It was the best of times:
In last season's thumping of the Gators, Chris Leak was harassed and beaten into a sub par performance, throwing 16 of 37 for 187 yards and 2 interceptions, while our own Brodie Croyle hit 14 of 17 for 283 yards and 3 touchdowns.
It was the worst of times:
On Saturday, the Gators turned the tables on us, using the same defensive plan to take our two top receivers out of the game and forcing JP to scramble and make throws on the run. He finished the day with significant yardage (going 21 of 40 for 240 yards) but threw three interceptions while scrambling, while Leak hit 14 of 20 for 174 yards and two scores.
As I said in the comments of the open thread, I can't point the finger at Shula, JP, or anyone else on the team/staff. Florida came out with a brilliant game plan that exploited all of our offensive and defensive weaknesses, and we simply got beaten by the better team.
We've dropped two in a row, but there are still seven games left in the season. So now what do we have to look forward to/play for?
Experience: The next two weeks should be gimme wins, with both Duke and Ole Miss coming to town. Pummeling Duke should provide an opportunity to work out some more of the kinks in the offense's execution problems. With both Brown and Hall effectively neutralized by Florida's coverage, Saturday was an excellent opportunity for the TEs and receiver Matt Caddell to shine. Instead, numerous drops and two missed scoring opportunities are what they came up with. Further, Ole Miss's incredibly mobile QB will give the defense a chance at working on it's containment issues before heading back on the road to face the Vols at Neyland.
Pride: In that seven game stretch are our two most hated rivals and one that's getting there. Shula has yet to beat either LSU or AU, and has only bested Fulmer once. The Vols are up next, and despite their #13 ranking and 4-1 record, they are ripe for the picking and a win over their cursed orange hides would go a long way towards reinvigorating this team and it's fanbase. But that won't put us back where we need and feel like we should be. LSU is spotty at best, and AU was exposed last week in Columbia. The next 6 weeks should be used getting ready for the trip to Baton Rouge and the visit from the Teagles. UT, LSU, and AU are our season now.
Let's knock the Doritos out of Fatty's mouth again!
A Decent Bowl: Who here wants to see the Tide playing in Shreveport this year? How about Memphis or Nashville? No one? Didn't think so.
As lame as the "Chik-fil-A Bowl" might sound, it's still better than a bowl sponsored by Autozone."