Following a strong start to the season, No. 17 Florida has wrapped up its first bye week. From flashes of dominance to stretches of inconsistency, the Gators (5-2, 3-2 SEC) have shown both promise and areas for improvement through their first seven matchups. 

Here’s how WRUF’s Gators Football beat reporters grade each unit through Week 8.

Charlie Jones’ grades:

Offense – B: Florida’s offense has been on as much of a roller-coaster ride as the team has as a whole, with the unit being representative of the team’s ceiling. The Gators’ points either come in droves or are hard to put together, with little in between throughout their games this season. While dry spells, like the combined 36 points against Missouri and South Carolina, stand out as how far the unit can dip, it is hard to overlook how strong the Gators are at their peak. Florida ranks top five in the SEC for yards per game (450.9), rushing yards per game (194.3) and points per game (39.6). Even in the pair of losses, Florida’s offense produced more than 320 yards of offense in both and a win was still within the realm of possibility after the first 30 minutes. If the Gators can convert on more of their third downs and stay as consistent as they have been at scoring once entering the red zone, expect this grade to remain or even upgrade.

Defense – D+: As impressive as the offense has been at times, the same cannot be said for the defense. Generating pressure has not been an issue for the unit, boasting 22 sacks (third in SEC). The problems have stemmed from the second and third levels, where the Gators have been burned time and time again. Florida’s susceptibility to giving up the big play has forced it down in the defensive rankings among the SEC, with the Gators ranked in the bottom three for points allowed per game (28.3). The biggest area of improvement is how Florida defends the pass, giving up an SEC second-to-last 255 air yards per game and only generating four interceptions. While first-year defensive coordinator Brad White has dialed up the right response in amping up pressure against Auburn and Texas, the offense’s firepower has clouded mistakes and the secondary remains a liability. Cornerback Cormani McClain and safeties Bryce Thornton and Lagonza Hayward will need to make sizable improvements for this grade to change.

Special Teams – A-: Comparing last year’s team to this year’s is futile, but one of the clear differences is the progress the special teams units have made. The Gators have excelled in almost every aspect of the special teams, a true testament to how important it was that former Tulane special teams coordinator Johnathan Galante followed Florida coach Jon Sumrall to the Sunshine State. Along with the addition of Galante, the slew of transfers have impacted the Gators in a big way. Running back London Montgomery has been a boon since transferring from East Carolina, returning 12 kickoffs for 300 yards and earning one SEC Special Teams Player of the Week selection. A pair of Tulane transfers in kicker Patrick Durkin and punter Alec Clark have given Sumrall exactly what he expected, with Durkin banging 44 of his 45 kicks through the uprights and Clark owning the second-highest average punt yards in the SEC with 47.4 yards per punt. Add wide receiver Vernell Brown III’s 189 return yards and two touchdowns into the mix and it is hard to find a shortcoming with the group. While the unit is not infallible, allowing a 63-yard punt return touchdown in the Texas win, it has played up to the level of a top team in the SEC.

Abigail Justice’s grades:

Offense B: Florida’s offense has shown plenty of firepower, averaging 39.6 points and 450.9 yards per game. The Gators opened the season with four consecutive wins, scoring 214 points over that stretch, including 44 points against Auburn and 52 against Ole Miss. However, that production took a hit during back-to-back losses to Missouri and South Carolina, when Florida scored just 17 and 19 points, respectively. The Gators bounced back against Texas, overcoming a 14-point deficit to secure a 27-24 road win. Florida totaled 313 yards in the victory, including 158 on the ground, while backup quarterback Tramell Jones Jr. threw two touchdown passes in his first start. The offense has demonstrated its potential, but the struggles in the two losses highlight the need for greater consistency. The Texas win was encouraging, but Florida must sustain that production to earn a higher grade

Defense C: Florida’s defense has been one of the Gators’ biggest question marks. Allowing 28.3 points per game is difficult to overlook, particularly with the unit giving up 45 points at Missouri and 38 to South Carolina in consecutive losses. Those performances exposed a defense that has struggled to consistently contain opposing offenses, putting additional pressure on Florida to keep pace offensively. The response against Texas was encouraging, as the Gators held the Longhorns to 272 total yards while recording 11 tackles for loss, five of them sacks. Florida’s ability to disrupt the backfield and limit Texas’ production showed what the defense can look like when it executes. However, one strong performance does not erase the issues that surfaced in the previous two games. Until Florida proves it can consistently get stops and limit explosive plays, the defense earns a C.

Special Teams C+: Florida’s special teams have been a mixed bag, with strong kicking and punting numbers offset by costly mistakes. The Gators have converted 11 of 12 field-goal attempts, giving them one of their most reliable areas of production. Florida has also averaged 47.4 yards per punt with a net average of 42.1 yards, outperforming its opponents in both categories. However, those strengths have not prevented breakdowns in crucial moments. Against Texas, Florida allowed a 63-yard punt-return touchdown in a game the Gators ultimately won by just three points. That mistake highlighted how one special teams lapse can shift momentum and put additional pressure on the rest of the team. While Florida’s kicking game has been dependable, the costly return allowed keeps the unit from earning a higher grade.

Lily Perkins’ grades:

Offense B: Florida’s offense kicked off the season in full force, putting forth a performance defined by a potential Heisman Trophy candidate, college football playoff hopes and a cheers of “we’re back” from Gators fans across the nation. Florida averaged 53.5 points and 532.75 yards per game, earning the Gators first 4-0 in six years. But after Florida’s 52-28 triumph against Ole Miss, the offensive performance dulled. Baugh rushed for 72 yards and one touchdown on 27 carries through both Missouri and South Carolina, while wide receiver Vernell Brown III sat on the sidelines with a knee injury and Aaron Philo was unable to establish a consistent passing game, earning a 68.1 QBR against Missouri and a 32.3 against South Carolina. The Gators showed life in their last match against Texas, taking a 27-24 road win against a top-10 team, but their overall performance remains inconsistent. They’ve shown the talent to compete with the SEC’s top teams, but back-to-back losses expose issues in their reliability. At its peak, Florida is an A-level offense, but a B is more fitting. 

Defense D: Florida’s defense has been nothing short of disappointing. Its performance has been defined by one trait: inconsistency. The Gators rank No. 13 in the SEC and No. 93 in the FBS for total defense, having allowed an average of 28.3 points per game, putting them among the conference’s worst defensive units. Back-to-back losses to Missouri and South Carolina, in which Florida allowed a combined 953 yards and 83 points, exposed the unit’s weakness in slowing down opposing matchups. While they showed signs of progress against Texas, notching  11 tackles for loss, five sacks and allowing just two third-down conversions through 10 attempts from Texas, the result doesn’t yet illustrate a long-term solution. With matchups against Georgia and the remainder of an SEC schedule ahead, Florida will need more consistent play from its defense to take winning pressure off the offense. 

Special Teams B+: Florida’s biggest issue overall looks to be consistency, and special teams has been no exception. However, the unit has given the Gators plenty of reasons to be confident. Patrick Durkin has converted 11 of 12 field-goal attempts, while Alec Clark ranks No. 12 nationally, averaging 47.4 yards per punt. London Montgomery and Vernell Brown III have also made an impact in the return game. Montgomery recorded a 74-yard kickoff return that ultimately led to a touchdown against Ole Miss, while Brown set a program record with 173 punt-return yards and two touchdowns against Campbell in Week 2. However, the unit made mistakes in Austin, allowing Texas to notch a 63-yard punt return for a touchdown, costing the Gators what could have been an early lead. Despite leaving Austin with a three-point win, the mistakes could prove detrimental against future opponents. The unit has shown it can be a key to success, but cleaning up performance and prioritizing consistency continue to be an area of improvement for Florida’s special teams.

Coverage of Saturday’s game against No. 3 Georgia (6-1, 4-1) begins at 12:30 p.m. on WRUF 98.1-FM/850-AM/103.7 HD ESPN from Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium and at 3:30 p.m. on ABC.