ATLANTA — On Dec. 5, 2014, Jim McElwain stepped off of a UAA private plane at the Gainesville Regional Airport.
ATLANTA — The last time Florida had a punt and a field goal blocked in the same game was against South Carolina last season, ultimately costing former coach Will Muschamp his job.
ATLANTA -- There weren’t many who expected the Gators to show up in Atlanta and roll the Crimson Tide.
Barring an unforeseen mangling of the College Football Playoff rankings, Florida enters Saturday’s Southeastern Conference Championship Game solely focused on the 60 minutes of play and not on any championship possibilities, giving UF a chance to play spoiler of the Crimson Tide’s postseason dreams.
Florida’s offensive line has seen its share of ups and downs throughout the season.
Standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing in around 240 pounds, Alabama running back Derrick Henry is built like a linebacker, but he’s quick enough and powerful enough to run through you with the momentum of a high-speeding semi truck down a highway.
Jim McElwain’s dead fish analogy isn’t something new.
Demarcus Robinson now has another opportunity.
When No. 18 Florida and No. 2 Alabama face off in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game at 4 p.m. Saturday, it’ll be the eighth matchup between the two for the conference crown. The Gators own the all-time record against the Crimson Tide in the title game, 4-3. Here’s a look at how the other matchups panned out.
In the second quarter of Saturday’s game against Florida State, UF defensive back Jalen Tabor came inches away from knocking down a pass on fourth down.
Quarterback Treon Harris has failed to move Florida’s offense over the last month.
Saturday’s Southeastern Conference Championship Game is the most concrete evidence to date that the Gators have returned to the national spotlight sooner than anyone could have anticipated.
With the regular season now in the rearview mirror, the No. 12 Gators (10-2) will head to Atlanta for a matchup against No. 2 Alabama (11-1) with the Southeastern Conference Championship on the line.
Florida’s 27-2 loss to FSU in the team’s regular-season finale temporarily erased the memories of a promising season in Gainesville under first-year UF coach Jim McElwain.
Prior to No. 12 Florida’s second possession of its 27-2 loss to No. 13 Florida State on Saturday, a former UF great, running back Fred Taylor, took the field to be honored as UF’s 2015 Southeastern Conference Living Legend.
For yet another week, the Gators’ offense struggled to support its defense.
Technically, the Gators avoided the trap by beating Florida Atlantic, albeit barely.
Florida’s rush defense is one of the best in the country, but going into its rivalry game against Florida State, and against one of the best running backs in the country, the Gators’ defensive line will be limping into Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Site: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (Cap. 88,548)
What Johnny Townsend has done for the Gators this year is incredible.
Solutions by The State News
