I always like to start by copying what I wrote in last year’s post!
It's going to be a rough year in Gainesville for the
first-year coach. He’s going to be brining in a new system, which might be
better or worse. He’s going to be starting a QB who’s never been the starting
QB at the beginning of a SEC season or played an entire season without getting
injured. There’s a new staff on defense, that can only get better right? There
are transfers and new additions. In short we just don’t know how all this is going
to come together until we see on the turf at the Swamp for real.
So hopefully they finish 8-3 and play in a decent bowl,
maybe even a New Year’s Day trip to Orlando, Jacksonville, or Tampa. But don’t
be too surprised if they finish 6-5 and go to another who cares bowl in the
middle of December.
It all depends on how well AR plays and how well Billy
Napier and his staff adjust to SEC football. Only time will tell. Gator fans be
patient. Saban’s first year at Bama was a rough one, this one may be too! Let’s
hope the rest of his time in Gainesville takes the same trajectory as his
former boss’ did!
So they finished 6-7 while losing the last three games and
losing 5 of the 7 by ten points or less. Anthony Richardson proved to be an
incredibly talented football player but not a good enough Quarterback to win in
the SEC on a regular basis. He may become that with the Colts but he just wasn’t
that polished yet. Still think about the fact that one play or two at the most
could have turned a horrible season for Gator fans into a glorious one. Those
guys just didn’t know how to win the close games. Most of those players are
gone now!
Year two will still be a rebuilding year and Gator fans will
need to be patient. We will still have to eat a lot of crow from the rest of
the SEC. But I honestly believe that the team will be better this year. Maybe
not as gifted athletically but still better as a team. Let’s see if we can get
this one right this year!
I don’t think this year’s success or failure lands on the
back of the signal caller. I think it falls on the broad shoulders of a rebuilt
offensive line and the health of the stable of running backs. Think back a few
years to the Alabama teams that featured the running backs as stars and the QB
as a game manager who would make a few plays to talented WR’s. I think that’s where
this team will hang it’s hat this year.
They start with a road trip to Salt Lake City. The smart
money would bet on the Utes getting some revenge from last year’s loss in the
Swamp. I think just like last year, this will be the best game plan of the
season for the Gators and I think they have a better than 50% chance of leaving
the thin air with a win. With the whole summer to plan for this game, I think
the staff comes away with a surprise win.
Week two should be another win or the first one for the
Gators. McNeese may put up a fight but I believe we will run at will against
them. If we don’t it will be a long season for sure. Gators start 2-0 with the Creamsicle
bunch coming to the Swamp.
This one is the swing game for me. I honestly think the Vols
will have the more talented team. But talent doesn't always win in the Swamp. The
Vols got the win last year, but it was much closer than it probably should have
been. If I had a crystal ball and really knew how effective our run game and
new defense would be, I would be more confident. But for now, I’ll stick with a
Gator win just because I can’t give the pansy color team a win in Gainesville
until they prove they deserve it.
Week four is another paycheck game for the Gators against
the Forty Niners. Not the ones from San Francisco either. For the third
Saturday night in a row, the Swamp should be rocking and the team should take
care of this one easily. 4-0 or 3-1 depending on what has happened in week 1
and 3.
The first SEC road trip goes to the Bluegrass state. I don’t
think the Gators will play well on the turf on the road and I think this will
be a disappointing loss for many Gator fans. It will be close and if we have
progressed more than I think, we could win this one too. I just am going to be
realistic and say we either lose this one or the one to the Vols.
Vanderbilt rolls into town for homecoming. The Gators will
not drop another egg like last year. They will handle the Dores in the Swamp. I
think they just didn’t know that Vandy always plays the Gators hard last year.
They do now!
The Gators hit the road to Columbia, the east one, for the
next game. This one could be really interesting. I don’t think they will be as
good as some predict, but if they play like they did the last two games of last
season, they could easily beat the Gators. I just don’t think Rattler is a
consistent QB and our defensive unit will be better this year. The Gators enjoy
some fried chicken again.
The Game is the next week. I don’t think the Gators have
enough horses to run with the Beast of the East yet. Hopefully it will be
closer, but I think the Dogs continue their winning streak against the Gators
this year.
The Hogs come to the Swamp to start November with the Gators
sitting at 6-2. It will be a good game and the team that doesn’t turn it over
will be the winner. I think that will be the Gators. If it was being played in
the land of Walmart, I’d go the other way.
The Gators travel to LSU and I think they will play well.
Knowing the SEC they will make it a night game and the young Gator team will
not be able to overcome the hostile Cajun crowd and what should be a pretty
good LSU team.
Back to back trips to the West side of the SEC even though
Missouri is in the Eastern Division, means an early start time for the Gators.
I think the Gators will find a way to shrug off a slow start and win a close
game for their second victory in a stadium in a city name Columbia for the year.
The SEC won’t capitulate and move the game to Friday this
year! The Noles will come to town full of themselves. They may even be a top
five team with the cupcake ACC schedule they have. And they have some talented
players. This one should be a return to the days when this game meant
something. And it may mean whether FSU has a shot at the bigger prize. I think
the Gators will spoil the celebration for the Noles and pull the upset in the
Swamp.
So, I’m predicting a 9-3 year optimistically. I could easily
see it being 7-5 with a couple of bad breaks here or there. I think the Gators
will do better in a bowl game this year because they won’t have as many guys
sitting it out but for me the only bowl games that count are the ones in the playoffs.
The rest are just glorified spring games for those coming back next year. Let’s
hope the expansion of the playoffs helps more teams have something to really
play for in the last few weeks of the year.
