‘SEC Nation’ Hypes Up Gator Nation in Gainesville Ahead of Texas
No ESPN College GameDay, no problem.
The SEC Network’s “Marty & McGee” and “SEC Nation” came to Gainesville Saturday ahead of the 3:30 p.m. kickoff between Florida and No. 9 Texas.
While Florida is 127-35 at home this century, outscoring opponents by 19 points per game, the “SEC Nation” picks were split between the Gators and the Longhorns. Former Alabama and NFL All-Pro safety Roman Harper pulled out a Gators WWE belt to make his pick, while the legendary Florida Heisman-winning quarterback Tim Tebow took Florida by repping a Gators tank top under his suit jacket.
“Texas looks like the better team,” Tebow said, before adding that he picked Texas before Saturday, but a trip to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium Friday reminded him that “Only Gators Get Out Alive.”
ESPN host Laura Rutledge’s daughter also picked the Gators for “Reese’s Football Picks Featuring Baby Jack.”
After a 1-3 start to the season for Florida, Gator Nation has been unhappy with coach Billy Napier, calling for his removal. Out of the gate, Marty Smith scolded Florida fans just moments into “Marty & McGee” for booing and laughing at Napier, creating an uncomfortable environment.
“I don’t know why y’all are booing him,” Smith said. “I don’t even understand that even a little bit, but we’ll get to that in a little while, but I think he’s a fantastic football coach and a great man.”
Napier joined the show and talked about how quarterback DJ Lagway missed a large portion of the offseason due to injury, addressing his struggles and reassuring fans that he is improving each week.
“This is literally his sixth week of practice against live bullets, and I think that he’s catching up,” Napier said. “He’s calibrating. I do think he had probably his best week of practice this week in terms of looking like himself again. And I do think how he prepares, his confidence in his teammates around him and how they’ve rallied around him I think has been important.”
Former Gators coach Steve Spurrier joined the UF alumni Rutledge and Tebow on “SEC Nation” to talk about the Florida season and celebrate the 60th anniversary of Gatorade. He said The Swamp will do what it needs to do to help the team toward a win, but it must follow suit with a strong performance.
Tebow also said that the “All Kinds of Weather” mentality is necessary for Gator Nation and Florida football to make it through the rest of the season. ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum also asked where the passion has been all year for the Gators on the field, saying it has to come back Saturday or it will not all season.
Napier said he still sees the fight in his guys after having their best practice of the year Wednesday, having fun and playing fast with high energy. He also acknowledged that he and the Gators must be objective and block out the noise surrounding the program.
“In my opinion, it’s less about what’s at stake, and it’s more about our obligation to each other, playing with pride,” Napier said. “Some things are worth fighting for, and this group certainly is, and I think they’re excited about the challenge that comes with today’s game.”
Two strong defenses will lead this game. Harper said that while the Florida offense is one of the most underwhelming in the conference, no team plays harder for their coach when needed. “SEC Nation” talent Jordan Rodgers said that the Gators have all the tools to be great with the ball despite an average of 1.1 yards per rush before contact, which is a rank of 109th in the FBS.
“Marty & McGee” co-host Ryan McGee recognized that Florida will not win the SEC, but it can ruin that chance for someone else, which is a fun power to hold. For Texas, the “SEC Nation” crew emphasized that a loss Saturday would be the end of its season, as a tough schedule looms.
McGee said that the Longhorns offense needs to lean on its biggest tool: the run game. While Texas is down running back CJ Baxter Jr., its top rusher from last year, Quintrevion Wisner, is back from a hamstring injury sustained in the season opener against Ohio State. In that 14-7 loss to start the season, he tallied 80 rushing yards on 16 attempts.
Also back from injury is wide receiver Emmett Mosely V, a transfer from Stanford who has yet to play in the burnt orange. Rodgers said that quarterback Arch Manning needs to be consistent with his feet to throw accurately, so it will help to have Mosely as an option.
Manning will also be available to contribute to the rush, as he has the second-most yards on the ground for Texas. He also has the opportunity to contribute to the family record against the Gators. As it stands, the Mannings are 2-3 against Florida, with both wins coming from Eli and Ole Miss in 2002 and 2003.
With a slow start to the season, Manning came back with 309 pass yards and an 85.7% completion rate in Texas’s 55-0 win over Sam Houston Sept. 20. He did not quite have the start many expected, as he threw an interception in each of the first three games. His three pass touchdowns and three on the ground helped get him back into the good graces of the Texas faithful.
Smith said that Sarkisian told his young gun to not pay attention to the criticism or praise. Instead, the coach said on “SEC Nation” that Manning knows he is valued by the program internally, which gives him more confidence.
Sarkisian acknowledged that The Swamp is one of the hardest places to play in the NCAA and said that extra days of practice via the bye week “never hurts” when playing Florida.
Category: College Football, Football, Gator Sports, Gators Football, NCAA, SEC, Tim Tebow
