Florida Gators

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – They often get criticized for lack of style points, but by now, the No. 10-ranked Gators are used to those slights.

Like 'em or not, they are right where they want to be entering Saturday's game here at Razorback Stadium.

"Let the haters hate,'' starting center Cam Dillard said. "Let the doubters doubt. We'll go out there Saturday and do what we need to do to take care of the job."

  The Gators (6-1, 4-1) did exactly that a week ago in Jacksonville, knocking off Georgia for the third consecutive season. Florida gained just 231 yards of total offense, but when the defense allows a measly 164, the recipe works.

Second-year head coach Jim McElwain shared his confidence in the Gators after the victory, saying he believes they have the ingredients to win the SEC.

He explained why earlier this week.

"We're playing to the strengths of our football team,'' McElwain said.

Florida is two SEC wins away from another division title. A few weeks ago that seemed unlikely. Today is seems very possible.

"People don't realize what we're capable of," Dillard said. "I think we're capable of many things."

The Gators have another opportunity to prove it against the Razorbacks (5-3, 1-3), a team many thought could contend for the SEC West this season. Instead, Arkansas has lost three of its last five games after a promising 3-0 start.

Many are calling the Razorbacks one of the country's biggest disappointments.

McElwain can relate to critics placing a label that may or may not fit. But instead of fading as they did at the end of last season, the Gators have shown signs of surging toward the finish line.

"I don't think going into it anybody thought much of us anyway," McElwain said of the critics. "As I told our guys it's just a matter of going out and proving it each week. If you take care of business on Saturdays people are going to take notice."

A victory over the Razorbacks can only help.



Let's take a look at The Opening Kickoff for more on the Florida-Arkansas game:
 
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THREE QUESTIONS WITH … DEFENSIVE END BRYAN COX JR.
 
Q: What was it like playing with such a huge cast on your hand against Georgia and how serious was your injury?

A: It was a little bit challenging, you know, having something that large on my hand, but it was all right. It was pretty serious in the moment, but as we developed the plan with the training staff we figured out that I could play if I clubbed my hand up. So I just decided to go with that, give it a try. You know, it worked out pretty well.
 
Q: How important is the defense leading the SEC in third-down conversions to the team's success?

A: Third down is the money down. We get off the field and you put the offense back on the field and get them in position to score points. So you know that's the whole objective of the game. Being that third down is the most important down, that's not the only emphasis, but a major emphasis going into each game.

Q: Do you think this team is dealing with a lack of respect despite being ranked in the top 10?

A: Always, always. I feel like people always love to hate the Gators, they don't ever want to give us our respect or props, so we have to kind of go and take it ourselves. We're still a very hungry team. This top 10 doesn't mean anything to us. We feel like we should be up there higher. So we have to continue to push and work every day at it.
 
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THREE STORYLINES
 

• The Gators open a tough November at Arkansas, followed by a home game against South Carolina and road games at LSU and Florida State. The Gators need to win two of their final three SEC games to return to Atlanta for a second consecutive season. A win Saturday would give the Gators an opportunity to clinch the SEC East with a home win over the Gamecocks and former Gators coach Will Muschamp.
• Arkansas is coming off an embarrassing 56-3 loss at Auburn on Oct. 22. Auburn rushed for 543 yards and finished with 632 yards of total offense that prompted Arkansas coach Bret Bielema to make some lineup changes for Saturday's game. The Razorbacks are 6-2 in November the past two seasons and will be challenged not to show improvement from their last time out.
• The Gators run a different style of offense than Auburn, but you've got to believe that with the offensive line's improvement of late, running backs Jordan Scarlett, Mark Thompson, Lamical Perine and Jordan Cronkrite could be a huge factor.

 
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THREE PLAYERS TO WATCH
 

• Senior linebacker Jarrad Davis returned from a serious ankle injury to ignite the Gators in the victory over Georgia. With another week to heal and the importance of Saturday's game, look for Davis to provide energy from the start for Florida.
• Sophomore running back Jordan Scarlett has scored a touchdown in six consecutive games and emerged as Florida's go-to back. Scarlett carried a career-high 26 times against Georgia. Scarlett, averaging 67.2 ypg, has averaged 97 ypg the past two games.
• Razorbacks quarterback Austin Allen has passed for 2,048 yards and 18 touchdowns through eight games. Allen is tied with Chad Kelly of Ole Miss and Missouri's Drew Lock for the SEC lead in scoring throws.

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THE QUOTE FILE
 

• "We've got to make sure that our eyes are sound and we're not jumping on the double-move stuff, which has hurt us. Let's call it the way it is. And yet what we need to do is continue to try to re-establish the line of scrimmage and make the guy throw it, not get in rhythm. That's going to be the tough assignment." – Gators head coach Jim McElwain on defense's challenge against Arkansas quarterback Austin Allen
• "We're going to a place that I don't think anyone has ever been to. It's a different environment and a different team than what we're used to playing. Just a big game that will show the true character of our team. We haven't really had a big road win yet, so I'm looking forward to it. It'll help our team moving forward." – Gators LB Alex Anzalone on playing at Arkansas
• "If there is a word to describe Arkansas' play in 2016, it's inconsistent — hot one week, cold the next. There has been no consistency and Bielema's team will need to find some if it wants to beat the Gators." – Dan Hancock of GridironNow.com
• "You don't just ignore it. You don't put it in the back of your head and act like it's not there. To me, that's a very fun thing to bring up. It's their chance to do something that's never been done." – Arkansas coach Bret Bielema on beating Florida, something Arkansas has not done since joining SEC in 1992
• "We know that we're not going to see a whole lot of defenses that are that much better than our guys. As far as the secondary is concerned, I'd put them up against anybody, any school I've been at, any personnel I've seen at the college level. Those guys are unbelievable." – Gators quarterback Luke Del Rio on UF's secondary

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INJURY REPORT
 
PROBABLE: LB Jarrad Davis (ankle), DE Bryan Cox Jr. (hand), DE Jordan Sherit (knee); QUESTIONABLE: WR C.J. Worton (ankle); LB Kylan Johnson (undisclosed), RB Mark Herndon (undisclosed).
 
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CHARTING THE GATORS
 
The Gators, a member of the SEC East, don't play SEC West-foe Arkansas very often. The last time the two schools met was in 2013 when Florida beat the Razorbacks 30-10 at the Swamp.

Florida is going for a perfect 10 on Saturday at Reynolds-Razorback Stadium. The Gators have defeated the Razorbacks in each of their nine meetings since Arkansas joined the SEC in 1992.

A look at those games:
 

YEAR	LOCATION	SCORE
1995	Atlanta (SEC Championship)	Florida 34, Arkansas 3
1996	Fayetteville	Florida 42, Arkansas 7
1997	Gainesville	Florida 56, Arkansas 7
2003	Fayetteville	Florida 33, Arkansas 28
2004	Gainesville	Florida 45, Arkansas 30
2006	Atlanta (SEC Championship)	Florida 38, Arkansas 28
2008	Fayetteville	Florida 38, Arkansas 7
2009	Gainesville	Florida 23, Arkansas 20
2013	Gainesville	Florida 30, Arkansas 10

 
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10 QUICK HITTERS
 

• Gators freshman receiver Tyrie Cleveland chose Florida over Arkansas on National Signing Day and is averaging a team-high 19.6 yards per catch (7 receptions, 137 yards).
• Florida is 9-1 all-time against Arkansas and has never lost to the Razorbacks since they joined the SEC in 1992. Florida is the only SEC school Arkansas has not beaten at least once since joining the league 24 years ago. Florida's only loss to Arkansas was a 28-24 defeat in the 1982 Bluebonnet Bowl at the Houston Astrodome.
• Gators RBs Mark Thompson and Jordan Cronkrite returned to practice this week after missing the Georgia game.
• Florida quarterback Luke Del Rio is 5-0 as UF's starter and can match the start former UF quarterback Will Grier (6-0) had a season ago before being suspended and eventually transferring to West Virginia.
• Arkansas running back Rawleigh Williams ranks fourth in the conference in rushing at 100.9 yards per game (807 yards, 153 carries, 5.3 average, 5 TDs).
• Florida's defense continues to lead the SEC in scoring defense (11.7 ppg), pass defense (134.3 ypg), total defense (239.9) and third-down defense (27.8 percent for opponents).
• Sophomore receiver Antonio Callaway is the first player in UF history to score a touchdown five ways (receiving, passing, rushing, kickoff return, punt return) and the 21st in FBS player since 1996.
• Arkansas cornerback Ryan Pulley leads the SEC with 10 pass break-ups and returned his only interception of the season for a touchdown.
• Gators head coach Jim McElwain improved to 15-0 at Florida against unranked opponents with last week's victory over Georgia. The Razorbacks are currently not ranked.
• The Razorbacks announced Friday that Saturday's game is sold out and that they will wear special anthracite uniforms for the game.

 
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THE OTHER SIDE
 
Razorbacks coach Bret Bielema is in his fourth season and enters Saturday's game with a 23-23 record. Bielema is one of those coaches that fans tend to love or hate.

Sound familiar Coach Spurrier?

While Arkansas has yet to win an SEC West title in his time in Fayetteville, Bielema's charisma seems to be a hit with Hog fans.

Here is a closer look at him in a show called "BEING: Bret Bielema:"
 


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WHAT THEY'RE WRITING
 

• Gators eager to prove themselves against Arkansas writes Edgar Thompson of The Orlando Sentinel.
• A defining moment for Gators as they chase SEC East title writes Robbie Andreu of the Gainesville Sun.
• Time to embrace Fun-N-Gun-less Gators writes Matt Baker of The Tampa Bay Times.
• An SEC Week 10 viewer's guide by Sam Khan Jr. of ESPN.com.
• Gators offensive line making strides down stretch writes Nick De La Torre of GatorCountry.com.
• Gators embracing underdog mentality to close out regular season writes Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald.
• Florida's Chris Thompson overcomes early-season suspension to earn kick return duties writes Zach Abolverdi of SECCountry.com.

 
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BOTTOM LINE

Florida's defense is playing at such an elite level the Gators should be in contention every game they play the rest of the season if they stay healthy. Arkansas' 56-3 loss to Auburn two weeks ago was one of those games you glance at twice to make sure you saw the score correctly. Don't expect the Razorbacks to turn in a performance that ugly in front of their home fans Saturday, but don't expect the Gators to lose. Florida is two wins from defending its SEC East title and gaining confidence as the offense continues to evolve.