UF quarterback Kyle Trask needs 180 yards passing in Saturday's SEC Championship Game to become the Gators' single-season career leader. (Photo: Hannah White/UAA Communications)
Gators Seek To Prove Doubters Wrong
Friday, December 18, 2020 | Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Gators have been on both ends of this conversation in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game.
In the game's 28-year history, the 1995 Gators remain the heaviest favorite to take the field. Undefeated Florida was a 24-point favorite against Arkansas and covered, beating the Razorbacks 34-3. On the flip side, the 2016 Gators stepped inside the Georgia Dome as a 23.5-point underdog against No. 1-ranked Alabama. The Crimson Tide proved worthy of the spread, dominating the Gators in a 54-16 victory.
That leads us to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Saturday night, where for the 10th time in the game's history, seventh-ranked Florida (8-2) and top-ranked Alabama (10-0) will meet to decide the conference champion. The oddsmakers have Alabama as a 17-point favorite, a gap that undoubtedly grew following the Gators' stunning 37-34 home loss to LSU last week.
While the matchup is drawing comparisons to the last two between these programs in Atlanta – the aforementioned 2016 blowout and Alabama's 29-15 win over the Gators in 2015 – this Florida team is deserving of more respect than the previous two UF teams to win SEC East titles.
The Gators have lost two games by a combined six points, both losses coming in the final seconds on game-winning field goals – Texas A&M kicker Seth Small's 26-yarder on the game's final play and a 57-yarder by LSU's Cade York with 27 seconds left last week.
The loss to LSU stung deep and perhaps cost the Gators any shot at their first berth in the College Football Playoff. Still, as others cast them aside in the playoff conversation, head coach Dan Mullen and his players basically told everyone: we're still here and ready to put up a fight.
"Our guys have responded well to all the different adversities all year long," Mullen said. "It's been a very, very difficult year with everything that's going on. I'm proud of everything they've done to give us this opportunity. I can't wait to watch them go enjoy the moment and go have fun on Saturday."
For the Gators to upset Alabama and win the program's first SEC title since 2008, most of the heavy lifting is expected to be done by the offense. Quarterback Kyle Trask and his counterpart, Crimson Tide quarterback Mac Jones, are the Heisman front-runners. Alabama receiver DeVonta Smith has emerged as a Heisman candidate too with 1,327 yards receiver and 15 touchdowns.
Trask is coming off one of his best – a career-high-tying 474 yards and two touchdowns, surpassing Danny Wuerffel for the single-season record (40) in school history – and worst games. Trask threw two interceptions and lost a fumble, mistakes that led to 13 LSU points.
Trask spent much of the week answering questions about how the Gators can rebound and beat an Alabama team that is averaging 49.2 points a game, tops in the SEC and third in the country. As a true freshman in 2016, Trask stood on the sidelines at the Georgia Dome relaying in signals.
He was three years away from getting a regular opportunity to play, but the trip to the SEC Championship Game made a lasting impression. He still carries the souvenir backpack he received in the players' gift package.
"It's getting a little beat up, I'm not going to lie,'' Trask said. "I always told myself I'm not going to switch backpacks until we get back here. I'll get to do that this year."
As for that team and this team, Trask sees more differences than similarities.
"This team right now is just so explosive,'' he said. "I think we have one of the best offenses in the country. I think we can play with anybody in the country if we are playing out our best."
Florida is averaging 41.2 points a game, which is second in the SEC, and leads the nation in passing offense (386.4 ypg). Under head coach Nick Saban, Alabama has built a dynasty led largely by the defense. This year's Crimson Tide remains stout on defense (340.1 ypg, ranked 27th nationally), but the offense is every bit as good as Florida's, leading the conference (537.8 ypg) behind Jones, Smith and leading rusher Najee Harris (1,084 yards).
Many expect a shootout on Saturday night in front of a COVID-reduced capacity crowd of 16,500.
"They've got some great skill guys,'' said Alabama coach Nick Saban, who is 9-0 all-time against Mullen. "Trask does a fantastic job. Kadarius Toney is a mismatch player. [Kyle] Pitts is a tough mismatch player. What Dan does is he really utilizes his personnel well, moves people around, tries to create mismatches with formations and shifts. Makes it difficult for the defense to adjust.
"It's going to be a real challenge for us to be able to execute the way we need to against a very, very good team."
Alabama has played much better defensively in the second half of the season, limiting opponents to just 36 points the last five games. However, the Crimson Tide hasn't faced an offense as explosive as Florida's over that span. Earlier this season, in a 63-48 win over Ole Miss, Alabama allowed a season-high 647 yards. Ole Miss gained 613 yards in a 51-35 loss to the Gators in the season opener.
The largest takeaway for the Gators after the loss to LSU was that it can't replicate the three-turnover performance against the Tigers. Florida failed to produce a turnover on defense for the second consecutive game, which adds extra pressure on the offense to perform at a high level.
Offensive coordinator Brian Johnson worked in practice with a sense of urgency this week to clean up the issues.
"Any time you play a game like that it just makes you absolutely sick to your stomach,'' Johnson said. "Everybody kind of had a hand in us not playing to the best of our ability. It's really unfortunate and very, very disappointing to come out and put on a performance like that. When you leave 22 points in red-zone opportunities and you turn the ball over three times, that's not a recipe for success.
"So, we've got a great opportunity this week to come out on the stage in primetime and play the No. 1 team in America and put on a show."
Not many are giving them a chance, but that's OK with the Gators.
"Being underdog just makes you go harder," linebacker Ventrell Miller said. "That's how I feel. You'll be surprised on Saturday what happens, I would say."
Johnson may have said it best.
"Getting there is an accomplishment, but that ain't the goal."
In the game's 28-year history, the 1995 Gators remain the heaviest favorite to take the field. Undefeated Florida was a 24-point favorite against Arkansas and covered, beating the Razorbacks 34-3. On the flip side, the 2016 Gators stepped inside the Georgia Dome as a 23.5-point underdog against No. 1-ranked Alabama. The Crimson Tide proved worthy of the spread, dominating the Gators in a 54-16 victory.
That leads us to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Saturday night, where for the 10th time in the game's history, seventh-ranked Florida (8-2) and top-ranked Alabama (10-0) will meet to decide the conference champion. The oddsmakers have Alabama as a 17-point favorite, a gap that undoubtedly grew following the Gators' stunning 37-34 home loss to LSU last week.
While the matchup is drawing comparisons to the last two between these programs in Atlanta – the aforementioned 2016 blowout and Alabama's 29-15 win over the Gators in 2015 – this Florida team is deserving of more respect than the previous two UF teams to win SEC East titles.
The Gators have lost two games by a combined six points, both losses coming in the final seconds on game-winning field goals – Texas A&M kicker Seth Small's 26-yarder on the game's final play and a 57-yarder by LSU's Cade York with 27 seconds left last week.
The loss to LSU stung deep and perhaps cost the Gators any shot at their first berth in the College Football Playoff. Still, as others cast them aside in the playoff conversation, head coach Dan Mullen and his players basically told everyone: we're still here and ready to put up a fight.
"Our guys have responded well to all the different adversities all year long," Mullen said. "It's been a very, very difficult year with everything that's going on. I'm proud of everything they've done to give us this opportunity. I can't wait to watch them go enjoy the moment and go have fun on Saturday."
For the Gators to upset Alabama and win the program's first SEC title since 2008, most of the heavy lifting is expected to be done by the offense. Quarterback Kyle Trask and his counterpart, Crimson Tide quarterback Mac Jones, are the Heisman front-runners. Alabama receiver DeVonta Smith has emerged as a Heisman candidate too with 1,327 yards receiver and 15 touchdowns.
Trask is coming off one of his best – a career-high-tying 474 yards and two touchdowns, surpassing Danny Wuerffel for the single-season record (40) in school history – and worst games. Trask threw two interceptions and lost a fumble, mistakes that led to 13 LSU points.
Trask spent much of the week answering questions about how the Gators can rebound and beat an Alabama team that is averaging 49.2 points a game, tops in the SEC and third in the country. As a true freshman in 2016, Trask stood on the sidelines at the Georgia Dome relaying in signals.
He was three years away from getting a regular opportunity to play, but the trip to the SEC Championship Game made a lasting impression. He still carries the souvenir backpack he received in the players' gift package.
"It's getting a little beat up, I'm not going to lie,'' Trask said. "I always told myself I'm not going to switch backpacks until we get back here. I'll get to do that this year."
As for that team and this team, Trask sees more differences than similarities.
"This team right now is just so explosive,'' he said. "I think we have one of the best offenses in the country. I think we can play with anybody in the country if we are playing out our best."
Florida is averaging 41.2 points a game, which is second in the SEC, and leads the nation in passing offense (386.4 ypg). Under head coach Nick Saban, Alabama has built a dynasty led largely by the defense. This year's Crimson Tide remains stout on defense (340.1 ypg, ranked 27th nationally), but the offense is every bit as good as Florida's, leading the conference (537.8 ypg) behind Jones, Smith and leading rusher Najee Harris (1,084 yards).
Many expect a shootout on Saturday night in front of a COVID-reduced capacity crowd of 16,500.
"They've got some great skill guys,'' said Alabama coach Nick Saban, who is 9-0 all-time against Mullen. "Trask does a fantastic job. Kadarius Toney is a mismatch player. [Kyle] Pitts is a tough mismatch player. What Dan does is he really utilizes his personnel well, moves people around, tries to create mismatches with formations and shifts. Makes it difficult for the defense to adjust.
"It's going to be a real challenge for us to be able to execute the way we need to against a very, very good team."
Alabama has played much better defensively in the second half of the season, limiting opponents to just 36 points the last five games. However, the Crimson Tide hasn't faced an offense as explosive as Florida's over that span. Earlier this season, in a 63-48 win over Ole Miss, Alabama allowed a season-high 647 yards. Ole Miss gained 613 yards in a 51-35 loss to the Gators in the season opener.
The largest takeaway for the Gators after the loss to LSU was that it can't replicate the three-turnover performance against the Tigers. Florida failed to produce a turnover on defense for the second consecutive game, which adds extra pressure on the offense to perform at a high level.
Offensive coordinator Brian Johnson worked in practice with a sense of urgency this week to clean up the issues.
"Any time you play a game like that it just makes you absolutely sick to your stomach,'' Johnson said. "Everybody kind of had a hand in us not playing to the best of our ability. It's really unfortunate and very, very disappointing to come out and put on a performance like that. When you leave 22 points in red-zone opportunities and you turn the ball over three times, that's not a recipe for success.
"So, we've got a great opportunity this week to come out on the stage in primetime and play the No. 1 team in America and put on a show."
Not many are giving them a chance, but that's OK with the Gators.
"Being underdog just makes you go harder," linebacker Ventrell Miller said. "That's how I feel. You'll be surprised on Saturday what happens, I would say."
Johnson may have said it best.
"Getting there is an accomplishment, but that ain't the goal."
Players Mentioned
Game Time presented by Tower Hill Insurance 10-10-25
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Up Next presented by UF Health 10-10-25
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J. Michael Sturdivant Media Availability 10-8-25
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Billy Napier Press Conference 10-8-25
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