. Also a tip of the cap needs to be given to the entire Georgia Athletic
department for the class they have showed to the family of the young man
injured in the game. They didn’t have to do what they have done, but they have
demonstrated how to be a class organization for sure. With that being said, I
still think they lose in Jacksonville.
So after the month of
October I think the Gators will be 6-2 or 5-3 depending on the QB situation at
Mizzou. That will mean the critical games for Coach Mac and the young Gators
will be the ones in November. Fortunately three of those are at home. At 6-2
they will still be in the hunt for the SEC east but if they are 5-3 well then
they are playing not to go back to the Birmingham Bowl. And that ought to be
enough motivation to finish the season strong!
I have never been so glad to be wrong, even if it is only by
a game! But you have to give me credit for laying out the plan for the way the
Rebels would lose to the Gators, scary how accurate that prediction was, isn’t
it! And that is without knowing that Will Grier would make an unfortunate stop
at GNC.
So let’s take a look at November and the end of the regular
season.
Homecoming against Vanderbilt will be back to the game a few
years ago. Back before Vanderbilt hired a good coach. It will be closer than
many expect because I don’t think they will turn the ball over 5 times like
they did last Saturday, but I expect the Gators to win this one by 21 with
ease. That will mean that Gator fans can book their tickets to Atlanta for the
SEC championship game. I sure didn’t see that one coming this year but I am so
glad it might happen!
The Gators then travel to South Carolina. If the Old HBC was
still there, I’d stick with my pick from earlier, but this is a bad Gamecock
team right now and it’s going to get worse before it gets better for Cocky
fans. The Gators need to pay attention but if they take care of business, they
should win this game as well. However, watch out because this could be the
infamous letdown game that will follow the clinching of the SEC East. Gators
win going away late to wrap the SEC portion of the year up with just the one
loss at LSU.
The annual sacrificial game in November with the FAU owls
should see the Gators play a lot of second and third team guys. The goal of
that game is to get ahead early, rest the starters and get ready for the big
post turkey game with the college out west. Florida wins big and starts to move
up the Playoff ladder.
The Game with the Clowns may be the biggest game of the year
if they can get by Clemson this week. I don’t think they will but Clemson has a
way of laying an egg every year and so far the clutch has been empty. If they
do win at Clemson, then get ready for Gameday and the hype will be over the
top. If they don’t, then they would like nothing better than to beat the Gators
and kick them out of the Playoff discussion. I still think the Gators will win
this game, but it would have been a lot easier without the GNC issue. Treon is
an ok quarterback and a great athlete. His struggles against good defenses will
continue and the Gators will win it late with a defense stand!
So my prediction is the Gators will be sitting at 11-1 going
into the SEC championship game in Atlanta. The chance for the magical 12-2
season remains. Who knows, it might even be 14-1 and that would mean this
generation of Gator fans could learn to experience the ultimate celebration in
Title Town. Nobody's seen that in a while!
