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Brought to you by Mayor Clothing, GatorsTerritory dishes out another roundtable discussion from our team of writers!
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Will Kyle Trask throw at least 4 TDs in the first half for the third straight week?
Abolverdi: Trask has been on a tear the last two games, tossing four first-half touchdowns in Jacksonville and surpassing that last week with five TDs before the half. Georgia and Arkansas boast two of the best pass defenses in the SEC, so the Commodores should be a cakewalk for No. 11. He’ll be gunning for four more scores in the first half Saturday and will succeed; not only to extend his SEC record of consecutive games with at least four TD passes to seven, but to give Emory Jones and Anthony Richardson playing time after the break.
Clarke: I fully expect Trask to throw for at least 4 touchdowns in the first half. He has been on fire as of late and Vanderbilt is not a very good team, giving 38 points to Kentucky last week. Also, with Trask’s Heisman campaign in full swing, I think Mullen will look to boost his numbers — though he’d never admit that publicly — and this is the opponent to do that against. The Trask Train is rolling, and I don’t see anyone stopping it any time soon.
Reynolds: Absolutely he will. If Trask can do it against Georgia and Arkansas, he should be able to light up a Vanderbilt defense that has allowed 36 points per game against offenses that can't compare to Florida's. Vanderbilt struggles defending the pass, ranking last in the SEC in interceptions and second to last in sacks. UF’s passing offense, which is No. 4 nationally, should be able to dominate this defense with another four-TD performance from Trask in the first half.
Does UF eclipse 200 yards rushing for the second game in a row?
Abolverdi: Through the first half of the season, the Gators were held to under 100 yards rushing in three games. They finally eclipsed the 200-yard mark against Arkansas, with new season-highs from Dameon Pierce (69 yards) and Nay’Quan Wright (50 yards). Florida established the run early and controlled the clock in the second half with its ground game, which will also be the plan Saturday. I expect UF to hit the 200-yard mark again with a heavy dose of Pierce, Wright and Malik Davis, who I’m predicting scores his first touchdown of the season.
Clarke: Florida’s offensive line looks to be hitting its stride at the right time and the ground game is really benefiting from it. Though the Gators don’t lean on one running back, I think that as a group they will be able to get over that 200-yard mark again this week. The game should be well in hand by halftime, with UF able to coast to an easy victory just by running the ball and milking the clock for most of the second half.
Reynolds: Vanderbilt gives up about 185 yards on the ground per game, so I expect Florida to hit that 200-yard mark against the Commodores. I don’t think their defense will be able to contain Florida through the air or on the ground, allowing Trask & Co. to build a big lead. Once the scoreboard gets out of hand, that will create an opportunity for the Gators to run the ball with their bevy of backs. And with Kyle Pitts unavailable again, the offense will likely lean more on the run game anyway.
Will Florida's defense hold Vanderbilt to single digits?
Abolverdi: Florida shutout the Commodores last season, 56-0, and they’ve been held to seven points twice this year. However, Vanderbilt scored 35 points last week at Kentucky and put up 478 yards of total offense against Mississippi State, more than doubling the Bulldogs’ offensive output. I think UF’s defensive starters will only give up a field goal Saturday, but their backups have allowed a touchdown drive in each of the last three games and that will continue against the Commodores. I give ’em 10 points.
Clarke: I want to say yes because, as I alluded to above, I don’t think Vandy is very good. But the Gators defense has given up big plays on a busted coverage or assignment in every game this year. Unless they have that fixed, I don’t see them holding Vandy to single digits. I’m going to go with no on this one. I expect the Commodores to just get into double digits Saturday by scoring 10 points.
Reynolds: I don’t think Florida’s defense will be able to hold Vanderbilt to single digits, but this game won’t be close at all. UF has allowed 30 points a game this season, and while the Commodores won’t score that much, I think they do enough to reach double digits. Todd Grantham’s unit has improved, but is still surrendering scores on big-yardage plays (three one-play touchdown drives in the last two games). But anything can happen. The two teams that held Vandy under 10 this year, LSU and South Carolina, both give up more than 33 points per game.
