Florida-South Carolina: Gators Hoping To End Season On A Happy Note For Senior Day

A Florida win makes the Gators bowl eligible and avenges an embarrassing 40-17 loss at the hands of an undermanned South Carolina team which was the beginning of the end of the Dan Mullen Era.

Loren Meadows

Gatorbatmedia.com, Football Analyst

The Florida Gators welcome the South Carolina Gamecocks to The Swamp for an SEC showdown with big postseason implications. The Gators (5-4) are coming off a huge road win at Texas A&M, which saw its defense play its best half of football since Week 1.

Along with the superb second-half effort of the defense, quarterback Anthony Richardson played turnover-free football for the third straight week while accounting for four touchdowns in the Gator win. South Carolina will arrive in Gainesville at 6-3, coming off an 11-point victory at Vanderbilt. The winner Saturday will be in position to finish in third place in the SEC West and set themselves up for a solid matchup in one of the SEC’s better bowl games. A Florida win makes the Gators bowl eligible and avenges an embarrassing 40-17 loss at the hands of an undermanned South Carolina team which was the beginning of the end of the Dan Mullen Era.

South Carolina will be looking for its first two-game win streak against the Gators since consecutive victories the 2013 and 2014 seasons. With the opportunity to spend the holidays at home, Florida has plenty to tune in for on Saturday afternoon.

South Carolina Offense: Much of the Gamecocks success and failure has hinged on the play of quarterback Spencer Rattler (#7, 6-1, 215). Rattler who transferred from Oklahoma has been up and down in his first season in Columbia. Rattler is completing 64.5 percent of his passes but has thrown only eight touchdown passes against nine interceptions. The former top rated QB and reality TV star was solid in last outing going 18 for 26 and three touchdowns against Vanderbilt. While Rattler has been inconsistent his top target has been junior receiver Antwane Wells Jr. (#3, 6-1, 207. Wells Jr. a former FCS All-American at James Madison, transferred to South Carolina as one of the Dukes most prolific receivers in school history and lead the team with 41 catches and four touchdowns including two touchdowns last week against Vanderbilt.

Despite the ability of Rattler and Wells Jr., the Gamecocks' two best players could be the running back tandem of MarShawn Lloyd (#1, 5-9, 212) and Lake City native Jaheim Bell (#0, 6-3, 232). Lloyd is a stout back with “make you miss finishing speed,” according to Billy Napier. Lloyd leads the team in scoring this season with 11 total touchdowns but was unavailable last week against Vanderbilt with a thigh contusion. Lloyd returned to practice this week and will look to go against the Gators. In his absence Bell, who has also spent time at tight end filled in to carry the ball 16 times for 56 yards. While not over productive Bell was key in protecting Spencer Rattler and allowing the Gamecocks to move the ball through the air.

South Carolina is 5-0 when this season when rushing for over 100 yards. The Gators are giving up over 185 rushing yards per game. This could most likely be the ultimate key to victory. Rattler has been prone to throw the ball to the other team when the offense is put in 2nd and Long, and 3rd and Long situations. Without Lloyd the Gamecocks were still able to generate 208 yards rushing last week, if he returns look for South Carolina to get him involved early. How much he is limited will certainly be a factor. Defensively the Gators are coming off of their best half of football allowing only 106 yards and zero points in the second half at College Station. If they are able to pressure the mistake prone Rattler, Florida will be able to generate turnovers, which is what they do best. Leading the SEC in takeaways with 18.

Ventrell Miller hopes to pen up a Rattler. (Chris Spear Photo)

South Carolina Defense: The Gamecocks are a middle-of-the-road defense that has produced mixed results this season. Despite injuries in the secondary, South Carolina is giving up less than 200 yards through the air this season. Nickelback Cam Smith (#9, 6-0, 188) is as future NFL draft pick who has battled injuries all season but was a second team All-SEC pick in 2021. Smith will be a game time decision on Saturday. With the injuries in the secondary, true freshman Nick Emmanwori (#21, 6-4, 218) has filled in to lead South Carolina in total tackles (60). Emmanwori, a linebacker in high school is very comfortable in the box and could be tasked with the responsibility of keeping eyes on Richardson should he leave the pocket. The Gamecock secondary will also get a boost from Central Michigan transfer Devonni Reed (#3, 5-11, 200) who returns after missing last week’s contest. Reed started 41 games in the MAC and is a veteran presence in the secondary. In the front seven Jordan Burch (#6, 6-6, 275) and Gilbert Edmund (#8, 6-5, 255) have combined for 5.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss off the edge. At linebacker, sixth-year senior Sherrod Greene has returned from an injury plagued 2020 and 2021 seasons to accumulate 43 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks.

The Gators will look to build upon its strong showing last week that saw them generate 492 total yards off offense in College Station. The Gators will look to play “complementary football” and once again establish the run with the duo of Montrell Johnson Jr., and Trevor Etienne. South Carolina is near the bottom of the SEC against the run while the Gators feature the third best running game in the conference. Who can impose their will upfront could be the determining factor in this matchup of like-minded teams. Florida is starting to see its depth tested at the receiver position as Keon Zipperer and Ja’Quavion Fraziars are out and Justin Shorter has been limited. However, Richardson seems to be finding a rhythm with Ricky Pearsall who averaged over 21 yards per catch last week. Shorter should return this week, and with Pearsall and Xzavier Henderson is building a solid receiver trio for the Gators.

Xzavier Henderson is becoming a go-to target for Anthony Richardson (Chris Spears photo)

The Skinny: Many thought that the Gators as they currently are constructed would be lucky to win six games and make it to a bowl game. A win against South Carolina this Saturday would make that thought a reality. However, a win on Saturday allows for the Gators to make a run towards what others thought could be a possible eight or nine-win season. Richardson is coming off arguably his best performance as a Gator as well but has yet to have a signature performance in an SEC game at home. On Saturday, Richardson will give the seniors and the Gator faithful what they have been waiting for. Billy Napier has played the long game with this football team allowing them to use wins and losses as individual opportunities for evaluation and improvement. On Wednesday, Napier stated that he is not sure his team “will ever play the perfect game” but likes the effort they make in search of it. Rattler will challenge the Gator defense, but this opportunistic bunch has found a way to steal an average of at least two each game. Florida bends but doesn’t break and has its best performance defending the run against a limited Gamecock backfield. Richardson and company continue to grow offensively, Pearsall and Henderson score one each and the Gamecocks go to 5-1 when rushing for 100 yards.

Prediction Florida 38, South Carolina 27