Gator Bites, Week 1: Florida Gators vs Toledo Rockets

[Escambia94]

Last season, @Dale J. Rodriguez started a series called "Gator Bites" for discussing the upcoming game. Let us kick off the 2013 season by continuing the Gator Bites series!

1. Welcome to the SEC! Toledo will be facing their first SEC team this weekend. Of all the SEC teams they could have picked to welcome them to old man football, they picked the Mighty Gators of Gainesville...in Gainesville.
2. First time for everything... This will be the first meeting between Toledo and Florida.
3. Prepare for the Swamp...at tOSU? Toledo thinks it has prepared for the hostile environment by blasting loud music in their home stadium and playing THE Ohio State Suckeyes in their stadium. Methinks the Rockets will leave Gainesville learning just how different SEC football is from Little Ten football.
4. Unstoppable force versus immovable object? The Rockets return most of their starters from the 2012 #32 offense against the Gators 2012 #5 defense. The Rockets run a fast-pace offense, similar to the quick-snap 2008 Oklahoma Sooners, or even today's Mizzou Tigers. I do not expect this to be a problem for the Gators.
5. Sugar Bowl? Forget about it! This Gator team is not the same as the one that turned in an embarrassing whatever-that-was in the Sugar Bowl. I expect the Gators to improve greatly upon last year and give the home crowd a much better show.

What does everything else think about the game?

 

[NaffGutts]

In short, I see a sustained defensive force as last year and improvements to our offense. driskle opens up our playbook through the air, with his feet (smartly), and with the nice happenings in our rb core, I think we end up seeing shared touches between our backs and honest with brown, jones, herndon, and taylor, i think these guys are going to shock most of us.

my favorite part, we get to see our guys play and will have a better feeling for who could be our stars this year.

 

[Leakfan12]

I hope it's a win, if I recalled they had a close call against Bowling Green in their 2012 opener (among others).

 

[DRU2012]

Look for a bit of a "bust-out" from our offense this opener: Yeah, There'll be a tendency still to keep it more "vanilla 'til we need it", but I believe that both Pease and his on-field avatar, JD, have some things to prove, AND it's in BOTH their best interests--not to mention opening up the field for what will eventually be a FORMIDABLE running game--for them to show we've got "stretch the field" in our arsenal now. When folks talk about that "disappointing second half-of-a-season", they're really talking about us being seemingly devoid of that last year (whether they realize it or not)--and the consequential feeling that we were always hanging on by our fingernails, even when we won ('cause we WERE!).

 

[NaffGutts]

my only uncertainty for saturday is Jeff, and that's it. defense will be spot on and our running game will be so much better this year

 

[Escambia94]

Update:Junior cornerback Loucheiz Purifoy, junior defensive tackle Darious Cummings, sophomore wide receiver Latroy Pittman, redshirt freshman offensive lineman Quinteze Williams and freshman defensive tackle Jay-nard Bostwick will all be sidelined after reportedly breaking team rules prior to the game.

Purifoy is important to the offense, defense, and special teams. The others have less of an impact, but it would be nice to have Cummings on the line.

 

[Leakfan12]

Also Morrison but that was expected.

 

[Dale J. Rodriguez]

I think the Gators will be tested early, one of the WR said that our defense gets soft in the 2nd half, and that they can wear us down.

I just want our guys to execute, throw the ball down the field, and most importantly let's see what we can do without Puirifoy and Morrision, it will be interesting to see Mack Brown as a starter and also Demcarus Robinson.

My prediection Florida 27 - Toledo 10

 

[NaffGutts]

anyone see the Vandy vs Ole Miss game? pretty awesome for a Thursday opener

I'm hoping i'll have plenty to pick from when making my Florida vs Toledo clip.

 

[Dale J. Rodriguez]

Naff that Ole miss and Vandy game was great, I turned it off too early because I thought Vandy was gonna run away with it; but both teams looked improved and ready to shock some people this year.

 

[Escambia94]

If we had Purifoy and Morrison I would feel better about making a prediction. Toledo's high pace offense will keep the game close unless the Gator defensive line can use and abuse the offensive line.
I say 27-14, good guys.

 

[NaffGutts]

Naff that Ole miss and Vandy game was great, I turned it off too early because I thought Vandy was gonna run away with it; but both teams looked improved and ready to shock some people this year.

yea, Ole Miss and Vandy both discovered some impact players in that game. I was so ready for football to start that i was prepared to watch a boring match lol, luckily it turned out to be an awesome match. #87 for Vanderbilt played his heart out

 

[NaffGutts]

getting in some more practice

^shots fired lol

 

[awebbf5]

Herbstreit just said on gameday that remember I told you Toledo upsets Florida in the swamp. With all the guys have suspended does anyone think we get upset?

 

[NaffGutts]

Herbstreit just said on gameday that remember I told you Toledo upsets Florida in the swamp. With all the guys have suspended does anyone think we get upset?

no, noon swamp heat alone with destroy Toledo lol. conditioning is a factor. other than that, i expect some anxiety and early bad plays, but i think we balance out and get it done

ps - probably see tons of cramping on both teams

 

[awebbf5]

no, noon swamp heat alone with destroy Toledo lol. conditioning is a factor. other than that, i expect some anxiety and early bad plays, but i think we balance out and get it done

ps - probably see tons of cramping on both teams

I really hope driskel comes out on fire,he is our guy.

 

[awebbf5]

Damn I'm So ready for kickoff, my sons game got canceled cause of thunderstorms. Mack brown getting the start, can't wait to see what he can do.

 

[NaffGutts]

defense showed up.

here comes offense

 

[NaffGutts]

i think we are seeing a balanced offense. running game is about to bust wide open

 

[NaffGutts]

damn i'm good