Whitley: A glimmer of hope for the Gators
If Florida doesn’t beat FSU, this will be the last week anyone has to predict the outcome of a Gator game.
Hallelujah.
I predicted UF would go 9-3. I’d be embarrassed, but none of the other 84,000 predictions I read had the Gators going worse than 7-5. And in a recent poll, none of the 7.75 billion people on Earth predicted Florida would ever give up 42 points in a half to Samford.
Gator Nation is understandably in a funk, so allow me to offer a ray of hope in the form of Chris McClellan. He’s a 4-star prospect who committed to Florida on Tuesday, two days after Dan Mullen was fired.
Yes, a “Help Wanted” sign did a better job recruiting than the erstwhile coach.
I don’t say that to pile on Mullen. It’s just small proof that Florida will always have a lot to entice recruits regardless of who occupies the head coach’s office. McClellan was lured all the way from Owasso, Oklahoma.
He is, “Heavy-handed with toss-away and stack-and-shed strength. Plays with above-average body control relative to mass and position projection. Displays a fairly tight turning radius for a near-300-pounder,” according to the 247Sports Scouting Report.
I have no idea what half that means, but Florida fans will appreciate what McClellan said when he chose the school currently without a coach.
“It’s not like they’re going to hire a slouch.”
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Whoever it is will walk into a job 97% of FBS coaches would die for. He’ll perform triage on this recruiting class and work the transfer portal. The sun will come up tomorrow.
My way-too-early prediction for next year: It will be better than this one. And if the coach is a real non-slouch, things will only get better from there.
Speaking of non-slouches, I went 8-2 last week despite picking Florida to beat Missouri. It’s 11 weeks too late, but I have learned my lesson.
FSU at Florida: That lesson is it’s crazy to pick Florida against anyone. Between the rivalry factor, home field and post-firing zen, I wouldn’t be surprised if UF wins and players triumphantly carry an inflatable Dan Mullen doll off the field on their shoulders. I also wouldn’t be surprised if the Gators lose by 20. FSU, 24-22.
Ohio State at Michigan: Wolverine Nation has been waiting for Jim Harbaugh to beat Ohio State since 1986, when he managed to do it as a quarterback. He’s 0-5 as a coach, but it feels like 0-50. Make it 0-51. Ohio State, 36-24.
Georgia at Georgia Tech: You’ve probably noticed by now it’s Rivalry Week, when “You can throw the record books out the window.” You could throw Georgia’s 22 starters out the window and the Bulldogs would still win by 30. Georgia, 44-10.
Upset Special - Texas A&M at LSU: The Tigers are searching for a new coach and need a win to qualify for a bowl. If they win, they can hoist a real Ed Orgeron on their shoulders and carry him off the field into forced retirement. Here’s hoping they have enough stack-and-shed strength. LSU, 19-17.
Alabama at Auburn: Tigers QB Bo Nix claimed this week that refs give Bama preferential treatment. The head of SEC officiating quickly denied the allegation and returned to his hot tub at Nick Saban’s Spa. Auburn’s problem isn’t going to be crooked refs. It’s going to be the Tide’s offense. Alabama, 39-27.
Vanderbilt at Tennessee: The Commodores could become bowl eligible if the NCAA counted this as four games and they actually won. There’s zero chance of either happening. Tennessee, 38-17.
Recruiting update: The scouting report lists Chris McClellan as 6-foot-3, 295 pounds with “robust straight frame rails that provide a clean design that helps ensure smooth, well-integrated upfits… 50-degree wheel cut enhances turning radius.”
Sounds like just what the recruiting doctor ordered for Florida’s depleted defensive line.
Kentucky at Louisville: The Wildcats’ defense has tanked after a 6-0 start. A 2-4 finish and losing to Louisville might make fans reconsider whether Mark Stoops really is the second coming of Bear Bryant. He’s no Bear, but Stoops will figure out a way to contain Louisville QB Malik Cunningham. Kentucky, 24-18.
Bonus Pick - Sacred Heart at Holy Cross: I don’t know anything about these teams, other than their recruiting classes are ranked even lower than UF’s. But this tilt sure sounds like a rivalry of biblical proportions. Holy Cross, 16-3.
Oklahoma at Oklahoma State: The rumor mill has Lincoln Riley becoming coach at LSU, where he’d be much easier to carry off the field than Orgeron. Hard to see that happening, but I can see OU winning and forcing a rematch in next week’s Big 12 Championship Game. I’ll take the Sooners in Round One. Oklahoma, 33-26.
Miami at Duke: How did this sneak into Rivalry Week? It’s no rivalry, though these teams would love to throw their records out the window. Miami, 30-19.
Correction: It seems the previous scouting report on Chris McClellan was actually a Motor Trend review of the 2019 Chevy Silverado. We regret the error, though we do hear that McClellan does have robust straight frame rails.
Clemson at South Carolina: Whoever thought that going into the final week of the regular season the Gamecocks would be bowl eligible and Florida and LSU wouldn’t? Whoever thought Clemson wouldn’t even be ranked?
Losing to South Carolina would really make for a long winter in Dabo Land. As screwy as this season has been, that’s as unfathomable as Samford scoring 42 points in a half against Florida. Clemson, 27-13.
— David Whitley is The Gainesville Sun's sports columnist. Contact him at dwhitley@gannett.com. And follow him on Twitter: @DavidEWhitley
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Gators get a glimmer of hope amid the Mullen gloom
