We had a to ten team, I guess that’s about it. We deserve that much but we’ve had a few top ten teams since Urbs, just not a team I felt had a legitimate shot at a title.
Mike Gillislee, one of my favorite Gators of the last 23 years. Waited his turn and never complained. Lit it up his senior year. That FSU game was a thing of beauty with MG. Wherever he is today I hope he is thriving. “ Wes Chandler was Percy Harvin before Percy Harvin was born.”
Maybe I’m just optimistic, but I feel like if we played 100 times, they would not have another game like that. I mean that running performance was one for the ages, and there was a lot of holding that wasn’t called. We came out flat, they came out sharp. Both teams playing at full potential, I feel like UF is the better team, but I concede that’s really subjective and homerish.
And how many years did we beat them? They have a little streak going on but I'm not going to crown them yet.
Your point is correct, but I'm with @murphree_hall on the analysis. That game was an aberration. This little run is too: they've won a couple they shouldn't -- though going into it, our last couple of wins might have been goofy. It reminds me of the run Missouri had on us around 12 years ago. Especially the beatdown they gave us on our homecoming. Aberrations.
I'm sure Nebraska fans still talk a lot about their 33 years streak of winning 9+ games a year, winning five MNCs. Currently, however, they have another streak they talk about even more: Six straight losing seasons and seven out the last eight. They fired Bo Pelini because he "only" won 9 games a year, and afterwards, they discovered that it may NOT get better but damned sure could get worse. The same lessons most of us learned after SOS and Meyer left. "Oh, it could NEVER get worse than THIS!" Hold my beer...
Why are they aberrations? One, or two in a row (like Ole Miss in 2002/3 with Eli Manning at QB) could be an aberration. Losing four of the last six means they are not scared of us. We're 6-5 against Mizzou since they joined the SEC. Mizzou hardly fears us. Florida State? Since 2010, we're 4-8 against the Noles. "How can THAT be?!?" They're in the All Cupcake Conference! They aren't as good as their record says. And after they win, we get the usual "We're their Super Bowl! We got jobbed by the refs (2003 was a legitimate excuse)! We played our D game,while they played out of their minds!! If we played them a hundred times, we'd win 90 (and this was during the SOS years!)! Our (insert head coach or coordinator here) sucks and needs to be fired NOW! Bench the QB! Try the backup!" And on and on... Since 2010, our record is 105-66 (.614). Against P5 programs, we are 74-65 (.511). We are, and have been, an average middle of the pack P5 program. As Bill Parcells says, "You are what your record SAYS you are." Little wonder no P5 teams fear us. We aren't Da Mighty Gators anymore...
Have to wonder what trench battles we'll win from here on out. Was UK that much stronger or just that much more motivated?
I think yes. IMO a bad matchup for us and they came out with their hair on fire, while we stumbled around. USCe is a better matchup and hopefully we are dialed in.