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Is it just me or has this week flown by so far?
We have arrived at another Wednesday and in this midweek edition of Gators News we have a slew of stories from around the national gridiron, starting at the very top of the pecking order.
Our first story begins with a phone call Tuesday between President Donald Trump and Big Ten Conference Commissioner Kevin Warren, which along with Trump’s ensuing tweet, has fanned the debate over the league’s decision to sit out this season, forcing a rapid reassessment of when and under what conditions the league could resume play before the winter or spring.
The latest episode of the Amway Coaches Poll podcast talks with Central Arkansas coach Nathan Brown, who led his team to a 24-17 win Saturday against Austin Peay in the first college football game of the 2020 season. Said Brown: “Just an unbelievable opportunity, to play in a game like that.”
Down in the Southeastern Conference, LSU coach Ed Orgeron admits more players could opt out before the season begins due to health concerns related to COVID-19. “There are a couple of guys that are thinking about it,” Orgeron said.
Also related to the SEC, Paul Myerberg at USA TODAY Sports takes a look at the SEC and the College Football Playoff in his season preview. Between Alabama, Georgia, Florida, LSU and others, the SEC is set to dominate a strange 2020 season.
Finally, Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins had some words about playing amidst the coronavirus outbreak: “If I die, I die. I kind of have peace about that.” It is unclear if the quarterback understands the nuances of a viral pandemic.
Around the Swamp
- Florida Gators football cracks top 5 in ESPN’s SP+ rankings: ESPN’s Bill Connelly has released his preseason SP+ rankings, and Florida is ranked fifth heading into the 2020 season.
- The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman picks Florida to make College Football Playoffs: In a roundtable from The Athletic’s college football staff predicting the College Football Playoff, reporter Bruce Feldman picked the Gators to make the CFP for the first time since its inception in 2014.
- USA TODAY Sports projects New Year’s Six matchup for Gators in 2020: The Gators make an appearance here, projected to make a return trip to Miami for the Orange Bowl, which they won over Virginia last season.
It’s great to be a Florida Gator!
Hey @GatorsVB 👋 – welcome back!
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— Florida Gators (@FloridaGators) September 1, 2020
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