His Advice On Florida This Week: Don’t Put Your Money Down On Either The Gators Or Gamecocks

By CARLTON REESE

No Kin To The Doorman

How selective our memories have become! The furor over Dan Mullen’s staying home during a critical recruiting period is somewhat amusing and quite a tell about the mentality of the average recruitnik. Imagine the date is Sept. 9, 2002 and one looks up at the Manhattan skyline and starts screaming about the removal of the Twin Towers – we would label this person a fool, would we not?

On Dec. 22, 2020, Mullen’s Gator football program was placed on probation by the NCAA for some minor recruiting violations. Among the penalties was Mullen being barred from all off-campus recruiting during the fall 2021 contact period. When the news broke, it broke nationally and all heard, but it seems few remembered. When it was heard Mullen did not make a recent recruiting trip, Gator fans on social media went nuts, apparently forgetting about the ban.

Funny, yes, but also telling about where the state of mind exists among many fans: at this point, many are looking for anything to create kindling around Dan Mullen.

As for the Doorman, he was in better spirits this week following a 5-2 mark among games listed, including 4-0 in underdog bets. I discovered him to be a pretty good tipper when he’s in a good mood.

Once again, he bet against Florida and once again cashed in rather handsomely, but he warns me that South Carolina is wagering poison at 2-5 against the spread this season. Considering the Gators are 3-5 against the spread, the 19-point line in UF’s favor is probably spot on and worth avoiding, at least according to the Doorman.

His advice on Florida this week: Don’t put your money down on either the Gators or Gamecocks.

To not cover 19 points on the road would not be an embarrassment and seems like a stretch for a UF team that may be suffering from some infighting and an injured quarterback. Since the Gators’ national championship season of 2008, the Gators have covered 19 points against South Carolina only once (in 2012), so where is all the confidence it could happen in what has turned into a forgettable 2021?

South Carolina’s wins this season have come against Eastern Illinois, East Carolina, Troy and Vanderbilt – not exactly Murderer’s Row. The losses have all been blowouts save a narrow defeat to Kentucky, so who knows? The Gators haven’t really beaten anybody, either, except maybe Tennessee which would probably be favored if the game were played today.

What this all means: Watch Saturday night’s game in comfort without putting any hard-earned money down.

This week’s selections of Carlton the Doorman:

Underdogs: Wake Forest plus 2.5 over North Carolina; Rice plus 6 over Charlotte; Middle Tennessee plus 15 over Western Kentucky; Auburn plus 4.5 over Texas A&M

Favorites: Pitt minus 21 over Duke; Cincinnati minus 22.5 over Tulsa; East Carolina minus 15.5 over Temple; Georgia minus 37.5 over Missouri.

This week’s margins of games of note:

SEC-- Georgia by 60.5 over Missouri; Alabama by 38 over LSU; Auburn by 4.5 over Texas A&M; Ole Miss by 21 over Liberty; Arkansas by 2.5 over Mississippi State; Kentucky by 3.5 over Tennessee; Florida by 18.5 over South Carolina.

Others—N.C. State by 13 over Florida State; Miami by 24.5 over Georgia Tech; Ohio State by 35 over Nebraska; Michigan by 25.5 over Indiana; Michigan State by 9 over Purdue; Iowa State by 5 over Texas; Utah by 18 over Stanford; Oregon by 9.5 over Washington; Arizona State by 15.5 over USC; Central Florida by 22 over Tulane; Houston by 28.5 over South Florida; FAU by 1 over Marshall; Old Dominion by 10 over FIU.

Top 10 Ratings:

1. Georgia (134)

2. Ohio State (129.5)

3. Alabama (128.5)

4. Auburn (102.5)

5. Cincinnati (97.5)

6. Oklahoma (95)

7. Ole Miss (89.5)

8. Texas A&M (87)

9. Penn State (87)

10. Pittsburgh (86.5)

SEC Ratings:

1. Georgia (134)

2. Alabama (128.5)

3. Auburn (102.5)

4. Ole Miss (89.5)

5. Texas A&M (87)

6. Mississippi State (72.5)

7. Arkansas (71)

8. Kentucky (62.5)

9. Tennessee (62)

10. LSU (59)

11. Florida (57.5)

12. Missouri (19)

13. South Carolina (14.5)

14. Vanderbilt (-25)