The perception is the Gators are willing to open up the offense

(Photo by Chris Spears)

Sometimes it’s all about perceptions. Saturday against Georgia, the Gators gained 281 yards of offense, which is about what you might expect if Billy Napier were still the head coach. Napier offenses tended to be dull and predictable. Some might even say boring almost to the point of being the cure for insomnia. Saturday, however, the only real predictability was obvious passing or short yardage-run situations.

Napier wasn’t calling the plays so perhaps that has something to do with why the offense at least gave the perception that it is capable of excitement and big plays. Unlike a Napier-called offense, the game plan put together by interim head coach Billy Gonzales, quarterback coach/play caller Ryan O’Hara and offensive coordinator Russ Callaway seemed capable of delivering big plays, especially in the passing game.

In the first half alone, the Gators threw the ball downfield six times. That may not sound like much, but it’s double in one half the number of downfield shots the Gators took the entire game against Miami back in game three. Throughout the game, DJ Lagway was looking to stretch the Georgia defense and back the safeties off the line of scrimmage.

Take the game’s most controversial play for instance. In the fourth quarter with the Gators trailing, 24-20, Lagway was chased out of the pocket by Georgia’s blitz-heavy pass rush that presented more bodies than the Gators had blockers. Rolling left outside the pocket and about to be sacked, Lagway launched a pass that traveled 38 yards in the air. J Michael Sturdivant appeared to make the catch but replay ruled against him and the Gators.

Sturdivant, it turned out, was the fourth receiver in the progression according to Lagway. Such a concept. Pass routes downfield that have more than one potential receiver.

That the pass was incomplete was a downer for Florida fans who feel they were jobbed by SEC officials and the replay booth. However angry Gator fans were, they left Ever Bank Stadium feeling much better about the direction of the offense. Perceptions are that the Gators will be more aggressive in the final four games.

Aggressive enough to win three of the last four to make a bowl game? That remains to be seen but the approach against Georgia was refreshing. Yards were tough to come by, that’s for sure, but it wasn’t because the offensive approach was too conservative.

Associated Press top 25: 1. Ohio State 8-0; 2. Indiana 9-0; 3. Texas A&M 8-0; 4. Alabama 7-1; 5. Georgia 7-1; 6. Oregon 7-1; 7. Ole Miss 8-1; 8. BYU 8-0; 9. Texas Tech 8-1; 10. Notre Dame 6-2; 11. Oklahoma 7-2; 12. Virginia 8-1; 13. Texas 7-2; 14. Louisville 7-1; 15. Vanderbilt 7-2; 16. Georgia Tech 8-1; 17. Utah 7-2; 18. Miami 6-2; 19. Missouri 6-2; 20. Southern California 6-2; 21. Michigan 7-2; 22. Memphis 8-1; 23. Tennessee 6-3; 24. Washington 6-2; 25. Cincinnati 7-2

AFCA Coaches top 25: 1. Ohio State 8-0; 2. Indiana 9-0; 3. Texas A&M 8-0; 4. Alabama 7-1; 5. Georgia 7-1; 6. Oregon 7-1; 7. Ole Miss 8-1; 8. BYU 8-0; 9. Texas Tech 8-1; 10. Notre Dame 6-2; 11. Virginia 8-1; 12. Oklahoma 7-2; 13. Texas 7-2; 14. Georgia Tech 8-1; 15. Louisville 7-1; 16. Vanderbilt 7-2; 17. Missouri 7-2; 18. Miami 6-2; 19. Miami 6-2; 19. Utah 7-2; 20. Michigan 7-2; 21. Southern California; 22. Tennessee 6-3; 23. Memphis 8-1; 24. Iowa 6-2; 25. Cincinnati 7-2

SEC FOOTBALL

(Associated Press rankings)

No. 4 Alabama (7-1, 5-0 SEC): Ty Simpson is now No. 3 on the Caesar's Palace Heisman Trophy board. Simpson has thrown 20 TDPs and only one interception for Bama, which has won seven straight games since the loss to Florida State. Saturday: LSU (5-3, 2-3 SEC)

Arkansas (2-6, 0-4 SEC): Any chance Bobby Petrino had at having the interim label removed went down the pipes when the Razorbacks blew a fourth quarter lead and lost to Mississippi State. Once again it wasn’t about the offense because the Razorbacks not only outgained the Bulldogs but racked up 239 yards rushing.

Auburn (4-5, 1-5 SEC): Hugh Freeze has been fired after losing 10-3 to Kentucky Saturday night. Freeze went 15-19 in three-plus seasons. James Franklin and Jimbo Fisher are thought to be among the leaders to replace Freeze, who leaves Auburn with a hefty $15.4 million buyout. Saturday: at Vanderbilt (7-2, 3-2 SEC)

No. 5 Georgia (7-1, 5-1 SEC): Defensive lineman Jordan Hall left the Florida game with a lower leg injury. He was seen on crutches on the sideline in the second half. Hall has been dealing with leg injuries most of his Georgia career. Saturday: at Mississippi State (5-4, 1-4 SEC):

Kentucky (3-5, 1-5 SEC): The Wildcats got their first SEC win of the season when they eked out a 10-3 win over Auburn. Kentucky held the Tigers to a field goal and only 241 total yards. Kentucky gained only 240. With four games remaining, the Wildcats need to win at least three of them to lessen the heat on HBC Mark Stoops. Saturday: FLORIDA (3-5, 2-3 SEC)

LSU (5-3, 2-3 SEC): Brian Kelly is gone and so is the LSU season. The Tigers were supposed to challenge for the national championship. Instead they will try to keep from imploding the rest of the way. Frank Wilson is the interim. He has zero chance of having the interim label removed. Saturday: at No. 4 Alabama (7-1, 5-0 SEC)

Mississippi State (5-4, 1-4 SEC): The Bulldogs broke an SEC losing streak that dated back to 2023 when they rallied from a 35-21 fourth quarter deficit to beat Arkansas 38-35. It was the first SEC win for the Bulldogs since beating Arkansas 7-3 in October of 2023. Saturday: No. 5 Georgia (7-1, 5-1 SEC)

No. 19 Missouri (6-2, 2-2 SEC); Eli Drinkwitz is being linked to head coach openings at LSU, Florida, Arkansas and now Auburn. Saturday: No. 3 Texas A&M (8-0, 5-0 SEC)

No. 11 Oklahoma (7-2, 3-2 SEC): After Tennessee closed to within 26-24 late in the fourth quarter, the Sooners responded with a 2-play touchdown drive for the game-clinching touchdown. Xavier Robinson, who finished the game with 115 yards, ran for 43 to set up a 1-yard touchdown run by QB John Mateer.  

No. 7 Ole Miss (8-1, 5-1 SEC): Saturday: In taking down South Carolina, Kewan Lacy ran for 167 yards and a touchdown. With 863 yards and three games to go, Lacy is on track to finish the regular season with more than 1,000 yards, A season ago he was floundering on the bench at Missouri. The Citadel (4-5)

South Carolina (3-6, 1-6 SEC): Shane Beamer fired Mike Shula as his offensive coordinator Sunday. That’s something that should have been done weeks ago. Better yet, Shula should have never been hired. The Gamecocks have the worst offense in the SEC and rank No. 131 nationally. Beamer might need to heed the call of mama, begging him to come home to Virginia Tech.  Saturday:

No. 23 Tennessee (6-3, 3-3 SEC): The loss to Oklahoma all but eliminated the Vols from College Football Playoff consideration. Saturday:

No. 13 Texas (7-2, 4-1 SEC): The Longhorns kept their College Football Playoff hopes alive by holding on to a 34-31 win over Vanderbilt. Texas got 75 rushing yards from Quintrevion Wisner to support Arch Manning, who had perhaps his best game as a starting quarterback, completing 25-33 passes for 328 yards and three touchdowns. Saturday:

No. 3 Texas A&M (8-0, 5-0 SEC): With 17 passing touchdowns and another six rushing TDs, QB Marcel Reed can't be ignored as a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate. Saturday: at No. 19 Missouri (6-2, 2-2 SEC)

No. 15 Vanderbilt (7-2, 3-2): Vanderbilt scored 21 unanswered fourth quarter points and had a chance to tie or win the game with Texas when an onside kick was knocked out of bounds by a Vandy player with 34 seconds left in regulation. Diego Pavia threw for 365 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another. Tight end Eli Stowers caught seven passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns.  Saturday: Auburn (4-5, 1-5 SEC)

CONFERENCE BY CONFERENCE

AMERICAN: Memphis (8-1) is the highest ranked team from the Group of Five at No. 22 in the AP poll. The Tigers have rebounded from that loss to UAB with solid victories over South Florida and Rice. North Texas (8-1) handed Navy (7-1) its first loss of the season, effectively eliminating the Midshipmen from playoff contention since they play Army a week after the conference championship game.

ACC: Georgia Tech (8-1) finally ran out of smoke and mirrors, losing for the first time to North Carolina State. That created a logjam at the top of the conference standings between Tech, Virginia (8-1), Pittsburgh (7-2) and Louisville (7-1), all of whom have only one ACC loss. SMU and Duke each have one ACC loss but both have three total losses. Miami went down in flames to SMU. The Hurricanes (7-2) are out of the ACC championship running with two league losses.

BIG TEN: Ohio State (8-0) and Indiana (9-0) remain on a collision course to meet as unbeatens in the Big Ten Championship Game. Even if Ohio State does its annual loss to Michigan (7-2) the Buckeyes are mortal locks to make the playoff. Indiana is playing like it’s the best team in the country. The Hoosiers probably don’t lose in the regular season. Oregon (7-1) is a game behind in the Big Ten standings and is almost a lock to be the Big Ten’s third team in the playoff. Southern Cal (7-2) might sneak in if it can beat Oregon in Eugene in three weeks.

BIG XII: Ideally, the Big XII needs a one-loss Texas Tech (8-1) and unbeaten BYU (8-0) to meet up in the conference championship game. That would likely secure two of the 12 spots in the CFP.

CUSA: It’s a 3-way fight for the top spot in the league between Kennesaw State (6-2), Jacksonville State (5-3) and Western Kentucky (7-2). None of these teams have a shot at getting ranked.

Notre Dame: The Irish (6-2) only have Navy and Pittsburgh standing in the way of making the College Football Playoff.

MAC: Miami (5-3) is the only team in the MAC with an unbeaten record in league play. No chance of making the playoff.

MOUNTAIN WEST: Boise State (6-3) suffered its first conference loss and third overall when the Broncos were upended by Fresno State (6-3). San Diego State (7-1) is unbeaten in league play and a threat to crack the AP poll and perhaps overtake Memphis for the top spot in the Group of Five.

SEC: The SEC has a chance to land as many as five teams in the playoff. Texas A&M (8-0) and Alabama (7-1) are virtual locks. Georgia (7-1) has a very favorable schedule as does Ole Miss (8-1). Texas (7-2) is on the rise but the Longhorns have to play at Georgia and home against the Aggies. Oklahoma (7-2) has to play at Alabama. Beware of Vanderbilt (7-2). The Commodores have Auburn, Kentucky and Tennessee remaining on the schedule. Those are three winnable games.

Sun Belt: James Madison (7-1) is taking no prisoners as it marches toward the conference championship game. The Dukes are the best in the league and on the verge of cracking into the top 25 but good enough to get ranked higher than a team from the American or Mountain West?