Revenge Tour Stop 1: Cocktail Party
It’s that time people. World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. Georgia is ranked number 1. Florida is outside the top 25. Sometime this has not turned out well for us. Other times it doesn’t matter. Throw out the records they say, as it is a rivalry game. What will happen this year?
Last year I ran my mouth all offseason about how they stood no chance against us. I wasn’t a believer in their team. I thought our talent advantage would win out. It almost did. 2020 was a weird year. Did you hear there was a worldwide pandemic? Plenty of “what if” could be played, but what’s the point? The game is over. They won. They earned the right to say all of their “wheel route” jokes as we couldn’t stop any of them.
Those jokes end October 30, 2021 in the year of our Lord. I hope they had fun with them. I’m sure Dan Mullen will try a few of them. Ask Clemson how that worked out for them. Here’s another issue re: wheel routes; Kyle Trask isn’t walking through that door, nor is Kyle Pitts, nor is Ka’darius Toney. Jacob Copeland is good if he’s your 2nd receiver, but on this team he is number one. Florida’s QB situation has been well documented and much maligned. Their best shot is to play Anthony Richardson the whole game. Will they? Remains to be seen.
Our front seven is approaching all-time status. So far so good for this group. The Florida OL hasn’t faced a group like this so far this season. The sins of the last few seasons of poor recruiting will come to roost in this game. The Florida DL will come out ready to make plays, and they might make a few. Zach Carter is a legit beast. But their linebackers and defensive backfield are suspect outside of Kaiir Elam. Does anyone think their linebackers can cover Darnell Washington or Brock Bowers? How about their safeties? Whoever is opposite of Kaiir Elam is about to have their lunch money taken as well.
To be frank, we may not even have to pass. That run defense was downright ghastly against LSU. A steady diet of Zamir White and James Cook may be just what the doctor ordered for this Florida team. Controlling clock and wearing down their defense may be the key to the game. Keeping Anthony Richardson off of the field is certainly one way to stop them. Honestly, I don’t care how we win, as long as we leave Jacksonville, Georgia victorious.
Real talk though, this game, like all of them for the month of October, could go one of two ways. One, the gold standard, is like the Arkansas game. Where we just shut them down, foil everything they have planned, and just embarrass them. Two, the not so gold standard, is like the Auburn game. Where they have some success, but are never really in the game and take a loss. This game I could see being a weird mix. Dan Mullen might have some tricks up his sleeve and have a great first drive scripted to gain some success. When the dust settles, we remember what we came for, what we are playing for, and play like we’ve played all year.
45–16 Dawgs on Top.
