In 2022, a very good college football team had to travel across the country to open their season on the road. That team lost the game, but went on to win their conference and play in the Rose Bowl. Point being, it's VERY difficult to go on the road and win the first game of the season when you're not playing a lower level opponent. How else did a 2022 Gator team that went 6-7 beat 2022 Utah? Home field advantage combined with first game miscues that arise from not having the benefit of a "preseason" game against a patsy.
*Did Utah have a losing season after that tough opening road loss? No. Did UF prove by winning that opening game that they would have a great season? No. You just can't predict a season based on a game like that one. Just like LSU losing to FSU in Game 1 last year didn't mean they were going to suck all year.
Well... UF gets their "home jamboree" game this coming weekend. The staff will get their opportunity to prepare for a home game without having to use TWO travel days just to arrive. And as every team does, they will spend a good portion of THIS week getting ready for Tennessee, giving them essentially an extra week of prep for the big game.
** You can say that "travel" and "crowd noise" and "first game jitters" are just excuses from a sunshine-pumper... but if you really thought a UF team with 30 new players (including the QB) and missing their starting center was going to beat the defending PAC12 champion at their place in Game 1 just because they watched "Swamp Kings"... you're being completely irrational.
Could we have looked better? Sure. But a loss is a loss. Good teams move on and get better. Everyone knows the jump from Game 1 to Game 2 is huge.
Which brings us to Game 3: Tennessee.
At home. Where WE have all the advantages and no excuses.
In 2022, the same 6-7 Gator team went on the road in front of 100,000 hostile UT fans and gave that very good 11-2 team a dogfight until the end. UF lost a close one, but the team showed talent and fire and heart. If that game had been in Gainesville, UF certainly could have won it.
THIS YEAR IT IS IN GAINESVILLE.
If we win that game and get to 2-1 and 1-0 in the SEC East... everything is still in front of us. Order will be restored.
Am I guaranteeing victory? Of course not. Am I saying a loss should lead to firings? Of course not.
All I am saying is that we should all just WAIT and see what the UF team looks like in that game before we light our torches and storm the castle. That team needs to show fire, heart, discipline and look well-coached. THEN we can fairly judge what's going on.
BE THERE. BE LOUD.
In the meantime... be fair and patient.
*Did Utah have a losing season after that tough opening road loss? No. Did UF prove by winning that opening game that they would have a great season? No. You just can't predict a season based on a game like that one. Just like LSU losing to FSU in Game 1 last year didn't mean they were going to suck all year.
Well... UF gets their "home jamboree" game this coming weekend. The staff will get their opportunity to prepare for a home game without having to use TWO travel days just to arrive. And as every team does, they will spend a good portion of THIS week getting ready for Tennessee, giving them essentially an extra week of prep for the big game.
** You can say that "travel" and "crowd noise" and "first game jitters" are just excuses from a sunshine-pumper... but if you really thought a UF team with 30 new players (including the QB) and missing their starting center was going to beat the defending PAC12 champion at their place in Game 1 just because they watched "Swamp Kings"... you're being completely irrational.
Could we have looked better? Sure. But a loss is a loss. Good teams move on and get better. Everyone knows the jump from Game 1 to Game 2 is huge.
Which brings us to Game 3: Tennessee.
At home. Where WE have all the advantages and no excuses.
In 2022, the same 6-7 Gator team went on the road in front of 100,000 hostile UT fans and gave that very good 11-2 team a dogfight until the end. UF lost a close one, but the team showed talent and fire and heart. If that game had been in Gainesville, UF certainly could have won it.
THIS YEAR IT IS IN GAINESVILLE.
If we win that game and get to 2-1 and 1-0 in the SEC East... everything is still in front of us. Order will be restored.
Am I guaranteeing victory? Of course not. Am I saying a loss should lead to firings? Of course not.
All I am saying is that we should all just WAIT and see what the UF team looks like in that game before we light our torches and storm the castle. That team needs to show fire, heart, discipline and look well-coached. THEN we can fairly judge what's going on.
BE THERE. BE LOUD.
In the meantime... be fair and patient.
