Florida hosts South Carolina starting at noon. (Photo: Matt Stamey/UAA Communications)
Game Day: Florida vs South Carolina, noon (ESPN)
Saturday, November 10, 2018 | Football, Chris Harry
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By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Seems a bit strange, but the previous/obvious storyline has been rendered virtually nonexistent this week. The fact Will Muschamp is coming back to the "Swamp" for just the second time has created very little pregame buzz.
And rightfully so.
Both the Florida football program and Muschamp have long moved on (only six leftover players remain), with each too wrapped up in their own issues for any talk of sentimentality; or even revenge. When the 19th-ranked Gators (6-3, 4-3) and Gamecocks (5-3, 4-3) close out their Southeastern Conference schedules Saturday at Spurrier/Florida Field they'll do so knowing the winner will claim third place in the league's Eastern Division and position itself for a better bowl game down the line.
For UF, the game represents a chance to halt a season-worst two-game losing streak, the back end of which was last week's ugly and thoroughly disappointing 38-17 homecoming loss to Missouri, which came to town winless in four SEC games. The Gators, who were coming off a 36-17 loss to rival Georgia and a run of five of six games away from home, may have taken a return to their cozy confines for granted, along with the Tigers, who rolled up 471 yards of total offense and led by as many as 25 in the second half.
That fat deficit prompted Coach Dan Mullen to make a quarterback switch, pulling ineffective starter Feleipe Franks and throwing backup Kyle Trask into the fire for the first SEC action of his career. Trask, the third-year sophomore, moved his team, made some decent throws, and entered the South Carolina week with a good chance of making his first career start.
Quarterback Feleipe Franks scored against Missouri on a 1-yard touchdown run, but the Florida offense needs him to hit some downfield plays in the passing game. (Photo: Matt Stamey/UAA Communications)
So it's Franks' team and likely will be the rest of the 2018 season. His nine-game 2018 numbers show 55.6-percent completions for 1,595 yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions. The last two games, however, Franks is at 51 percent, only 189 yards, one touchdown, one interception. The UF offense, meanwhile, has averaged just 299 yards and 17 points in the back-to-back losses, while finding very little in the way of explosive plays in the passing game. The unit now ranks 83rd among 130 FBS teams in total offense.
South Carolina, on the other hand, has been cranking out the points of late. Over the past four games, the Gamecocks, led by quarterback Jake Bentley (62.3 percent, 1,666 yards, 13 TDs, 8 INTs), are averaging 33.8 points to go with 390.5 yards per game, a statistic beefed up by last week's 510-yard outburst in a 48-44 come-from-behind win at Ole Miss.
It was a weird day in Oxford, to be sure.
The Rebels blistered the Gamecocks for 601 yards through three quarters and led by 10 with just over 11 minutes to play, but the USC defense bowed up and allowed just 14 fourth-quarter yards in rallying for a huge win.
After surrendering 615 yards and 44 points, albeit in victory, the South Carolina defense ranks 10th in the SEC (404.6 yards per game) and 12th in scoring (27.9 points per game).
Translation: There will be plays for the Florida offense to make.
Reality: It'll be up to Franks (and friends) to make them.
Kickoff is set for noon on the SEC Network, with Dave Pasch on play-by-play, Greg McElroy providing analysis and Tom Luginbill working the sideline. Replays will air Monday at midnight on SEC Network and 2 a.m. on ESPN2, as well as Thursday at 6 a.m. on ESPNU. The game can also be replayed on the ESPN app and WatchESPN.com.
Click here for for a station list of the Gator IMG Sports Network broadcast, with pre-game coverage starting at noon.
Also, check out the "First & 10 Pre-Game Show," hosted by GatorVision's Shelby Granath, coming from the field via Facebook Live on the Florida Gators page at 3 p.m. This week's lineup includes chats with Mullen, Luginbill, Steve Spurrier, honorary "Mr. Two Bits" and former baseball standout Brady Singer, members of the UF gymnastics team, as well as a pair of former football players in 2018 SEC legend Lawrence Wright and tight end Jake McGee.
Finally, follow senior staff writers Scott Carter and Chris Harry on Twitter (@GatorsScott and @GatorsChris) for commentary and analysis throughout the game. FloridaGators.com will have complete coverage content from the game Saturday night and fresh content Sunday, as well.
