Alligator Alley

“FSU HATE WEEK”

Its about damn time.

What I Know:
For the first time in a several years UF vs FSU means something again. The winner will not only take home bragging rights and the title of Florida’s top team, but also National title aspirations and a solid top ten ranking. Our Gators, after 2 years of fielding an underwhelming mess, finally have a team again.

A team that has gone 10-1 on the year thus far and undefeated at home for only the third time in school history. A team that has overcome multiple injuries to not just win, but win over top ten teams. A team that has overcome the odd’s, overcome the predictions, overcome the haters and the media and the fair weather fans, just to say F.N.B. A team that has bought into it’s coach rather than rebel against him. Our Gators are a team again.

Man up, man down has been a phrase that the Gators haven’t just preached this year, but also practiced. With a mash unit for an O-line our Gators went 6 -1. With a back up QB our Gators went 2-0. All year they’ve dealt with a beat up Gilly and a sidelined All-American at LB. They overcame a talented FS that can’t keep his off the field activities from derailing his promising future and a talented WR who was expected to make a splash this year, but hasn’t done anything but sink. Instead of letting any of this drag them down, they’ve just stepped up.

Unknowns like Patton have become hero’s. Underachievers, Watkins and Purifoy have become all world. Underused Gilly might be our first 1,000 yard rusher since Fason, even though he’s been injured since week two and underappreciated Muschamp was told he was in over his head and now his team is #4 and in the National title race.

This years Gator team was built on defense and ball control and they’ve delivered. They might not win big, but they still get the W. It’s not pretty, but its been effective.

This week, our Gators might be facing it’s biggest test yet. 0-2 in the past two years against the Noles our Gators are heading to Zook field looking for revenge. It’s been a great year, but this is the game our Gators want most. It’s about damn time this game got here.

It’s about damn time to take back Florida.

My Prediction:

Our Gators do what they set out to do this year and they reclaim the state of Florida. The defense plays with intensity for four quarters. EJ Manuel starts to resemble Troy Smith. Gilly get’s his O-line back and has an LSU like performance. Fowler gets multiple sacks. Easley bends ‘em over and breaks their will.

Driskel, once again, seals the W with a big run.

Gators____17 Noles____13

Who ya got GOONS?