Thoughts of the Day: July 28, 2026

A few thoughts to jump start your Tuesday morning:

There is such a thing as paralysis by analysis, which some football experts translate to mean you can manipulate the numbers to say anything you want. In the case of the Florida Gators, the numbers are quite revealing. The last 15 years have produced only nine winning seasons and six losers. Florida has posted four losing seasons in its last five, cratering in 2025 when the 4-8 Gators ranked near the bottom in the SEC in most significant statistical categories.

Here is a look at what the Gators did but for comparison’s sake, offensive numbers of both Georgia Tech (former GT offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner is now the Florida OC) and Tulane (formerly coached by Jon Sumrall, now Florida’s head honcho), plus the defensive numbers of Kentucky (DC Brad White now Florida’s DC) and Tulane.

110: That is the total number of wins for the Gators in the 15 years since 2011 under head coaches Will Muschamp (2011-14), Jim McElwain (2015-17), Dan Mullen (2018-21) and Billy Napier (2022-25). In the 21 years prior to Muschamp, the Gators won 210 games, more than any team in the country. Steve Spurrier (122 wins, 12 years), Ron Zook (23 wins, 3 years) and Urban Meyer (65 wins, 6 years).

79: That’s the total number of losses for the Gators since 2011. During that stretch the Gators posted six losing seasons. From 1980-2012 the Gators never had a sub-.500 season. Spurrier, Zook and Meyer lost a combined 57 games in their 21 years at the helm.

6: That is the number of losing seasons for the Gators since 2013. Muschamp, McElwain and Mullen each had one losing season while Napier had three in his four years on the job. Prior to 2013 you have to go back to 1979 to find the last sub-.500 season (0-10-1).

6.6: That is the average yards per pass attempt for the Gators in 2025 with DJ Lagway at quarterback and Billy Napier calling the plays. Anything less than 7.0 yards per attempt is a combination of too conservative and lack of offensive imagination. As the offensive coordinator at Georgia Tech last year, Buster Faulkner had a passing game that averaged 8.7 yards per attempt. Jon Sumrall’s Tulane offense averaged 8.1 per attempt.

14: That is the number of interceptions thrown last year by Lagway. At Georgia Tech, Faulkner’s two quarterbacks (Haynes King and Aaron Philo) threw seven. In 14 games at Tulane, Sumrall’s quarterbacks threw nine picks.

4.27: That is Florida’s yards per rushing attempt even with Jadan Baugh averaging 5.32 for his 220 carries that produced 1,170 yards. The rest of the Gators gained 471 yards on 164 carries, a dismal 2.94 per carry. As a team, the Gators scored 10 rushing touchdowns with Baugh accounting for eight of them. Faulkner’s Georgia Tech offense averaged 5.54 per carry while scoring 31 touchdowns. At Tulane, Sumrall’s offense average 4.52 per carry but scored 26 touchdowns on the ground.

10.49: That is the average per catch by all of Florida’s pass receivers last year, a very pedestrian number. At Georgia Tech, Faulkner’s receivers averaged 12.41 yards per catch. Sumrall’s Tulane receivers averaged 13.1 per catch.

148: That is the number of offensive plays that went for 10 or more yards for Florida in 2025, 14^th in the Southeastern Conference. There were seven plays that went for 40 or more yards. Faulker’s Georgia Tech offense produced 195 plays or 10 or more yards with 18 that went for more than 40. At Tulane, Sumrall’s offense produced 220 plays that covered 10 or more yards with 11 going for more than 40.

341.3: That is Florida’s average yards per game in 2025, 13^th in the SEC and 104^th in the nation. Georgia Tech averaged 460 yards per game, 11^th in the nation. Tulane averaged 411.4, 38^th nationally.

21.6: That is the average points per game by the 2025 Gators, dead last in the SEC and tied for 111^th nationally. Georgia Tech averaged 32.2 per game (26^th nationally) while winning nine games. Tulane won 11 games while averaging 27.8 per game (68^th nationally) with a quarterback who didn’t show up on campus until August.

34.21: The 2025 Gators converted 34.21 percent of their third downs, 15^th in the SEC and 116^th nationally. Georgia Tech converted 46.1 percent of its third downs, good for 23^rd nationally, while Tulane turned 42.1 percent of its third downs into first downs, 43^rd in the nation.

20: Florida gave up 20 sacks for -106 yards, a tribute to the leadership of All-American center Jake Slaughter in the middle of the O-line. Georgia Tech gave up nine sacks for -61 yards, the third best total in the nation. Center Harrison Moore followed Buster Faulkner to Florida. At Tulane, Sumrall’s Green Wave allowed 12 sacks (tied for 7^th nationally) for -80 yards.

153.92: That’s the number of rushing yards the Florida defense gave up per game in 2025 (14^th in the SEC and 77^thnationally). Brad White’s Kentucky defense gave up 134.25 yards per game, which ranked 10^th in the SEC and 45^thnationally. Tulane allowed 122.57 per game on the ground, 29^th nationally. The Gators gave up 47 running plays that covered at least 10 yards (5th in the SEC, 26^th nationally). Kentucky gave up 49 (8^th in the SEC and tied for 26^thnationally). Tulane gave up 61 long rushing plays (80^th nationally).

3.99: Florida gave up 3.99 yards per carry (54^th nationally) and 21 rushing touchdowns. Kentucky allowed 3.66 per rush attempt (31^st nationally) and 20 touchdowns. Tulane allowed 3.58 per attempt and 18 touchdowns.

8.0: Florida allowed opponents to average 8.0 yards per pass attempt, 115^th nationally. Opponents threw 13 TDPs. Kentucky also gave up 8.0 per pass attempt and 16 TDPs. Tulane gave up 7.7 per attempt (106^th nationally) and 23 TDPs. The Gators gave up 106 pass plays of 10 or more yards, 68^th nationally. Kentucky allowed 108 of 10 yards or more (76^th). Tulane gave up 153 pass plays of 10 or more yards, 7^th nationally.

10: The Gators intercepted 10 passes (62^nd nationally). Kentucky intercepted 12 (42^nd nationally) and Tulane 15 (tied for 14^th nationally).

44.38: The Gators allowed opponents to convert 44.38 percent of their third downs, 15^th in the SEC and 119^th in the nation. Kentucky gave up 40.13 percent of its third down conversions (77^th in the country) while Tulane got off the field 39.57 percent (67^th nationally) of the time.

26: The Gators sacked quarterbacks 26 times for -141 yards, 11^th in the SEC and 68^th nationally. Kentucky had 25 sacks (74^th nationally) for -177 yards. Tulane’s defense got to opposing quarterbacks 36 times (14^th nationally) for -266 yards.

17: The Gator defense forced 17 turnovers last season (7^th in the SEC, 59^th nationally). Kentucky forced 14 turnovers (11th in the SEC, 91^st nationally). Tulane forced 25 turnovers (9^th nationally).

153: That is the number of opponent plays good for 10 or more yards in 2025, ranking 6^th in the SEC and 42^ndnationally. Kentucky gave up 157 plays of 10 or more yards, 8^th in the SEC and 46^th nationally. Tulane gave up 201 plays of 10 or more yards, tied for 129^th nationally.

ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: Kyle Whittingham, who was Urban Meyer’s defensive coordinator at Utah before becoming the Utes head coach for 21 years (177-88 including a 13-0 in 2008), is the 66-year-old head coach hired to restore a measure of integrity to Michigan. Whittington made a name for himself as a coach who would make the best of what he had rather than take short cuts. He is a wise voice in a time when college football seems to be spiraling out of control.

At Big Ten Media Days Monday, Whittingham offered the following suggestions: (1) A super league of 48-60 top college football teams; (2) make college football a minor league of the NFL; (3) players become employees; (4) salary cap; and (5) a commissioner with absolute authority to enforce the rules.

Speaking to Rich Eisen of ESPN, Whittingham said that on its current trajectory, college football as we know it today is unsustainable. His suggestions might seem a bit radical overall, but a number of them make absolute good sense, such as points 3-5. The only way to get costs under control is to make players employees so that a salary cap can be implemented. A commissioner with absolute authority and unmatched integrity is a necessity because the NCAA do it by committee approach is a total disaster.

A super league sounds very good on paper but it will take away too many rivalries and end traditions that are part of the fall fabric of college football. While it is true more than half the Division I programs have zero chance to ever win a national championship, a super league will go a long way toward many of them giving up football altogether. Since the big boys of college football are already relying heavily on talent developed by the lesser programs, it’s not worth taking the chance of putting any of them out of business.