After muddling through a 7-6 season last year, Florida has been relegated to afterthought in the league, at least for now. And don’t think for one moment coach Will Muschamp isn’t hammering that point home to his team.
When the SEC coaches’ preseason votes were released last week, Florida’s lone first-team member was kicker Caleb Sturgis.
“I texted our team, ‘Congratulations to Caleb Sturgis, And the SEC coaches must not think much of the rest of you guys,’ ” Muschamp said Wednesday morning.
Gee, think this might have something to do with that?
… The Gators will have a new quarterback, and speedsters Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey also are gone. The leading returning receiver is tight end Jordan Reed. And the Gators weren’t an offensive juggernaut last season.
In five of its six losses, Florida scored 12 or fewer points. Quarterback John Brantley, Demps and Rainey were slowed by and missed games due to injury. The Gators were minus-12 in turnover margin and outscored 72-22 in the fourth quarters of their eight SEC games.
After two-plus decades of cockiness emanating from Gainesville, this just sounds weird to hear.
“Last year was real tough,” senior running back Mike Gillislee said. “We’ve all got a saying, not the coaches but the players, we’re all saying we’ve got to get Florida back to where they used to be. It used to be that Florida fans, people, expected us to be good. We have to get back to that, get this program back right.”
Florida minus the arrogance? Florida trying to motivate itself by wanting respect? Sounds like the Gator version of fake juice to me. And I can’t help but wonder if this is going to wind up playing into the psychology of the Cocktail Party.
Get The Picture 
The thought of Florida going into the Cocktail Party a complete basket case and completely shitting the bed is just too sweet. I may have to re-watch the 2010 Liberty Bowl just to bring myself back down to Earth.
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Of course Ill take any kind of win, but a win that sets their psyche back a few years would be especially sweet. 30+ points or more…..I can dream right.
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We do find ourselves in the opportune situation to REALLY turn the psychological advantage of the series in our favor with a 2nd win in a row.
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My feelings exactly. We need to step up and crush Florida in every measurable way come October. I’m talking the kind defeat you get physically ill just thinking about. I’d say they’re due.
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I thought last year’s game was a little like how it used to be.
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I need an old-fashioned beatdown to truly feel normal about it.
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True SJ, many CFB fans share Mike Gillislee’s desire to get Florida’s program back to where they used to be. That was before their bandwagon fans became so insufferable and made Florida a disliked group, not just because of their gawdy colors, or arrogant coaches, but because of their mouthiness. It is what would happen if NY, or NJ had a decent college team.
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They were mouthy before Spurrier, his example allowed them to turn it up a few notches. Follow the leader, so to speak.
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If they were mouthy before Spurrier, no one gave them a platform. hard to run that jaw when you don’t have a title in your entire school’s history. Which is why SC fans should be ignored, they have no creds when it comes to CFB.
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Well, I for one am not counting UF out. In a way they are similar to the UGA team…great D with potential problems on O. UGA needs to find a OL that can generate holes for RB’s and protect Murray. Our D is great but keep drawing from that well without the O scoring…you know what can happen…remember MichSt. Also, what if Pease can do for the UF QB’s what the Auburn OC did for Campbel his senior year? Of course UF doesn’t have the RB’s Auburn had but with the D UF has they won’t need a lot of points from the O…their D will keep them in the games. I don’t won’t to jinx us by believing all this about UF’s irrelevance in the East Division race.
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Muschamp ain’t the kind of personality who can channel his emotions, especially if things get ugly early for them. If Florida loses a few right out of the shoot, this could be real fun to watch.
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Yes, only Urbie, SOS, and Kiffen Junior are more fun to watch lose. And some wanted this POS as our HC,. Looks like a good marriage to me: immature joke as coach for an arrogant bunch of myopic fans. BOOM goes the dynamite…and the F Bombs.
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Aw, let’s all feel sorry for the Gators.
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Can’t think of a school or a fanbase that deserves this more…well maybe Tennessee.
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Eventually, it all comes back around. It’s been a long time (22 years in fact) since Florida wasn’t the darling of SEC days in Birmingham and from listening to my buddies and the radio fans here in Jacksonville, the fans just don’t know what to think of this. Their dominate Gators relegated to an afterthought?…it can’t be! “We’re the Gators, we’re cocky, arrogant, and always finish first. WTF is this not being #1 sh*t?”
Florida’s D took a hit when Ronald Powell blew his knee in the spring game, he was going to be a major force on the line. But the rest of the D will be stout and will keep them competitive – two questions remain though: (1) will the D be more effective in stopping the run? and (2) how are they going to score any points?
All that said, the Florida program will not stay down forever. Too much support, too large of a talent pool to pull from in a state with $18mm people, and Foley won’t sit around and watch his golden goose slide for long. But I’m enjoying this for the time being.
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The good Senator writes;
“And I can’t help but wonder if this is going to wind up playing into the psychology of the Cocktail Party.”
Fake juice indeed
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Did I miss a memo? I thought only players partook of that substance.
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There is no such thing as fake juice on a blog. Otherwise, Las Vegas would be monitoring…
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Florida’s defense is really good and their offense can’t help but improve sans Charlie Cheeseburger.
Do any of us really think Georgia isn’t going to go into that one tight?
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Senator, put a stop with all of the positive speculation already! Reality: a 3-4 Florida team will come into Jacksonville and beat 7-0 Georgia by three touchdowns.
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If that were to happen then Richt will have dug a hole he would likely never emerge from.
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Florida football turned 21 in Urb’s last year and like a lot of childhood prodigies, growing into adulthood has many awkward ups and downs and can be downright disappointing for the once shining star
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Personally, I liked the one where she was clean-shaven getting out of the car better than this attack video where she’s clean-shaven topside
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