Thoughts of the Day: September 27, 2021

A few thoughts to jump start your Monday morning: GATORS NEED 60 MINUTES OF HELL INSTEAD OF 40 Back when he was turning Arkansas into the national basketball power nobody wanted to play, Nolan Richardson called the Razorbacks’ full court assault that encompassed a pressing defense and fast break offense “40 minutes of hell.” Just ask Alabama and Tennessee about the Florida football team and they can tell you all about 40 minutes of hell. That’s the last 40 minutes of their games against the Gators in which UF dominated on both sides of the ball.

It’s the first 20 minutes when the Gators aren’t exactly burning up opponents, which needs to change quickly. Saturday night’s opponent (Kentucky) has had the Florida return visit to Lexington circled on its calendar ever since Kyle Trask came off the bench to lead the Gators to 19 unanswered points for a 29-21 win in 2019.

In the first 20 minutes of the Alabama game (Alabama won, 31-29), the Gators gave up 21 points and 187 yards. When the Gators had the ball, they produced three points and gained 103 yards. In the final 40 minutes, the Gators outscored Alabama, 26-10, and outgained the Crimson Tide, 336-144. For the game, the Gators outgained Alabama, 439-331 (258-91 on the ground).

In Florida’s 38-14 win over Tennessee, the Gators gave up 14 points, 197 yards and trailed the Vols 14-10 after the first 20 minutes. During those first 20 minutes, Florida was 17-76 yards rushing and 8-11 for 58 yards passing. Then, as in the Alabama game, something changed and it was 40 minutes of hell the rest of the way.

In the final 40 minutes the Gators held the Vols scoreless. Tennessee rushed for 89 yards on 25 carries (12-59 in the first 20 minutes) and 9-22 passing for 137 yards (6-11 for 138 in the first 20). With Emory Jones heating up in the last 40 minutes, the Gators put up touchdown drives of 59, 78, 70 and 80 yards. The Gators were 23-207 yards rushing and 14-17 passing for 164 yards in the final 40 minutes. The Gators finished with 35:09 possession time for the game, outgaining the Vols, 505-423 overall and 283-148 on the ground.

Saturday in Lexington, the Gators won’t have The Swamp packed to the rafters supporting them. Instead, they can expect the Kentucky crowd to be loud and hostile. The Wildcats are 4-0 and despite the fact they really haven’t beaten anyone of significance, UK folks are feeling a bit disrespected and need a win over a top ten team to change national perceptions. A fast start by the Gators will take their crowd out of the game.

Another reason why the Gators need a fast start is to prevent that very big Kentucky offensive line headed by tackles Dare Rosenthal (6-7, 327) and Darian Kinnard (6-5, 338) from getting into a rhythm for tailback Chris Rodriguez, the SEC’s top power back and leading rusher (522 yards, 3 TDs). The Wildcats would like nothing more than to milk the clock and grind out the yards to keep Florida’s offense off the field.

The best way to prevent that from happening is to play all 60 minutes like the Gators have played the last 40 in the previous two games.

The Coaches Top 25 poll: 1. Alabama 4-0; 2. Georgia 4-0; 3. Oregon 4-0; 4. Oklahoma 4-0; 5. Iowa 4-0; 6. Penn State 4-0; 7. Notre Dame 4-0; 8. Cincinnati 3-0; 9. FLORIDA 3-1; 10. Ohio State 3-1; 11. Arkansas 4-0; 12. Ole Miss 3-0; 13. Texas A&M 3-1; 14. Michigan 4-0; 15. BYU 4-0; 16. (tie) Michigan State 4-0; Coastal Carolina 4-0; 18. Oklahoma State 4-0; 19. Clemson 2-2; 20. UCLA 3-1; 21. Fresno State 4-1; 22. Auburn 3-1; 23. Kentucky 4-0; 24. Baylor 4-0; 25. Wake Forest 4-0

The Associated Press Top 25 poll: 1. Alabama 4-0; 2. Georgia 4-0; 3. Oregon 4-0; 4. Penn State 4-0; 5. Iowa 4-0; 6. Oklahoma 4-0; 7. Cincinnati 3-0; 8. Arkansas 4-0; 9. Notre Dame 4-0; 10. FLORIDA 11. Ohio State 3-1; 12. Ole Miss 3-0; 13. BYU 4-0; 14. Michigan 4-0; 15. Texas A&M 3-1; 16. Coastal Carolina 4-0; 17. Michigan State 4-0; 18. Fresno State 4-1; 19. Oklahoma State 4-0; 20. UCLA 3-1; 21. Baylor 4-0; 22. Auburn 3-1; 23. North Carolina State 3-1; 24. Wake Forest; 25. Clemson 2-2

THE SEC AFTER FOUR WEEKS Alabama (4-0, 1-0 SEC): Tweeted out by Brad Edwards, Alabama hasn’t trailed at any point in its last 53 quarters. The last time the Crimson Tide trailed in a game was to Georgia last year, the fourth game of the 2020 season … Against Southern Miss, Ohio State transfer Jameson Williams had an 81-yard touchdown catch plus kickoff returns of 100 and 83 yards for TDs. Next week: vs. Ole Miss (3-0)

Arkansas (4-0, 1-0 SEC): With wins over both Texas and Texas A&M, Paul Finebaum says the Razorbacks “own the state of Texas.” Will they own the SEC? Dicey with No. 2 Georgia and No. 1 Alabama still on the schedule. Next week: at Georgia (4-0, 2-0 SEC)

Auburn (3-1): HBC Bryan Harsin has a full blown quarterback controversy on his hands after TJ Finley came off the bench to rally the Tigers to a win over Georgia State. Will he start Finley, who transferred to Auburn from LSU over the summer, in Baton Rouge this week or will he stick with Bo Nix, who has been ineffective? Next week: at LSU (3-1, 1-0 SEC)

Georgia (4-0, 2-0 SEC): Georgia leads the country in total defense (185.3 yards per game) and scoring defense (5.8 points). Next week: vs. Arkansas (4-0, 1-0 SEC)

Kentucky (4-0, 2-0 SEC): Kentucky beat South Carolina on the road in spite of itself. The Wildcats fumbled four times (lost two), threw an interception, were 3-12 on third down and 0-3 on fourth down conversions. Next week: vs. Florida (3-1, 1-1 SEC)

LSU (3-1, 1-1 SEC): Kashon Boutte has caught eight of Max Johnson’s 15 touchdown passes this season. In Johnson’s six collegiate starts at QB, the two have combined for 12 touchdowns. Next week: vs. Auburn (3-1)

Mississippi State (2-2, 0-1 SEC): Will Rogers has completed 75.1 percent of his passes for 1,454 yards (6.5 per attempt) and 11 touchdowns with only two interceptions in just four games. Next week: at Texas A&M (3-1, 0-1 SEC)

Missouri (2-2, 0-1 SEC): Both of Missouri’s losses have everything with the Tigers’ inability to stop the run. They gave up 341 yards on the ground in losing to Kentucky, 275 in their loss Saturday at Boston College. Next week: vs. Tennessee (2-2, 0-1 SEC)

Ole Miss (3-0): A year ago against Alabama, Matt Corral was 21-28 passing for 365 yards and two touchdowns with an additional 40 rushing yards. So far this season, Corral has thrown for 1,006 yards and nine touchdowns while running for 158 and five TDs. Next week: at Alabama (4-0, 1-0 SEC)

South Carolina (2-2, 0-2 SEC): The Gamecocks were just 3-12 on third down conversions and 0-3 on fourth downs in their loss to Kentucky … The Gamecocks ran for more yards (254) in their season opener against D1AA Eastern Illinois than they have in their last three games combined (253). Next week: vs. Troy (2-2)

Tennessee (2-2, 0-1 SEC): The Vols gave up more rushing yards (283) to Florida than they had in their previous three games combined (163). The Gators gouged the Vol defense for 7.08 yards per carry. Next week: at Missouri (2-2, 0-1 SEC)

Texas A&M (3-1, 0-1 SEC): Prior to Saturday, the Aggies hadn’t allowed more than 110 passing yards in a game. The Aggies gave up 246 to Arkansas … The Aggies had 11 penalties (-75 yards) and managed only 272 yards of offense against the Razorbacks. Next week: vs. Mississippi State (2-2, 0-1 SEC)

Vanderbilt (1-3, 0-1 SEC): The Commodores managed only 77 yards of offense – 53 rushing, 24 passing – in their 62-0 loss to Georgia. Vandy is dead last in the SEC and 123rd nationally in total offense (284.5 yards per game, 4.01 per play) and 129th (out of 130 teams) in Division I in scoring at 12.5 per game. Defensively, they are 13th in the SEC and 104th nationally (428.8 yards per game). Next week: UConn (0-5)

FOOTBALL IN THE MINOR LEAGUES ACC: Stick a fork in Clemson’s chances of making the College Football Playoff for a seventh straight year after that 27-21 double overtime loss to North Carolina State … Wake Forest (4-0) and Boston College (4-0) are the only unbeatens remaining in the conference … Florida State is 0-4 for the first time since 1974 … North Carolina (2-2) got blown out by Georgia Tech. Like Clemson, things are going to get worse before they get better.

Big Ten: Iowa (4-0) struggled to beat the Fighting Addazios. The Hawkeyes are 122nd nationally in offense, one spot below Clemson … The best player in the league is Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, who has thrown for 1,40 yards and 10 touchdowns. Maryland (4-0) should be ranked but isn’t. The Terps get Iowa in College Park this week … Ohio State (3-1) is opening up as a 15.5-point road favorite over Rutgers (3-1). Like Iowa-Maryland, this has upset written all over it ... Considering the way Auburn struggled with Georgia State, Penn State (4-0) shouldn’t be feeling all that good about its 28-20 win over Auburn a couple of Saturdays ago.

Big 12: There are three unbeatens remaining in the Big 12 – Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Baylor, all with 4-0 records. There will be at least one less unbeaten next week since Oklahoma State and Baylor square off in Stillwater … Against Division I competition, Oklahoma’s Spencer Rattler has thrown three TDPs and had three INTs. You can just about write him off as a Heisman candidate … Baylor is getting the job done with defense (290.3 per game) and running the ball (273.25 yards per game).

Pac-12: Oregon (4-0) is the only unbeaten team in the league. There are only three teams – Oregon State, Arizona State and UCLA – with only one loss.

Independents: Notre Dame (4-0) got a 41-13 win over Wisconsin but it’s questionable if the Irish are that good. The Irish get their first really tough test this weekend with Cincinnati … Liberty (3-1) lost a winnable game to Syracuse … Army (4-0) has attempted 18 passes this year, completing 11 including four for TDs … BYU (4-0) beat USF but looked bad in doing so …

Group of five: Georgia Southern fired HBC Chad Lunsford after Saturday’s loss to Louisiana dropped the Eagles to 1-3 on the season … San Diego State (4-0) is the only unbeaten in the Mountain West … Former Oklahoma QB Tanner Mordecai leads the nation with 20 TDPs for unbeaten SMU … Little Terry Bowden has Louisiana-Monroe at 2-1. Who would have thought it? … Bowling Green’s Scot Loefler probably saved his job by knocking off Minnesota. Of course, Minnesota’s P.J. Fleck might lose his because of that loss.

ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: The Southeastern Conference has fired a shot across the bow of the rest of Division I with its approval of $6,000 in educational benefits to athletes. That means each SEC school can pay for computers, internships, study abroad plans, travel to seminars that are directly related to coursework, etc. Since the Supreme Court ruled against the NCAA in the Alston vs. NCAA decision, it was only a matter of time before something like this happened. It is also only a matter of time before every school that can afford it is going to add something similar. And how will they pay for the increased benefits? Easy answer. The College Football Playoff will expand to 12 teams and it will happen sooner than 2025. Count on it.