ESPN labels Gators’ defense their biggest obstacle to a playoff run

ESPN’s Bill Connelly took a look at the potential stumbling bocks that stand in the way of teams contending for the college playoffs.

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Bill Connelly of ESPN released an article on Monday detailing the pitfalls that could stop the various contenders around college football in their tracks. Included on that list are the 3-1 Gators, riding high after last weekend’s beatdown of the Missouri Tigers.

Having so far avoided the all-too-common snares of poor health or an unimpressive quarterback, the Gators got their own section in the article. Naturally, Connelly had no issues with the team’s offense. Led by two potential first-round draftees — Kyle Trask and Kyle Pitts — it’s hard to find fault.

Also listed in the article was Florida’s upcoming opponent, the Georgia Bulldogs. Riding an unbelievable defense to some considerable national attention, the ‘Dawgs have the opposite problem as the Gators and could be held back by non-elite quarterback play. Jamie Newman, their well-built pass thrower, is a pro prospect, but he doesn’t have nearly the upside as Trask, nor does he have a lights-out supporting cast to buoy his play.

If they’re to make a serious run at playoff success, the offense will carry them, but a better defense is a must. Squaring off against the Newman-led Georgia squad will be a good opportunity to prove that their recent improvements in that department weren’t a fluke without stretching them to the limit.

Take a look at what Connell had to say about the situation.

Contenders vs. a surprisingly flawed defense

Florida

Record: 3-1
Rank: Fifth in SP+, ninth in FPI

In three games before a two-week break, Florida put together a surprising set of strengths and weaknesses. The Gators were better offensively than anybody could have imagined, ranking second in points per drive and sixth in success rate while averaging over 42 points per game. The defense, however, had bombed. Florida was projected third in defensive SP+ thanks to a combination of recent success and strong returning production, but the Gators headed into last week’s game with Missouri ranked 94th in success rate allowed and 89th in points allowed per drive. This was already a flaw fatal enough to drive a 41-38 loss to Texas A&M; would it quickly eliminate them from title contention altogether?

The road to the CFP is still pretty tricky — it will almost certainly require wins over Georgia next week and over Alabama in a hypothetical SEC championship game — but Florida looked just about as good as anyone in the nation on Saturday in a 41-17 rout of Missouri. Kyle Trask completed passes to nine different players en route to 345 yards and four touchdowns, a previously iffy pass rush brought Mizzou’s Connor Bazelak down three times, and Florida more than doubled the Tigers’ yardage, 514-248. Mizzou only stayed within 24 because of a second-quarter pick-six and a touchdown late in garbage time.

Mizzou came in averaging 5.7 yards per play but managed only 3.9 in Gainesville, 3.1 through three quarters. Is the Gators’ defense fixed? Because if so, Florida’s back among contenders.

If the 2020 season has taught us anything, however, it’s that a unit has to prove itself more than once. Isn’t that right, Michigan? And Texas? And Oklahoma? And LSU? And so on and so forth?

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