Official Game Thread, Week 13: #11 Florida Gators vs FSU Seminoles - Nov 24, 2018

[DRU2012]

Also, did anyone see this?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nc...worthy-flop-against-fsu/ar-BBQ2XCZ?li=BBnba9I

Lol Saw it when it happened--and the best part right then is that they had a camera isolated on COACH MULLEN when it did, and I saw that first: They cut to that as whistles blew on action towards end of the play, so what you mostly saw FIRST was Coach Dan suddenly breaking into a broad-grinned chuckle as he watched the action... THEN they showed the whole end-of-play action right through, now with Feleipe's rather belated and weak, delayed-action "Oh--he-HIT-me!"-flop. Funny, but Coach's giggling appreciation even funnier.

 

[DRU2012]

I'm hoping for 10-3 with the bowl game.

Of COURSE--WHOMEVER that turns out to be against, and WHERE.
I just hope Coach & Co. can get this group ready, fully focused and determined to FINISH STRONG no matter WHAT BOWL or WHO WE PLAY in it...THAT'S why UCF may end up being a "TRAP GAME" for ANYONE: THEY will go into it as their "BIG ONE", a "NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP" (albeit a PSEUDO-one) against a supposed "TOP-Rated Opponent" who themselves (ourselves included, if it WERE us, for example) in truth KNOW THEY ARE NOT, and won't approach the game in question itself in that way AT ALL--for just about anyone they face, it'll just be "a nice consolation -Bowl", for many of their front-line players their sendoff to the draft, and NOT a game they will risk "Do or DIE"-effort in...but ALSO a widely-watched showcase for "The Underdogs" (gleefully played by the Knights), with that opponent playing the part of "arrogant bullies out to end their Cinderella story".
If you beat them, well, you are spoilers who just did what was expected of you; but LOSE and you are the over-rated butt of numerous jokes and happy dismissal-of-worthiness for weeks to come, at the very LEAST.
No, as I've warned before now, I suppose WHOMEVER offered must TAKE the no-doubt high-profile, widely hyped and watched event (it's SHOW Biz--You go after the publicity--"Just get the NAME right!"), but personally, it'd be OK with me if that "honor" was bestowed on someone ELSE, and WE were now offered something else in that "New Years Six Major Bowl" group--perhaps a notch less opportunity/publicity there, but also substantially less risk of notoriety-in-defeat associated with it, too.

 

[DRU2012]

(Now that their QB-leader is out, the whole UCF thing becomes even MORE the classic "CAN'T WIN" scenario...Right? Y'all see it.
It's all a potential set up for no credit in winning, blame, little gain in at large respect, either--and whoa be to the "major" program that loses to them now. Yeah, of the major teams that otherwise get bids, the "LOSER" in the "which,where-against-who"- lottery draws UCF.
BUT it's fun to find ourselves among even THIS much of the party. Now, I assume like everyone else here that this is just a stop on the way back--so being glad and happy that we're basically still in the SECOND tier of talent on the national level isn't about reaching any goal yet. We got there FAST and so all in all, we gotta see this as a successful season now no matter what else happens on the field from here. Successful as a marker and yes, a reward--but NOT one we will settle for. I don't know exactly the pace or details of all we are working towards, but it isn't just our idea.
Mullen came here for, was hired to accomplish, and in general terms, the assumed aim always was and IS to keep getting better, get what they need and do what needs doing--til they are satisfied, and I have a strong feeling that we will LOVE what this team will look like if and when he and they are "satisfied".
So for now we ENJOY this place we just watched our guys EARN, for themselves AND all of us.

 

[Escambia94]

(Now that their QB-leader is out, the whole UCF thing becomes even MORE the classic "CAN'T WIN" scenario...Right? Y'all see it.
It's all a potential set up for no credit in winning, blame, little gain in at large respect, either--and whoa be to the "major" program that loses to them now. Yeah, of the major teams that otherwise get bids, the "LOSER" in the "which,where-against-who"- lottery draws UCF.
BUT it's fun to find ourselves among even THIS much of the party. Now, I assume like everyone else here that this is just a stop on the way back--so being glad and happy that we're basically still in the SECOND tier of talent on the national level isn't about reaching any goal yet. We got there FAST and so all in all, we gotta see this as a successful season now no matter what else happens on the field from here. Successful as a marker and yes, a reward--but NOT one we will settle for. I don't know exactly the pace or details of all we are working towards, but it isn't just our idea.
Mullen came here for, was hired to accomplish, and in general terms, the assumed aim always was and IS to keep getting better, get what they need and do what needs doing--til they are satisfied, and I have a strong feeling that we will LOVE what this team will look like if and when he and they are "satisfied".
So for now we ENJOY this place we just watched our guys EARN, for themselves AND all of us.

I call bullshit on UCF. I would spot them any QB in the history of American football, and I still think UF kicks their asses in. UF is not back amongst the pantheon of FBS teams like Alabama or even Ohio State, but UF is good enough to beat UCF. I would rather see UCF get left out in the cold, but if anyone deserves to knock them off their high horse it is UF.

 

[DRU2012]

OK. LOVE your attitude--and all in all HOPE the confidence behind it is warranted...Bearing in mind our own PRIVATE concerns regarding the emotional maturity (and possibly flagging attention and priorities among some albeit talented upperclassmen on the current Gator roster). But I KNOW you are right from a man-for-man, quality of competition point-of-view--Will enthusiastically GO with it and would DAMN WELL HOPE it went EXACTLY as you say, if that's our eventual road.
I too would prefer they not get the opportunity in the first place, like many RESENT their "easy-road access" and even MORE their whining about it not being ENOUGH over-credited already! But it is that dichotomy between all the fans of programs who hate their over-hyped version of "the easy way out", and the
ignorant "root for the underdog" yammering of all the rest out there, the mass of casual "sports fans" who follow-the-REST en masse in cheering for the latest "little guys fighting the wealthy and powerful" (you know, like voting in a billionaire because supposedly "he's an outsider", which these days could describe candidates from EITHER supposed "opposite side", btw)...Sorry, I generally stay well away from ANY politics here, but know no better current shorthand for the dumb, kneejerk emotional reaction we are dealing with here...My POINT is that UCF is in fact by now one of the largest such institutions in Florida in terms of enrollment alone--yet manage to claim the role of "beaten down underdog taking on the powerful COLLEGE FOOTBALL ESTABLISHMENT", so a huge number of otherwise-bored fans no longer with much direct connection with a "dog in the fight" will root for them and HATE their opponent for crushing them, if/when they do (a role I am perfectly comfortable with for us, should it come our way), while meanwhile all the fans and followers of MAJOR programs will be rooting for, COUNTING on whomever IS their actual opponent to DO the crushing, come the day, for all the reasons we already know and feel ourselves. I'm just not sure I am interested in seeing us wrapped up in all the complicated emotional baggage embedded in this whole argument and now entangled in the normal mostly pure FUN of "rooting for your team"...

 

[Escambia94]

My final comment on this game centers on Feleipe Franks. That kid just won a metric ton of respect from the Gator Nation. Check out this comparison of all the average Gator QB versus FSU this past decade:

• Florida QBs (2010-2017): 16-30, 137 yards, 0.9 TD, 1.3 INT, QB Rating = 92.5
• Feleipe Franks (2018): 16-26, 254 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT, QB Rating = 181.7

Also check out my other post that ranks Franks near the top of all Gator QBs in the past decade. If you want eliminate Franks' 2017 season, his career passer rating is slightly higher than Chris Leak and slightly lower than Will Grier.

 

[DRU2012]

Not only "agree", but have examined, considered and responded TO both the "numbers" and my overall impressions of Feleipe's very real and observed ongoing improvement--and the very "growing respect" you mention.
( @Escambia94, See my reaction and comments on all of the above and more in my response to your latest post concerning Feleipe over on "Gator Quarterbacks since 1993")