Things are starting to get a little tight around the Florida football program following Saturday's 23-20 victory over Arkansas.
"(There is) a lot of pressure on this team to perform on a very high level - on these coaches, on the trainers, on the weight coaches, on the secretaries, on everyone associated with our program, a lot of pressure," coach Urban Meyer said. "And I love that."
With 21 of their top 22 players on defense and seven offensive starters coming back, a trip to a third national title game in four years almost looked like a foregone conclusion for the Gators in the preseason.
But at the halfway point of the season, things seem to be a little more uncertain for UF (6-0, 4-0 Southeastern Conference).
Without a reliable passing attack, the Gators have leaned heavily on the run - specifically Tim Tebow.
The quarterback leads Florida in rushing attempts this year with 99 and has carried the ball more than running backs Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey combined (94).
The Gators have a minus 2 turnover differential on the season and rank 76th in the nation in red-zone efficiency.
During last year's championship run, Florida scored 91 percent of the time in the red zone, coming away with touchdowns 75 percent of the time. UF's red-zone efficiency has dropped to 80 percent this year, and the Gators are scoring touchdowns just 50 percent of the time.
UF failed to score from inside opponent's 20-yard line just six times last year. It has already matched that through six games this season.
"I see guys pressing," Meyer said. "I feel it around the office. We want to play perfect because the expectation level is to play at an extremely high level."
Florida lost eight fumbles all of last year. It has already coughed up the ball nine times this season, including four against the Razorbacks - two of which came in the red zone. Tebow lost the ball on the Arkansas 9, and Aaron Hernandez fumbled at the 5-yard line.
Are the expectations starting to take their toll on UF?
"I think it started in '06. It probably happened here at Florida in the '90s, when a guy named Steve Spurrier started winning at an extremely high level," Meyer said. "And he even said that to me one time, 'You got a little problem when 10 wins isn't enough.'"
