The Opening Kickoff: Gators vs. Texas A&M

Scott Carter's Opening Kickoff (2017 v1)

Graphic: Scott MacCord

The Opening Kickoff: Gators vs. Texas A&M

Thursday, October 12, 2017 | Football, Scott Carter

Florida hosts the Aggies for the first time in 55 years on Saturday night at The Swamp.

By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Gators suffered a hard-to-swallow 17-16 loss to LSU a week ago on Homecoming. The Tigers were supposedly reeling, losing at home to Troy the previous week to turn up the heat on head coach Ed Orgeron.

Instead of folding, they came into Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and pulled out a win, one they desperately needed.

Fast forward a week and the Gators (3-2, 3-1) face a similar situation as they prepare to host Texas A&M (4-2, 2-1) on Saturday night, marking the Aggies' first trip to Gainesville in 55 years.

45818 — Florida is wearing its Nike-designed swamp green alternate Gator-themed uniforms Saturday. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA Communications)

Gator Nation has been testy the past several days. You've heard the complaints. The offense needs to produce more. What's up with those alternate uniforms? Losing to a team that lost to Troy the previous week is unacceptable.

That's life week-to-week in the Southeastern Conference and now the orange & blue faithful want to see what head coach Jim McElwain and his team have for an Aggies team that lost 27-19 to No. 1-ranked Alabama last weekend.

Texas A&M has its issues, too, but the offense is running well and the defense is improving. The Aggies are trending upward. The Gators are trending downward.

Florida suffered not only a loss to LSU, but in its wake several key players to injuries. A team already short-handed could be minus more players.

McElwain isn't interested in hearing what the Gators don't have.

"Everything is still out in front of us,'' he said. "How we approach that and how our guys choose to attack that is really going to be interesting. Like I said, I don't care who is missing, there isn't any of that. It's the guys that we have, go out and execute, play your tails off, and that's what has to happen."

This is the second meeting between the schools since Texas A&M joined the SEC in 2012. The Aggies hosted the Gators in their inaugural conference game and Florida rose to the occasion with a 20-17 victory, slowing down freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel before he became known as Johnny Football.

Let's take a closer look at Saturday's game with The Opening Kickoff:

This. Happened. #GoGators pic.twitter.com/sKs4Lc2AV1
— Gators Football (@GatorsFB) October 13, 2017

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THREE STORYLINES

The Gators are at a crucial point in the schedule with Texas A&M at home on Saturday, then a bye week before playing Georgia in Jacksonville. Following the loss to LSU, an 0-3 October looms as a possibility unless the Gators can get healthy and turn up the offensive production.
Texas A&M has faded fast in the second half of recent seasons. However, the Aggies played respectable against No. 1-ranked Alabama and seem to have gained some newfound hope. The Gators could dash that with a win, or the Aggies could leave 'The Swamp' with some swagger. Regardless, this matchup is a tone-setter for both programs heading into the heart of the SEC schedule.
The most discussed storyline around the Gators this week is the alternate uniforms they will wear on Saturday night. There was no middle ground I this debate. Fans either loved or hated the Nike-designed swamp green uniform combination. The players sounded excited to play in them. The media mostly gave them two-thumbs down. If the Gators win, the uniforms will get a lot more popular with fans. If they lose, burn them.

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THREE PLAYERS TO WATCH

When you play quarterback at Florida, scrutiny is part of the job. Feleipe Franks has learned that lesson quickly in his first four career starts. Franks has completed 63.3 percent (50 of 79) of his passes for 665 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. It's not that he's done anything wrong, it's more he hasn't been given an opportunity to do much at all. The Gators will need to throw and score points to beat the Aggies – and that means Franks likely will have to make plays in the passing game.
Texas A&M receiver Christian Kirk is an all-purpose threat and possibly the most dangerous player on the field Saturday night. Kirk has 316 yards receiving and five touchdown receptions and he is the active FBS career leader in punt return average (21.4 yards).
The Gators are banged up on offense and could be without leading receiver Tyrie Cleveland for a second consecutive game and true freshman playmaker Kadarius Toney, who suffered a separated shoulder in the loss to LSU. If neither can play, senior receiver Brandon Powell is a target Franks might have to rely on heavily.

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THREE DIGITS

38 – Years since Gators have lost to a school from Texas (Houston, 14-10 in 1979). Gators have defeated West Texas State (1982), Houston (1995), Texas A&M (2012) and North Texas (2016) since.

3.83 – Sacks per game for Texas A&M's defense, tops in the SEC and second nationally.

409 – Team-leading rushing yards for UF true freshman Malik Davis.

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THE QUOTE FILE

"It was hard not to notice it. I can't say enough about the fans in The Swamp, and I had some comments from their people afterward, like, 'Mac, unbelievable environment.' And it was. I credit our fans that show up and cheer our guys on. And to see that after 'We Are the Boys,' and to hear that place in unison – that was, it was special. Credit goes to the people who put it together, and more than that, the response then of the fans. And, ultimately, "I Won't Back Down" … it kind of hits home for me." – Gators head coach Jim McElwain on Tom Petty tribute
"It's a one-time deal. Nike did a good job telling the story, and like I said it was 18 months, I thought they'd kind of forgotten about it. It's something that, obviously, people [are] talking about — that's a good thing." – McElwain on UF's alternate uniforms for Texas A&M game
"That's nothing but effort. Coach has put an added emphasis this week and just in our room amongst the players, we've talked about it. We need to impact the game more. We gotta find a way to change the game." – Gators defensive end Jordan Sherit on lack of a fumble recovery on defense through five games
"He's a helluva quarterback. Talented quarterback. I think he's just younger. He's very raw. That's not an excuse. We have to go out and protect better as an offensive line, especially on those big-play, those big-shot plays we need to protect better." – Gators offensive lineman Tyler Jordan on quarterback Feleipe Franks
"Kellen's legs can keep plays alive. He needs to learn when to use them and when to not. That's what separates you as a veteran QB. He hasn't always done everything right, but he's given us a chance in all these games to be successful." – Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin on quarterback Kellen Mond

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INJURY REPORT

OUT FOR SEASON: DB Marcell Harris (Achilles tendon); DB Garrett Stephens (knee). OUT: DB Nick Washington (shoulder), LB Nick Smith (knee), WR James Robinson (heart condition), QB Kyle Trask (foot surgery); DOUBTFUL: WR/QB Kadarius Toney (shoulder); QUESTIONABLE: WR Tyrie Cleveland (ankle), RB Mark Thompson (heel), DE Jabari Zuniga (ankle); PROBABLE: OL Brett Heggie (concussion protocol); DB Duke Dawson (illness); SUSPENDED: RB Jordan Scarlett, WR Rick Wells, WR Antonio Callaway, LB Ventrell Miller, OL Kadeem Telfort, DL Jordan Smith, DL Keivonnis Davis, LB James Houston IV, DT Richerd Desir-Jones.

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CHARTING THE GATORS

The Gators are coming off a disappointing Homecoming loss to LSU that not only knocked Florida out of the national polls for the first time this season, but caused major unrest among the fan base.

UF has an opportunity to trend in a positive direction on Saturday night against the Aggies, who are coming off a loss at No. 1-ranked Alabama.

Last week's defeat was Florida's 10th in 32 games under third-year head coach Jim McElwain. The Gators are 6-3 under McElwain coming off a loss. A look at those games:

OPPONENT/SEASON	RESULT	NEXT GAME	RESULT
@ LSU/2015	L 35-28	Georgia*	W 27-3
Florida State/2015	L 27-2	Alabama**	L 29-15
Alabama**/2015	L 29-15	Michigan***	L 41-7
Michigan***/2015	L 41-7	UMass (2016)	W 24-7
@ Tennessee/2016	L 38-28	@ Vanderbilt	W 13-6
@ Arkansas/2016	L 31-10	South Carolina	W 20-7
@ Florida State/2016	L 31-13	Alabama**	L 54-16
Alabama**/2016	L 54-16	Iowa^	W 30-3
Michigan^^/2017	L 33-17	@ Kentucky	W 28-27
LSU/2017	L 17-16	Texas A&M	???

*@ Jacksonville; **SEC Championship Game; ***Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl; ^Outback Bowl; ^^Advocare Classic

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10 QUICK HITTERS

The Gators have scored in 366 consecutive games, setting an NCAA record for most consecutive non-shutouts in last week's loss to LSU.
Sophomore running back Lamical Perine has rushed for two or more touchdowns the past two games, the first UF player to do that since running back Mike Gillislee during the 2012 season.
The Gators have rushed for 165 or more yards in four consecutive games, their first such streak since 2012 against Tennessee, Kentucky, LSU and Vanderbilt. Florida is averaging 155.4 yards per game on the ground, ninth in the SEC.
UF punter Johnny Townsend has punted 26 times and more than half (14) have gone for 50 or more yards. Townsend leads the SEC in punting at 48.8 yards per kick.
This is Florida's first night game at home against an SEC opponent since a 38-10 win over Ole Miss on Oct. 3, 2015.
Freshman quarterback Kellen Mond has accounted for more than 1,300 yards of total offense, 1,045 passing and 266 rushing. Mond is mobile and one of the top newcomers in the SEC. He will test a Gators defense ranked 55th nationally more than any quarterback they have faced this season.
The Aggies have scored at least 14 points in 20 consecutive games, the longest streak in the SEC. Texas A&M is averaging 34.3 points in 2017, fourth in the conference.
Gators sophomore safety Chauncey Gardner must have heard the critics dissecting his tackling ability. Gardner had a career-high 12 tackles against LSU. With fellow safety Nick Washington out Saturday, Gardner figures to be active against a Texas A&M offense that spreads it out.
Expect to hear Aggies sophomore linebacker Tyrel Dodson's name called a lot Saturday. Dodson had a career-high 16 tackles against Alabama.
Florida leads the all-time series against Texas A&M 2-1. Florida defeated the Aggies at home, 42-6, in 1962, lost 37-14 in the 1977 Sun Bowl, and defeated the Aggies, 20-17, in head coach Kevin Sumlin's debut in 2012.

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THE OTHER SIDE

The Aggies are featured in a show called "The Pulse" each week during football season.

It's a high-end production that brings Aggies fans close to the program. Real close.

Here is this week's show leading up to the Alabama game and then after Texas A&M's 27-19 loss to the top-ranked Crimson Tide:

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WHAT THEY'RE WRITING

How Nike designed Florida Gators' swamp green alternate uniforms by Matt Baker of The Tampa Bay Times.
Gators assistant coach Gene Ellenson's letter to the team 55 years ago sparked UF to rout of Aggies in Texas A&M's only other trip to Gainesville via Robbie Andreu of The Gainesville Sun.
UF coach Jim McElwain does not back down from criticism of his offense writes Edgar Thompson of The Orlando Sentinel.
If Aggies continue to improve, Kevin Sumlin puts Texas A&M brass in an uncertain spot writes Andy Staples of SportsIllustrated.com.
'Papo' Jordan Sherit thriving in final season with Gators writes Jordan McPherson of SECCountry.com.
Gators face a must-win game on Saturday along with others writes Pat Dooley of The Gainesville Sun.
The world needs more laughter and Texas A&M blog GoodBullHunting.com poked some fun at UF's alternate uniforms with other potential alternate unis for the Gators. Gotta love college football.

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BOTTOM LINE

I should be watching this one in my bed at home on Saturday night if Friday goes well. No, I don't have a wild house party planned on Friday night. Instead, surgery for a recently discovered medical condition. The good news is doctors caught it early and the long-term prognosis is very optimistic. As for the Gators, their long-term prognosis will be more defined by what they do Saturday night against the Aggies. A win sets up a huge SEC East showdown against Georgia in two weeks. A loss and the Georgia game probably won't matter nearly as much in the SEC East standings. I really thought the Gators would beat LSU and they lost. So, I think they will lose to Texas A&M, which surely means they'll win.