Gators vs. Seminoles: 10 Things To Keep An Eye On
Friday, November 25, 2011 | Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Back in September both Florida and Florida State appeared on the way to big seasons.
The Gators reached No. 12 in the national polls before starting quarterback John Brantley suffered an ankle injury and Florida dropped four consecutive games. The Seminoles climbed to No. 5 before a home loss to Oklahoma ignited a three-game losing streak.
The big seasons many expected have faded, but regardless of records, it's always a big game any time these two in-state rivals clash.
This year's game won't determine a BCS bowl bid or shot at a national title, but it will determine which program has momentum heading into the bowl season and potential recruiting battles before National Signing Day. It also means another year of bragging rights.
“Winning helps everything,'' Gators coach Will Muschamp said. “It puts everybody in a better mood. You become a better coach all of a sudden when you win a game. There is no question that it would help.''
The Gators won six straight in the series until last year's 31-7 loss in Tallahassee. Florida's last loss at home to FSU was in 2003 and the Gators have outscored the Seminoles 116-29 in the last three meetings here.
With the regular season down to its final game, here are 10 things to keep an eye on in Saturday's game:
SENIOR DAY
The Gators will honor 19 players on Senior Day, including several who contributed to Florida's 2008 national championship team and the 2009 team than went 12-0 during the regular season.
Starting quarterback John Brantley, offensive lineman Dan Wenger, running backs Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps, receiver Deonte Thompson, tight end William Steinmann, defensive linemen Jaye Howard and William Green, defensive back Moses Jenkins, offensive lineman James Wilson and punter David Lerner have played regularly.
Walk-ons being honored include kicker Zach Brust, long snapper Cody Hampton, defensive back Newton Lizima, running back Phillip Bellino, fullback Jason Traylor, cornerback Brian Biada, linebacker Minch Minchen and receiver Solomon Schoonover.
FAMILIARITY FACTOR
A lot has been made all season of Muschamp's first time through the SEC as a head coach and some of the familiar faces he has coached against, most notably Tennessee coach Derek Dooley and Alabama coach Nick Saban, who he worked for at LSU.
However, Muschamp probably has more in common with Florida State's Jimbo Fisher than any other coach he'll face at Florida. They worked together at LSU and consider each other good friends.
Translated onto the football field, they share many of the same philosophies. Fisher is an offensive coach heavily involved in FSU's game plan. Muschamp is a defensive coach heavily involved in the Gators' defensive strategy. They know how the other one thinks and their tendencies, so if the game is close and comes down to a few critical plays at the end, it should make for an interesting chess match.
HOME DELIVERY
The Gators could use a win for many reasons, but perhaps as important as any is the opportunity to close out a strong season at The Swamp.
After losing three games at home in Urban Meyer's final season, Florida is 5-1 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Muschamp's first season and a victory over FSU would conclude a strong showing in front of home fans.
Florida's only loss at home was a 38-10 setback to Alabama on Oct. 1 in the game that Brantley went down with his ankle injury.
OFFENSIVE LINES
Both Muschamp and Fisher talk a lot about how games are won and lost at the line of scrimmage. Along those lines, both offensive lines have struggled with consistency and injuries this season, contributing to some of the losses each team has suffered.
The Gators are expected to have sixth-year senior Dan Wenger back after he missed the Furman game with an ankle injury that has hobbled him on and off for more than a month. Gators tackle Chaz Green (ankle) has missed the last four games due to an ankle injury and his status for Saturday remains uncertain.
Meanwhile, FSU's line has allowed 31 sacks – most in the ACC – and struggled at times in short-yardage running situations.
FLORIDA'S RUN GAME
The Gators are 5-0 when they rush for more yards than their opponent, 1-5 when they do not. This is the final home game for Demps and Rainey. The two have combined for nearly 1,300 yards rushing this season and would like nothing more than to have a big game on the ground against the Seminoles.
That won't be easy against a Noles defense ranked third in the nation (84 yards per game) against the run. Demps (three) and Rainey (four) have combined for seven 100-yard rushing games this season, second-most in the SEC behind Alabama's 10.
BIG PASSING PLAYS
The Gators scored a season-high 54 points in last week's win over Furman as Brantley passed for a career-high 329 yards and four touchdowns.
Brantley threw two of his touchdown passes to receiver Andre Debose on go routes, one an 80-yarder and the other going for 64 yards. He also connected with Thompson for a 41-yard gain, the longest catch of the season for Thompson.
The vertical passing game is something Gators offensive coordinator Charlie Weis has tried to incorporate more into the game plan as Brantley's ankle has improved. To beat a tough FSU defense – the Noles are giving up only 15.9 points a game – Florida will likely need a few big throws down the field.
PENALTY PATROL
If you like your football to include a lot of yellow laundry on the field, well, the Gators and Seminoles are your kind of teams this season. Only Arizona and Colorado have committed more penalties.
The Gators and Noles enter with 89 penalties each, which ties them for 117th in Division I. After committing 14 penalties in a loss to Georgia, the Gators have just 14 penalties over their last three games, which helped them win two of three since their four-game losing streak. The team with the fewest penalties will be in better position for a win.
COMPOSURE CHALLENGE
Both teams are relatively young and for many this will be their first taste of the Florida-FSU rivalry.
Add each team's tendency to play undisciplined by committing costly penalties and to turn the ball over at critical times, it will be interesting to see how the young players respond.
Muschamp talked about creating team leaders out of this year's struggles, and a rivalry game like FSU is an opportunity for those players to emerge.
INTERCEPTIONS ANYONE
The Gators finally put Furman away on a pair of interception returns for touchdowns in the fourth quarter, one by safety Pop Saunders and one by linebacker Jelani Jenkins.
After picking off only two passes the previous six games, the Gators matched that total in a span of three Furman drives. Can they keep it up against FSU quarterback E.J. Manuel?
Manuel didn't play particularly well in the loss to Virginia but he usually takes care of the football. He hasn't thrown an interception in the past three games and is completing 66.3 percent of his passes. The Gators certainly have a better chance at winning if they can force Manuel into some mistakes in the passing game.
KICKING GAME
There are three finalists for the Lou Groza Award given annually to the nation's top kicker and two of them are in this game.
Gators kicker Caleb Sturgis and FSU's Dustin Hopkins are up for the award because each has had an excellent season. Sturgis has made 21 of 25 field goals, including three of 50 or more yards.
Hopkins is coming off perhaps the most difficult miss of his career – a potential game-winning 42-yard field goal in a 14-13 loss to Virginia – but he has made 20 of 24 field goals on the season.
GATORS GAMEBOX
Florida State at Florida
Kickoff: Saturday, 7 p.m. (Ben Hill Griffin Stadium)
Records: FSU 7-4; Florida 6-5
TV/Internet: ESPN2/ESPN3.com
Radio: Gator IMG Sports Network (click here for affiliates); Sirius 219/XM 199
Game notes: FSU notes; Florida notes
Bottom line: It's been a disappointing season for both the Gators and Seminoles, but not nearly as disappointing for the winner of this game.
