Thoughts of the Day: November 16, 2021

A few thoughts to jump start your Tuesday morning:

TWO YEARS AND A LOT OF WHAT IFS

Texas A&M 41, Florida 38 (2020): Kyle Trask threw for four touchdowns and 312 yards, but the Gators couldn’t get the Aggies off the field in the second half. Texas A&M had 543 yards of offense including 205 on the ground, most of it in the second half. Florida’s lone turnover led to the Aggies kicking the game-winning field goal as time expired.

LSU 37, Florida 34 (2020): Everybody remembers Marco Wilson throwing the shoe but his most glaring error was the pass interference call early in the fourth quarter when the Gators were about to stuff the Tigers at their own 32 on a 3rd-and-7. UF turned it over three times including a pick six and Evan McPherson missed a game-tying field goal by inches.

Alabama 52, Florida 46 (2020): On a game when Trask carved up the Alabama defense for 408 yards and three touchdowns, the Florida defense gave up 620 yards. The Gators had chances to stop Alabama but there was an offside in the first quarter that gave Alabama new life (TD on the drive). Trey Dean picked off Mac Jones but fumbled the ball away when he was hit helmet-to-helmet (no targeting call). Alabama scored on the next play. A personal foul was called on Zach Carter when UF got a third down stop. Alabama scored on the drive. The Gators got a stop on 3rd-and-8 but Kyree Campbell slowed down as he ran off the field. Bama snapped the ball, substitution infraction, five plays later Alabama scored. That was in the first half.

The moral of the story: A single play in each of those three games and the Gators would have been 11-0 and the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff.

Alabama 31, Florida 29 (2021): In a 21-3 first quarter, Alabama got a pass interference call on Kaiir Elam when there was apparently a 3rd-and-7 incompletion. On third down on the same drive, Jase McClellan grabs Mohamoud Diabate by the face mask on a third down completion. No call. Two plays later, John Metchie runs a pick (no call) that helps a TDP to Jahleel Billingsley. Florida dominates the last three quarters, 26-10, but a missed extra point after a TD cut the Bama lead to 28-23 forced a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter instead of an extra point that could have tied the game. Florida outgained Alabama 439-331.

Kentucky 20, Florida 13 (2021): UF was flagged for 15 penalties, converted 4-13 on third down, a blocked field goal was returned by UK for a TD and an interception gave the Wildcats a short field for a TD. Florida outgained UK 382-224.

LSU 49, Florida 42 (2021): The defense gave up 321 rushing yards. Three interceptions (two by Emory Jones, one by Anthony Richardson) gave LSU a pick six and two short fields for TDs. Florida put up 42 points and outgained the Tigers 488-454.

Georgia 34, Florida 7 (2021): Except for a three-minute stretch at the end of the first half when the Gators turned it over three times, one a pick six, it is a 13-7 game. Florida outgained the Bulldogs 355-354.

The moral of the story: Although there is no explaining what happened at South Carolina, it’s a legitimate argument that if the Gators had made one or two plays in three of their four (Alabama, Kentucky, LSU) losses going into that game, the focus would have been different completely.

A handful of plays the last two years and instead of 34-14 with the entire college football playing universe debating whether Dan Mullen goes or stays, he could easily be 40-8. Some would argue that the fact the Gators have lost all the close games is reason for Mullen to be gone, particularly since five of the close losses could be laid at the feet of former defensive coordinator Todd Grantham.

I’m not the one who will make the decision about Mullen’s future at the University of Florida. I do know that the number of close calls are being taken into account and may very well be a factor in whatever decision is made. Do you fire a coach who’s not all that far away from 40-8, which would be the second best record in four seasons at UF? Or do you give him a year to see if he’s capable of winning the close ones?

I believe there will be a lot of unhappy people whether he gets another year or is fired.

GATORS CRACK HOOPS TOP 25; CASTLETON SEC PLAYER OF THE WEEK R-e-s-p-e-c-t. That’s what you get when you manhandle a team like Florida State, which has made its reputation in basketball by physically manhandling opponents. The Gators (2-0) went from an AP top 25 afterthought to the No. 24 ranking Monday thanks to that dominant, 71-55, win over Florida State that had Leonard Hamilton saying the Gators “out-Florida Stated Florida State.” The Gators are one of six SEC teams in the AP top 25, the most of any conference in the country (Big Ten 5, Big 12 3, Pac-12 3, American 2, ACC 2, Big East 2).

The man in the middle who totally destroyed FSU’s interior game was Colin Castleton, whose 15-point, 16-rebound, 6-blocked shots effort earned him Southeastern Conference Player of the Week.

Next up for the Gators is a Thursday night (6 p.m.) encounter with Milwaukee .

The Associated Press Top 25 basketball poll: 1. Gonzaga 2-0; 2. UCLA 2-0; 3. Kansas 2-0; 4. Michigan 2-0; 5. Villanova 1-1; 6. Purdue 2-0; 7. Duke 3-0; 8. Texas 1-1; 9. Baylor 1-0; 10. Illinois 2-0; 11. Memphis 2-0; 12. Oregon 2-0; 13. Kentucky 1-1; 14. Alabama 2-0; 15. Houston 2-0; 16. Arkansas 2-0; 17. Tennessee 2-0; 18. North Carolina 2-0; 19. Ohio State 2-0; 20. Maryland 3-0; 21. Auburn 2-0; 22. St. Bonaventure 2-0; 23. UConn 2-0; 24. FLORIDA 2-0; 25. Southern Cal 2-0

SEC Basketball Monday’s games: LSU 74, Liberty 58; Kansas City 80, Missouri 66

No. 14 Alabama (2-0): next game South Alabama (1-1)

No. 16 Arkansas (2-0): next game Northern Iowa (1-2)

No. 21 Auburn (2-0): next game at South Florida (2-1)

Georgia (1-1): next game South Carolina State (0-4)

No. 13 Kentucky (1-1): next game Mt. St. Mary’s (1-2)

LSU (3-0): next game McNeese State (0-2)

Mississippi State (2-0): next game Detroit Mercy (0-2)

Missouri (1-1): next game Northern Illinois (1-1)

Ole Miss (2-0): next game Marquette (3-0)

South Carolina (2-1): next game UAB (3-0)

No. 17 Tennessee (2-0): next game Villanova (1-1)

Texas A&M (3-0): next game Houston Baptist (1-1)

Vanderbilt (2-0): next game VCU (1-1)

JONATHAN INDIA NATIONAL LEAGUE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR Former Gator Jonathan India received 29 of the 30 votes cast to earn National League Rookie of the Year honors. The Cincinnati Reds second baseman hit .269 with 143 hits, 21 homers, 69 RBI and 12 stolen bases. He led all NL rookies in runs scored (98), doubles (34), extra base hits (57), on-base percentage (.376) and RBI (69).

An All-America third baseman who was SEC Player of the Year with the Gators, India was a key member of Florida’s 2017 NCAA championship team.

OVER, UNDER, AROUND AND THROUGH THE SEC (FOOTBALL) No. 2 Alabama (9-1, 5-1 SEC): Running back Roydell Williams’ injured knee will require surgery. No timeline for his return.

No. 21 Arkansas (7-3, 3-3 SEC): Linebacker Bumper Pool had 13 tackles in the win over LSU to reach 100 for the season with two games to go.

Auburn (6-4, 3-3 SEC): Not only will Auburn be without QB Bo Nix Saturday against South Carolina, but placekicker Anders Carlson is out for at least that game with a leg injury.

No. 1 Georgia (10-0, 8-0 SEC): Kirby Smart says so many players had the flu that he was forced to play his starters late in the game against Tennessee.

Kentucky (7-3, 5-3 SEC): HBC Mark Stoops got a contract extension through 2027 that will pay him $6.75 million in the final year.

LSU (4-6, 2-5 SEC): Injury-plagued LSU has lost another O-lineman. Left tackle Cam Wire was injured in the loss to Arkansas and is done for the year.

Mississippi State (6-4, 4-3 SEC): QB Will Rogers was SEC Offensive Player of the Week after leading the Bulldogs from 25 down to a 43-34 win over Auburn.

Missouri (5-5, 2-4 SEC): HBC Eli Drinkwitz on running back Tyler Badie: “If there’s a better running back in our conference I can’t wait to see him.”

No. 10 Ole Miss (8-2, 4-2 SEC): A year ago, QB Matt Corral threw 14 interceptions. Through 10 games this year, he’s thrown only two (17 TDPs).

South Carolina (5-5, 2-5 SEC): HBC Shane Beamer on the poor defensive play against Mizzou: “We talked about one of the keys defensively was to gang tackle and we missed a lot of tackles tonight.”

Tennessee (5-5, 3-4 SEC): Wide receiver Jonta Payton was injured against Georgia. His status for South Alabama won’t be known until later in the week.

No. 16 Texas A&M (7-3, 4-3 SEC): Jimbo Fisher on why he’s not leaving the Aggies for LSU: “We’re going to recruit an unbelievable class this year, okay? … I ain’t going nowhere. I don’t wanna be nowhere else. I love being right here.”

Vanderbilt (2-8, 0-6 SEC): Vandy had 10-12 players with the flu prior to the UK game.

COUNTDOWN TO FIRING DAY WEEK TEN Extinct Species List

Les Miles, Kansas (Permanent replacement Lance Leipold) Randy Edsall, UConn (Permanent replacement Jim Mora Jr.)

Clay Helton, Southern Cal

Chad Lunsford, Georgia Southern (Permanent replacement Clay Helton)

Ed Orgeron, LSU

Nick Rolovich, Washington State

Matt Wells, Texas Tech (Permanent replacement Joey McGuire)

Gary Patterson, TCU

Tom Arth, Akron

Walt Bell, UMass

Jimmy Lake, Washington

Butch Davis, Florida International

On Life Support

Justin Fuente, Virginia Tech: He desperately needs to go 2-0, which means beating both Miami and Virginia on the road. There will be good Group of Five jobs available.

Geoff Collins, Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets are 3-7 and they still have to go to Notre Dame and play Georgia. Does anyone need a good defensive coordinator?

Manny Diaz, Miami: Athletic director Blake James, who was very supportive of Manny, was canned Monday. Now that he has no protector, he could be dead man walking unless he blows the doors off Virginia Tech and Duke in the last two games.

Scot Loeffler, Bowling Green: The Falcons are 3-7 and they need to win these last two against Miami (OH) and Ohio U, otherwise Lefty is seeing if anyone needs a QB coach somewhere. Rod Carey, Temple: The Owls are 3-7 with five straight losses. Two more and he can order the U-Haul truck.

Endangered Species List

Steve Sarkisian, Texas: It’s bad enough to lose five games in a row, but when you lose in OT to Kansas, you’re in trouble. If he finishes the season with seven straight losses, he might get the old heave ho.

Dino Babers, Syracuse: Dino was in good shape until getting blown out by Lulvil. He’s 5-6 and has to split the next two (at Louisville, Pitt) to remain gainfully employed.

Chip Kelly, UCLA: The scheduling gods are merciful. He’s 6-4 with remaining games against Southern Cal and Cal. At 8-4, he’s as good as hanging around one more year.

Seth Littrell, North Texas: He’s won three in a row and is 4-6, so folks are speculating that he’ll be around next year if he gets the Mean Green bowl eligible. He wins the next one against Florida International, but then has to face UTSA in the season finale. That might send him packing.

Phil Montgomery, Tulsa: The Phighting Phils are 4-6. They can beat Shirley Temple this week, and they have to hope SMU gets wasted by Cincinnati this week to have a chance at a win that makes them bowl eligible.

Steve Addazio, Colorado State: The Lambs have lost their last four and they’re 3-7 with no hope of a winning season. Addazio is standing on a fault line and praying the earth doesn’t move underneath him.

Justin Wilcox, California: Does he really want to be the coach at Cal? The Bears are 3-6 with three losable games to go. Even if he survives he might be looking for something somewhere else.

Jeff Scott, South Florida: He will need to win some games next year, but a lot of folks seem to think scoring 28 on Cincinnati last week was a sign that the corner is about to be turned.

David Cutcliffe, Duke: It seems like old times in Durham. The Dookies are 3-7 overall, 0-6 in league play and they probably get freight trained by Pitt and Miami in the last two. If Cut survives it’s because they value lifetime achievement.

ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: In an effort to save itself from extinction, the NCAA is holding a constitutional convention. The smaller schools in the lower divisions are arguing that they will be hammered financially if Division I makes any changes. The Knight Commission is weighing in and talking equity. Here is what I think: It is time for the football schools in Division I to break away from the NCAA. Let the NCAA have basketball and the other sports, but Division I football needs its own organization, its own set of rules and an all-powerful commissioner who understands that football pays the freight.