GameDay Thread: Week 3--Night Game At Neyland

[DRU2012]

Wow...week 3 already. I'm putting this up early 'cause I'm UP early (for me) on a Sat. morning--I guess I'll drink and doze intermittently all day, hit my stride by game-time.
Already a strange "feel" to this season, not least because (along with a bunch of other reasons, fill in your own list here) it's our 2nd SEC-game, AND a night game for the first time in some years, too--but still the same old "it must be the 3rd weekend in September 'cause we're playing the Vols". Man, I do NOT want to see the streak broken this time...I mean, I know it's inevitable sooner or later, that this one sets up well for it to happen here tonight and that's probably the biggest reason the bettors have Tennessee favored, really--but DAMN, this becomes "another close, tough one" that we HAVE to have if this season is to be an improvement over last, the way I figure it, especially with what's ahead. (Also, if we CAN win this one, the streak could go on for some years, which would be just so SWEET.)
So: acknowledging all the negatives, the injuries and the "feel" and the hostility of another crowd psyched-up against us and so on, how do Y'ALL feel about this one? Notice I DIDN'T ask "What do you think?"--I mean, You're welcome to offer logical analysis regarding our chances, but I specifically ask about your FEELINGS because personally, it's my "feeling" that some of those "negatives" might well work as reasons we could win this thing. That is, I'm not so sure this team won't react well to being on-the-road against a team that may be taking us lighter than they ought to in front of a (to us) hostile crowd who by now are expecting victory--and putting pressure on THEIR team to beat us, finally. Look, my head tells me we'll still need a running game from one or some of our back-ups even if Gilly DOES play tough and banged up, as well as someone, preferably SEVERAL "someones" to step forward as playmakers from our receiver corps--not to mention the O-line finally playing consistently together and well. Even with tough defense, figure we will need to score 24-to-27 points to win this thing tonight. 30-or-more would seal it.
OK. There's my take. Anyone else's?

 

[mjfan23]

Score Predictions?

I feel better about going into this game then I did last week. But then again, that makes me nervous.

They want to beat Florida so bad, and are starting to get some pieces to the puzzle.

 

[Escambia94]

35-21, Gators. Bray will throw for 300, but get picked off. Driskel will be steady, and Gilly, Joyer, and Burton will grind out the clock.

 

[awebbf5]

well guys I wont be on here with you tonight,working 2-10 ughh. I really dont feel good about this one,but if we pull it out I think we win by three. Hope theres some rocky flopping tonight in gayland. Go Gators!

 

[DRU2012]

I agree with everything said here to some extent--I'm all over the place on this one so far today, and on top of that, I just can't TAKE the way they're "playing it" on ESPN's "GameDay", ie. really hyping the "Tennessee will break The Streak today..."-angle. The only thing good about it is the way that AND the fact that they are "favored" has the Vols in an unfamiliar position, where they (both team and crowd) may well be starting to put pressure on THEMSELVES...Like I said above, I get the feeling that being an underdog on the road actually SUITS this Gator team; if their defense can tie Tennessee up, mostly stop their big-play passing game while the offense manages a couple of more steps forward and can get us to the mid-to-high 20s, we can bum these folks bigtime, outlast 'em into the 4th and leave 'em pointing fingers at each other.
But like I say, I can't listen to this GameDay crew's constant return to the same lame "Vols beginning to believe...feel they're on their way back...have the high-flying offense now...blah blah blah ...looks like they can beat this injured and not-the-team-they-used-to-be Gator team and break the streak..." whenever it's time to talk about "Tonight's match-up here in Knoxville" once again. I mean, yeah yeah yeah--we GET what your angle is, hope the Gators themselves have gotten wind of it (as I trust they long since have, and are as sick of hearing it as I am!), so I'm watching "ANYTHING BUT" ESPNHD the rest of the afternoon, I guess (going for a mix of several games--TCU/Kansas currently on the Main-screen, Pitt/Va.Tech and the 2 available ongoing "skip-around" Highlight Shows on the PIP--and of course a laptop AND a keyboard long-wired to the desktop beside me here in bed--Hope y'all are as comfortable kickin' back as I am (WAS thinking of getting over to girlfriend's place to watch tonight's game--DO have access to reasonable facilities there--but this is so close to "perfect" that I'll probably now wait until either things turn obviously "Nasty-in-Neyland", or AFTER a satisfying Gator win to make that move...y'all think I have my priorities straight?).
(FSU looking tough today, getting it rolling, really for the first time this season...that's one game I WON'T be following, but the highlights are inescapable.)

awebbf5
We'll miss you, Gator...Got your site(s) figured on your phone? Between Tweetcaster-alerts from EDSBS/Aligator Army updating every possession, and (assuming you have a smart phone in addition, but can't leave the game running live the whole time) access to ESPN GameDay Highlights, you can keep a pretty tight track of the game-flow with your phone in a convenient pocket, set on "vibrate only"-mode--can even throw in a quick comment with us here and there...made it through the odd game last season that way myself.

 

[Leakfan12]

I said 24 to 13 Gators.

 

[DRU2012]

Well, the way it has all fallen out, the one game that remains competitive, of all of them, is the Cal/OSU game in Columbus--which has become basically a shoot-out in the 4th qrtr. "F*ckeyes" just got an easy one. Now CAL comes back with a big run. Geez, more and more I come again to appreciate decent"D", the kind we generally play in the SEC and which more and more will be our certain and central strong suit at UF...Not so much Tennessee, who do look more like a 90s Fla.-team, and whom we really need to SIT on tonight, entangle and frustrate them into making mistakes that we take advantage of. It may be frustrating watching our offense sputter and misfire, but as long as they keep improving, our QB settles down and we begin to hit some long ones here and there to go with our running game, while our defense continues to improve (with the 5-star freshmen stepping up not to just fill in but, with experience, possibly begin to surpass the play of the injured players) and hold the opposition to manageable scores, these Gators will be in most games, will keep even the still seemingly "almost hopeless" match-ups against the SEC-elite interesting most of the way. (Man, that Cal kicker SUCKS! They could have put this game away with our guy...)
(Meanwhile, Auburn is getting "all it wants" from La.Monroe...it may look bad for the SEC, but I just have no sympathy for "Payoff Central, Alabama": I find myself rooting for the War Hawks to bring down the War Eagles...and there's a TD to tie it up, 28-28!)

 

[Leakfan12]

I starting to think that the TOSU won't do well against the new Big 12 (Big 10) especially since they had trouble middle of a road Pac-10 team. Plus they had trouble with UCF. Also I hoping Auburn loses again, hard to paid players if they're 0-3 and I don't care what the NCAA said about the Scam Newton investigation. GO Mich ST, Mich, and whoever else faces Meyer and Company well expect for Penn State.

 

[DRU2012]

Well, the way those "early games" went, even the couple of close ones had (to me) disappointing finishes...OK, maybe it's just as well Auburn pulls out a win there as far as the SEC in general and OUR eventual "strength-of-schedule" in particular being left less damaged...Bad enough the War Hawks send in their 43% FG-kicker in overtime for a near-40-yarder from the left hash, but in that OSU-win, the Cal kicker missed THREE highly makable FG-tries that would have iced the game had he made 'em. Meyer and his crowd get their 3rd win of the year, and no doubt continue to get their inevitable next overblown and over-hyped ranking to go with it, the win NOT just a set of goat-horns for the Bears' kicker, but just a total choke-job on the part of the Cal defense, culminating with the safety doing the one thing he absolutely CAN'T do in that situation: supposed to be the "centerfielder", all alone back there on the QB-fake--and he bites on it, springing the WR free-as-a-bird behind him. We're all gonna hear how hot this OSU team and program is, and what a fabulous job Meyer is doing etc. etc., but it can't be long before SOMEONE shows otherwise and cuts 'em to pieces, especially that defense. Then again, they ARE in The Big Slow Ten...if I have to hear or read one more comment/observation regarding "Florida's old high-flying spread offense now in the Big 10", I mean, I'll wanna throttle someone...
Not much long-range entertainment value in the next wave of games either...what'll it be, then--a movie here, or a move cross-town after all?
Ok, alright...I'll cut out the bored and frustrated autobiographical filler and shut up, just bow out for 2 or 3 hours, OK?

 

[totenkopf13]

Gators 24 Rocky Tops 17.

 

[DRU2012]

Shit--we let him outside on the first play.

 

[DRU2012]

We can NOT give up the outside early. In fact, if we let THIS team get away early we are screwed...Good, punting time--could use a run back here...

 

[DRU2012]

Has Debose even FIELDED a punt yet this year? SHIT!!!! Fumble on that exchange--Dunbar DROPPED it! Also, Gilly isn't playing...and we're trapped DEEP. We are gonna get screwed here...

 

[DRU2012]

Wow, great punt, clutch...But what was with that drop by Dunbar? Nice IDEA for a play, but we are screwed without Gilly, obviously...As usual, we were "faked out" by our own staff re who was gonna play...who did they think was going to be "fooled" by telling us Gillissley was "fine"? Well, here we go again: another hang-on-by-our-nails-'til-later game--WE HOPE!

 

[DRU2012]

Dropped by Saunders or it would have been a pick--shit, holding on us...here we go, penalty time...no reason for that shirt grab.

 

[DRU2012]

I HATE us keep letting them to mid-field...now best case scenario is us DEEP again. Our "D" can't waut 'til 2nd half tonight...

 

[DRU2012]

Saunders drops another potential pick...OK, Floyd makes another stop...YES, PICK! McCray with the pick-plus! NOW we're in business!

 

[travisduncan]

Nice pass from Driskel to Reed

 

[DRU2012]

I STILL think they should have used their trickplay there...Strike to Reed...nice throw by Driskel. TOUCHDOWN GATORS--Driskel with beauty run....SHUT UP ROCKY TOP!!!!

 

[totenkopf13]

Nice !!!