What a game
The Gators walked into Ben Hill Griffin Stadium as the only people on God's green Earth who thought they could win this football game. Vegas had made them a double-digit home dog, most in the media (myself included) picked Alabama to win and cover.
Florida dug a hole early. After winning the toss Florida deferred and the Crimson Tide swept right over the field on an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. The Gators went down on a drive of their own but settled for a field goal. Alabama scored another touchdown just seven plays later and Emory Jones threw an interception on the ensuing drive. Another Bama score made it 21-3 in the blink of an eye and all of the people. that doubted Florida looked justified.
The Gators didn't back down. They stood in the center of the ring with college football's behemoth and kept swinging. The defense put together three consecutive three-and-outs and the Gators scored before halftime but a missed extra point would loom large over the game.
At the end of the day, there are no moral victories. Florida lost the game. They have lost eight in a row to Alabama, who has now won an astonishing 32 games in a row against SEC East opponents.
This game should, however, show where the program is and where it's heading. Florida continues to improve and Saturday night they showed they belong on the same field and the No. 1 team in the country even when nobody thought they did.
Florida lost by two points in a game where they didn't make a single tackle in the first quarter, didn't have Anthony Richardson play a single snap, and missed an extra point. Only the first two words in that sentence matter, but the rest are something to hang your hat on.
Abysmal open field tackling in the first half
There's no way around it. The tackling in the open field isn't going to get the job done against a lesser team and it certainly wasn't good enough to beat Alabama. Credit to the defense, who after giving up three touchdown drives to start the game held Alabama to just three yards of offense in the second quarter. If they could have put together a full game we very well could be talking about one of the biggest upsets in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium history.
Emory Jones slander went too far
The most popular player on a football team is the backup quarterback. That axiom rings true all throughout college football and when the backup is a 6-4 battering ram with a cannon and a Ferrari engine, that popularity can run wild.
Hampered by a hamstring injury sustained at the end of the Gators' week two win over USF, Anthony Richardson was relegated to true backup work. The redshirt freshman had played a lot in the first two games but that wouldn't be the case Saturday.
"He knew he was going to go in back-up mode only and be a dropback passer, stand in the pocket only, not running around, hand the ball off to quarterback. Fortunately, Emory stayed healthy."
Jones wasn't perfect. He threw his fifth interception of the season and Alabama took that gift and turned it into seven points. Jones was, however, much better in his third start than he had been in the previous two. Jones finished 17-of-27 (63%) and the one interception. He added 80 rushing yards on 19 carries and a touchdown. He led scoring drives of 75, 79, 75, 75, and 99 yards.
He's far from a finished product but he did look better, against better competition, on Saturday.
It's not a game that will win over all the naysayers and the people that want Richardson to start but it's a game that Jones can build off of.
Penalties gave Alabama extra chances the Gators couldn't afford to give
Florida had four pass interference calls, three of which came on third down after getting a stop, which gave Alabama a new set of downs. You can live with some mistakes but you're going to have a hard time beating the No. 1 team in the country when you're giving them empty, free yards.
Second half offense
Florida out rushed and out-gained Alabama in a loss but it was really the second half when Emory Jones and the offense hit their stride.
The first three drives out of the locker room to start the second half went:
10 plays, 75 yards, Touchdown
11 plays, 99 yards, Touchdown
11 plays, 75 yards, Touchdown
Florida out rushed Alabama 258-91 and out-gained the Tide 439-324. The rushing attack that led the nation after two weeks but was questioned due to the competition level didn't miss a beat.
"We did it the first two weeks, we just go continue to do it. Whether it's Bama, Tennessee, LSU, whoever it is, we gonna continue to run the ball," Nay'Quan Wright said after the game. "It doesn’t matter who’s out there, we’re just gonna put the ball down and run the ball. We did it the first two weeks, we were really efficient, so we're just gonna keep it going.”
The Swamp was electric
The official announced attendance was 90,887 — the fifth-largest crowd to ever see a game in The Swamp. Growing up I've been to many Florida games. I was in attendance for the "Cock Block" when Jarvis Moss saved the Gators' National Championship with a blocked field goal. That still holds the spot for the loudest I've ever heard the stadium. I was in attendance for Tim Tebow's final game in Gainesville.
Saturday night, with No. 1 Alabama in town, the Swamp was back alive. Louder than when Lamical Perine broke free against Aubrun in 2019 and it was sustained.
"I want to thank all the Gator Nation," Dan Mullen said after the game. "Hopefully everyone travels home safe. The rain held off until postgame so … but it was to see the Swamp alive, unbelievable atmosphere. The fan, they certainly did their part."
The crowd made its presence felt, forcing delay of games and procedural penalties. Tom Petty's Wont Back Down was goosebump material (video below).
College football needs the fans. It needs the traditions. Gainesville and Gator Nation delivered.
