OGT 2024 Week 4: Florida Gators at Mississippi State Bulldogs

[DRU2012]

No matter what, I guess we should TRY to "enjoy" this win, our first in almost a year against a "power-conference team", and on the ROAD.
IF we win. Because we just gave up ANOTHER TD, against the backup freshman QB.
They have torn us UP on the ground all GAME.
WE are gonna get KILLED against some of the real powerhouse SEC teams ahead. That's how it is when you have a "wet noodle defense"!

 

[DRU2012]

So: One more long drive ought to do it here.
But as much as we've seen from our Offense against a crap defense, OUR crap defense is SO bad I'm not sure we'll win another game.
We will HAVE to OUTSCORE whomever we meet the rest of the way, just as we did here--and THEIR offenses will be a whole lot better than these guys, while their DEFENSES will be a whole lot better TOO. It doesn't bode well.
Even now, a bit more than 2 minutes left with a 2 TD lead, it feels like we need to keep pressing, go for it here on 4th down, to win this thing.
But not Billy. He has chosen similarly before.
Hate to say it, but even THAT was kind of candy ass. I don't know. I just resent having to feel poorly about an SEC win on the road.
Sigh. Well, we got a by-week, and then we face UCF with at least a CHANCE to win one more (it'd help to get Tre Wilson back--but after he had to get surgery, that may be too much to ask).
It is CLEAR that after UCF things look even tougher than they did before the season even got underway.
Worst Gator defense I have seen since 1979 (0-10-1 record). Now DJ Johnson goes down. One of the few bright spots on that unit.
I won't be watching the presser.

 

[DRU2012]

(NOTE: This defense couldn't even stop them in garbage time until the very end.
PREDICTION:
FINAL RECORD: 4-and-8.
Funny how Vegas so often gets it right!)

 

[Escambia94]

I stand corrected. This will be the last stat box with positive results.

	FLA	MSU
Points	45	28
1st Downs	28	30
3rd down efficiency	6-9	11-20
4th down efficiency	0-0	2-3
Total Yards	503	480
Passing	277	240
Comp/Att	26/28	20/34
Yards per pass	9.9	7.1
Interceptions thrown	0	0
Rushing	226	240
Rushing Attempts	36	56
Yards per rush	6.3	4.3
Penalties	6-24	8-70
Turnovers	1	1
Fumbles lost	1	1
Interceptions thrown	0	0
Possession	27:36	32:24

 

[DRU2012]

I stand corrected. This will be the last stat box with positive results.

	FLA	MSU
Points	45	28
1st Downs	28	30
3rd down efficiency	6-9	11-20
4th down efficiency	0-0	2-3
Total Yards	503	480
Passing	277	240
Comp/Att	26/28	20/34
Yards per pass	9.9	7.1
Interceptions thrown	0	0
Rushing	226	240
Rushing Attempts	36	56
Yards per rush	6.3	4.3
Penalties	6-24	8-70
Turnovers	1	1
Fumbles lost	1	1
Interceptions thrown	0	0
Possession	27:36	32:24

Yeah, I'm thinking the same thing.
(We MAY have one more shot after the bye-week, against CFU...but with OUR defense facing a better offense, and the Gator Offense presumably facing a better defense--THAT you CAN be sure of--Unless Billy can somehow use the extra week to pull a rabbit out of the hat, this just doesn't appear all that likely.)

 

[Leakfan12]

I'm pleasantly surprised by this, too soon to say the Gators could have winning record after the UCF game in two weeks?

 

[Escambia94]

I'm pleasantly surprised by this, too soon to say the Gators could have winning record after the UCF game in two weeks?

I love your optimism. I really do. I am nitpicking at this win but not enjoying as a win or possible sign of positive things to come. Go Gators.

 

[DRU2012]

I'm pleasantly surprised by this, too soon to say the Gators could have winning record after the UCF game in two weeks?

Possibly.
But then there is STILL our CRAP DEFENSE.
Yikes, we are putrid on that side of the ball!
The top SEC teams we face are gonna roll right OVER US. So even if we WERE to find ourselves with that "3-and-2" record in a couple of weeks, our time with that "winning record" will end shortly thereafter regardless.
And remember: Even the seeming "mostly dominant efficiency" we might think we were seeing out there yesterday in Starkville was in fact against a defense that is even weaker than OURS!
Oh, my friend, the worst is still to COME I'm afraid. This Gator squad overall has yet to bottom OUT here. I'm sorry: We will be pushed around in worse fashion CONSISTENTLY before this dismal season will be over.

 

[DRU2012]

Watched the replay (the most painful "SEC BLOWOUT Road Win" I have ever suffered through, by the way)...and basically, if MSU had been just slightly better (or just luckier) a team, we likely would have been tied at 35-35 when Trey lined up to kick that 47 yarder with just under 2 minutes left!
And even THAT may be optimistic.
I mean, OUR defense still sucks, and our offense continues to be unimaginative. Yes, we took what THEIR crap defense gave us, and both our QBs played efficient, mainly mistake-free football--but it still took a couple of breaks our way to avoid at LEAST a much closer game...or even another "catastrophic loss". All that DESPITE their losing their promising young starting QB in the 2nd half when they were in the middle of getting back in this game.
All in all, for us it did NOT show much in the way of progress or "reason for HOPE"!
In summation, more than EVER I can envision very little in the way of victories from the remainder of our schedule. Even UCF after the bye-week runs an up-tempo offense--exactly what our D is weakest against...and Billy's formulaicly predictable play-calling won't be fooling ANYONE down the line.
I'll say it again:
That original Vegas "over/under" of "4.5 wins" is looking spot-ON from here. I felt insulted by that forecast a month ago.
BUT: It will be very hard for this Gator unit to get past 4 wins the rest of the way.