Predicting the 2021 SEC Football Season: Florida Gators

Do you see the light at the end of the tunnel. It may just be a pin prick, but it’s there. In less than eight short weeks, the Crimson Tide travels to Atlanta to take on the Miami Hurricanes in a rematch of the 1993 Sugar Bowl. LET THE PREVIEWS BEGIN!

Our first installment of conference foe previews is the defending SEC East Champion Florida Gators. Alabama travels to the Swamp on the third week of the season, September 18.

But first, what kind of douche-nozzle posts this about himself?

“Hey, croots! Look how cool I am!”

Alabama basketball coach Nate Oats also did some wake-surfing but he didn’t go around tweeting about it.

Coach: Dan Mullen (29-9 in three seasons at Florida; 19-7 in SEC; 98–55 overall)

2020 record: 8-4 (8-2 in SEC, 1st in East Division, Cotton Bowl loss to Okie 55-20)

Looking back: With Heisman candidates at quarterback and tight end, the Gators were set up for a monumental season. Despite a close loss at Texas A&M in Week 3, Florida was still in the running for a playoff spot. That is until the infamous shoe throw in Game 10 gave LSU a first down and an eventual 57-yard game winning field goal. UF would follow that up with losses to Alabama and Oklahoma to send the Gators into the off-season with a bitter three-game losing streak taste in their mouths.

Returning starters: 5 on offense, 5* on defense, no kickers.

* Oopsie: Returning LB starter Brenton Cox suffered a foot injury following a recent scooter accident which required surgery to have a screw inserted into his foot. Reports have said that he will miss at least “a few months”.

Key losses: TE Kyle Pitts (Round 1, Falcons), WR Kadarius Toney (Round 1, Giants), QB Kyle Trask (Round 2, Buccaneers), CB Marco Wilson (Round 4, Cardinals), S Shawn Davis (Round 5, Colts), K Evan McPherson (Round 5, Bengals), OT Stone Forsythe (Round 6, Seahawks), DT Tedarrell Slaton (Round 5, Packers), S Donovan Stiner, WR Trevon Grimes, C Brett Heggie, DT Kyree Campbell, DB coach Ron English (new Purdue co-DC), starting punter Jacob Finn (transfer to Virginia), LB James Houston (transfer to Jackson State), DB Chester Kimbrough (transfer to Michigan St), LB Jesiah Pierre (transfer to Texas Tech).

Top returnees: CB Kaiir Elam, LB Ventrell Miller, LB Mohamoud Diabate, RB Dameon Pierce, RB Malik Davis, WR Jacob Copeland, DL Zachary Carter, OT Jean Delance, LG Richard Gouraige, EDGE Brenton Cox, QB Emory Jones.

Top newcomers: CB Jadarrius Perkins (JUCO transfer), K Jace Christmann (Miss St transfer), DT Daquan Newkirk (Auburn transfer), DL Antonio Shelton (Penn St transfer), RB Demarkcus Bowman (former 5-star Clemson transfer), DB Jason Marshall (Miami, FL), LB Jeremiah Williams (Birmingham, AL), DB Corey Collier (Miami, FL), WR Marcus Burke (Jacksonville, FL), DB Diwun Black (JUCO transfer), DB Donovan McMillon (McMurray, PA),

M.I.A.: December signee 4-star DL Tyreak Sapp is the only member of the Gators Class of 2021 who has yet to arrive on campus.

Names you need to know: Anthony Richardson and Jalen Kitna. I have seen Emory Jones play quarterback (18-36, 2 TD, 1 INT in 2020) and it is not good. Richardson and Kitna are the young back-ups at quarterback. If Jones does not progress as a passing quarterback, one or both of these freshmen might see the field earlier than expected. Kitna is the son of former NFL QB Jon Kitna.

Strengths: Pretty easy non-conference slate... a veteran linebacking corps... CB Kaiir Elam has first round NFL potential... Coaching staff mostly intact...

Weaknesses: The Gators lost a TON of players... Trask and top three receivers are gone... Need to decide on a new kicker and punter... Must replace center and left tackle... Lost four of five starters in the secondary... Did I mention they lost a lot of players?

Win Total Odds

Over 9 -139
Under 9 +110

Schedule:

Sat, Sep 4 vs FAU! 6:30 PM SECN - W
Sat, Sep 11 @ South Florida 11:00 AM ABC - W
Sat, Sep 18 vs Alabama 2:30 PM CBS - L - Mullen is 0-10 vs Nick Saban.
Sat, Sep 25 vs Tennessee - W
Sat, Oct 2 @ Kentucky - W - Is this one of those games that UF always seems to fudge up?
Sat, Oct 9 vs Vanderbilt - W
Sat, Oct 16 @ LSU - L - This one could go either way but UF is not strong enough to win in BR.
Sat, Oct 23 bye
Sat, Oct 30 vs Georgia ** 2:30 PM CBS - L - Will Emory Jones still be the starter at this point?
Sat, Nov 6 @ South Carolina - W - another tricky one.
Sat, Nov 13 vs Samford - W
Sat, Nov 20 @ Missouri - W - Potential trap game.
Sat, Nov 27 vs Florida State - W - FSU is not “back” quite yet.

**Jacksonville, FL

Let's go Bowling! Surf’s up! Too bad it won’t be in the playoff.

People think Alabama lost a great deal of firepower, but the Gators may have lost more. And they don’t have comparable replacements. Although I have UF winning nine regular season games, they could easily drop a game they have no business losing (UK, SC, Mizz, FSU).