Carter's Corner: Are Gators a legit 2017 CFP sleeper?
Friday, February 10, 2017 | Football, Scott Carter
The Gators enter head coach Jim McElwain's third season in Gainesville riding a recent wave of momentum following a bowl win and strong class on National Signing Day.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Is Year 3 of the Jim McElwain era when the horde of media gathered at SEC Media Days picks the Gators to win the SEC East?
The Gators will open the 2017 season as two-time defending SEC East champions, but as you probably know, they were not picked to win the division either year.
Georgia was the favorite in 2015 and Tennessee was picked in 2016. Meanwhile, the Gators were tabbed to finish fifth two years ago and second last season.
Why is this on my mind in early February?
I came across an article on subscriber-based ESPN Insider with the headline: Why Florida is a legit 2017 CFP sleeper ($).
What do you ladies and gents think?
Are the #Gators a legit 2017 College Football Playoff Sleeper?
— Scott Carter (@GatorsScott) February 10, 2017
In the first of a series of stories over the next few months, writer KC Joyner considers Florida in a group of "sleeper programs that have a solid shot at CFP title contention if the ball bounces the right way."
We all know what can happen when the ball bounces the right way (looking at you Julian Edelman).
Curiously, in his analysis Joyner writes about seven factors before delivering his bottom line. But he did not discuss the most important ingredient in my eyes: consistent, big-play ability from the quarterback position. Good quarterback play makes everyone else better.
Everyone knows that. Florida fans especially know that.
Meanwhile, as for any SEC Media Day predictions, here is a look at the conference the past two years. The Gators have done alright despite the doubters in the middle of July:
| SCHOOL | 2016 (Overall/SEC) | 2015 (Overall/SEC) | TOTAL |
| Alabama | 14-1, 8-0 | 14-1, 7-1 | 28-2, 15-1 |
| Florida | 9-4, 6-2 | 10-4, 7-1 | 19-8, 13-3 |
| LSU | 8-4, 5-3 | 9-3, 5-3 | 17-7, 10-6 |
| Tennessee | 9-4, 4-4 | 9-4, 5-3 | 18-8, 9-7 |
| Georgia | 8-5, 4-4 | 10-3, 5-3 | 18-8, 9-7 |
| Texas A&M | 8-5, 4-4 | 8-5, 4-4 | 16-10, 8-8 |
| Arkansas | 7-6, 3-5 | 8-5, 5-3 | 15-11, 8-8 |
| Ole Miss | 5-7, 2-5 | 10-3, 6-2 | 15-10, 8-8 |
| Auburn | 8-5, 5-3 | 7-6, 2-6 | 15-11, 7-9 |
| Mississippi St. | 6-7, 3-5 | 9-4, 4-4 | 15-11, 7-9 |
| Kentucky | 7-6, 4-4 | 5-7, 2-6 | 12-13, 6-10 |
| Vanderbilt | 6-7, 3-5 | 4-8, 2-6 | 10-15, 5-11 |
| South Carolina | 6-7, 3-5 | 3-9, 1-7 | 9-16, 4-12 |
| Missouri | 4-8, 2-6 | 5-7, 1-7 | 9-15, 3-13 |
