The Florida Gators have a good track record of winning big home games in the month of October. In the last decade, the Gators have beaten four top-10 opponents at home in October: 2019, No. 7 Auburn (24-13); 2018, No. 6 LSU (27-19); 2015, No. 3 Ole Miss (38-10); 2012, No. 4 LSU (14-6).
While this Saturday’s matchup between LSU and Florida doesn’t have the same national championship implications as the games listed above, the magnitude of this game can not be understated.
A few weeks ago, I wrote a column on who the Gators can consider their rivals. Notably, I left out LSU. I’ll be honest, I simply forgot about the Tigers. I hadn’t watched as much LSU at that point in the season to have them fresh in my mind. In doing my research for Saturday’s game, all those emotions have returned.
With those emotions comes the realization that the Florida season is at a crossroads. Florida and LSU are both in completely different and similar situations at the same time.
They are separated by the mentality that the programs are taking to get back to the top of the SEC and compete for national championships. The Gators are preaching patience. The issues within the Florida program were clearly deep-rooted. Bringing in Billy Napier signaled to everyone that the Gators will take their time building out a program, hiring any support staff member within a 100-mile radius, and placing a heavy emphasis on recruiting and facilities.
LSU has less patience than those in charge in Gainesville. Hiring Brian Kelly sent the signal that a quick return to national prominence is the expectation. In the eyes of Baton Rouge, the issue was not the players, but the man leading those players into battle. Kelly’s consistent success at Notre Dame was intriguing to LSU, and LSU’s resources and talented rosters are what Kelly thinks he needs to break the glass ceiling he had in South Bend.
Despite the different approaches to building a championship program, both teams find themselves looking to prove whose philosophy is better. Napier was a hot name in the coaching carousel before landing in Gainesville. It was rumored that he turned down upwards of half the jobs in the SEC. It was speculated that Napier was waiting for the LSU job to open up. When it did, they passed him over for what is perceived to be the “bigger” name.
Lest we forget that LSU was originally rumored to be going after coaches like Jimbo Fisher and Lincoln Riley. With such high-profile names, why would they choose the Sun Belt coach with just four years of experience?
Napier and the Gators have a chance to prove that their philosophy of patience and fixing issues is a better path to success than hot-shotting a big-name coach that many in the nation did not see as a cultural fit in Louisiana. Additionally, a win against LSU would give Florida their 3rd straight win going into the bye week. They’ll need all the positive momentum they can get with Georgia looming after the bye.
LSU made its choice. Florida made theirs. It’s time to see who made the right one.
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