Numbers Don't Lie
Numbers don't lie except when they do! When we got into the media room after the game on Saturday, the staff handed us a stat sheet. I couldn't believe the numbers could be accurate. That wasn't the game I had just watched with my eyes. It couldn't have been that game. Let me show you what I mean.
First downs: South Carolina 22, Florida 20
Rushing yards: South Carolina 114, Florida 120
Passing yards: South Carolina 279, Florida 267
Total yards: South Carolina 393, Florida 387
Do those numbers look like they belong to a 38-19 score?
What in the world happened to make this game a lopsided affair that ended in a statistical draw? The biggest number might be the number 3, as in 3 Gator turnovers. Philo fumbled on a drive deep in the Gamecocks' end of the field to stop one drive. The interception from Philo late in the second quarter gave South Carolina a short field and a missed opportunity to stop them on third down led to a touchdown for SC. A missed fourth down in the fourth quarter gave them another short field that led to a quick touchdown for the visitors. The interception thrown by Jones was also in the SC end of the field although by that time the game was really over.
The Gator defense held the SEC's leading rushing offense to 114 rushing yards. What they couldn't do was keep the Gamecocks from reaching their scoring average, which they edged by less than a point. Take away those two short fields and the defense didn't have a bad game on paper. They were just terrible on 3rd down plays and really bad on a few pass plays that netted most of the yards for the Gamecocks.
The Gator offense could not find the end zone as it had in previous games. On a day when scoring was essential, the Gators settled for field goals while the Gamecocks were scoring touchdowns. The Gators were 27 points below their season average. Granted, that average is skewed by the first couple of games but even if they averaged what they did on the first two SEC games and got 48 that would have been enough to win. The opportunity to score was there, but in the end the Gators stopped themselves as much as SC did.
The missed field goal right before half may have been bigger than we imagined at the time. From the description of the locker room at the half that was given by Coach Sumrall today in his press conference, it may have been the key play of the game. If he makes that kick and they go in down 4 and getting the ball to start the second half, maybe momentum comes out in the white jersey. Settling for a field goal on the first drive instead of a game-tying touchdown didn't help as well. We all know what happened after that!
The final score numbers don't lie, but the rest of the stats leave a story of missed opportunities and mystery. Our eyes told us one story, and the hard data tells another one. Maybe the Gators are closer than we think to being a good football team. A handful of plays could have made the difference in the outcome and the perception of this team. Time will tell if the players believe the stats or the film. The same is true for Gator fans. It won't be any easier this week when they head to Austin to face the Longhorns. Keep watching for some more numbers later in the week that may give you a glimmer of hope Gator fans!
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