Never mind the lack of Week 1 and Week 2 predictions. We're starting with Week 3 because it's the first week I've thought of doing this. Now you may wonder what predictions I would have gotten right in the first two weeks. Assume many, but that's mostly because there weren't many upsets. Notably I would have picked Georgia over Clemson and Virginia Tech over Ohio State. However, I also would have failed picking the Michigan State-Oregon game and the USC-Stanford game. But enough of the would-have-beens, let's see how I do picking this week's games.
Admittedly, this week's schedule of games isn't particularly interesting on the surface. I've only picked a few upsets. But look closer and you'll see I've predicted several close games. Look for Missouri, Virginia Tech, and Louisville to be tested. Each is facing a one-loss opponent, but those were "high quality" losses to respectable opponents.
Oh, and one last thing, I will always be picking the Gators to win, whether I believe they likely will or won't. So just disregard that prediction if you only looking for the fair and unbiased ones. I don't want any investment in a Gator loss.
State of Florida:
Pittsburgh (2-0) over FIU (1-1), 52-7
#20 Missouri (2-0) over UCF (0-1), 31-24
Miami (1-1) over Arkansas State (1-1), 38-14
South Florida (1-1) over NC State (2-0), 24-21 (UPSET)
Tulsa (1-1) over Florida Atlantic (0-2), 35-10
Florida (1-0) over Kentucky (2-0), 44-9
#1 Florida State (2-0), BYE
Southeastern Conference:
Massachusetts (0-2) over Vanderbilt (0-2), 37-34 (UPSET)
Arkansas (1-1) over Texas Tech (2-0), 42-38 (UPSET)
#6 Georgia (2-0) over #24South Carolina (1-1), 31-17
#14 Mississippi (2-0) over Louisiana-Lafayette (1-1), 38-10
Mississippi State (2-0) over South Alabama (1-0), 49-20
#3 Alabama (2-0) over Southern Miss (1-1), 52-0
#10 LSU (2-0) over Louisiana-Monroe (2-0), 45-7
#4 Oklahoma (2-0) over Tennessee (2-0), 38-17
#7 Texas A&M (2-0) over Rice (0-1), 56-13
#5 Auburn (2-0), BYE
Top 25:
#25 BYU (2-0) over Houston (1-1), 45-7
#8 Baylor (2-0) over Buffalo (1-1), 45-13
#2 Oregon (2-0) over Wyoming (2-0), 52-10
#9 USC (2-0) over Boston College (1-1), 35-13
#11 Notre Dame (2-0) over Purdue (1-1), 48-10
#12 UCLA (2-0) over Texas (1-1), 34-17
#15 Stanford (1-1) over Army (1-0), 38-10
#16 Arizona State (2-0) over Colorado (1-1), 45-16
#17 Virginia Tech (2-0) over East Carolina (1-1), 31-24
Last Saturday the Gators finally ended their 330+ day drought without a college football victory. And it was in quite spectacular fashion. The Gators crushed the hopelessly over-matched Eastern Michigan Eagles 65-0. The 65 points scored by this team were the most of any Gators squad since the 2008 National Champions won 70-19 over The Citadel. The 65-point margin-of-victory was the greatest since the '97 Gators defeated Central Michigan 82-6. In addition, it was the largest shutout victory since the 1996 National Champions downed Kentucky 65-0. It is yet to be proven whether these Gators can match the success of such illustrious predecessors.
This week, the Gators face what is expected to be a more competent opponent. The familiar Wildcats of the University of Kentucky play the Orange and Blue for the 65th time Saturday night in the Swamp. The predecessor of the modern University of Kentucky, the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky, was founded in 1865 in Lexington, although the school moved to the current site of UK’s campus in 1878. The University of Kentucky now enrolls over 29,000 students (over 21,000 are undergrads). The school colors are blue and white.
Unusually, the biannual UF-UK basketball game may more
anticipated than the gridiron counterpart. Unlike football,
Kentucky has historically dominated this series. However,
the Gators managed to sweep the Cats with three wins
(Gainesville, Lexington, and Atlanta) in 2014.
Often overshadowed by the tremendous success of their basketball program, Kentucky’s football program has only had modest success throughout its long history. The first Kentucky football team played in 1881, although Kentucky did not regularly sponsor football until 1891. Kentucky was a charter member of the Southeastern Conference and has competed in the SEC since 1933. The 1950 Kentucky Wildcats, coached by Paul “Bear” Bryant, finished 11-1, beat Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl, and were the only Kentucky team to have won a regular SEC title. Kentucky also claims the national title for that year, although it is rarely recognized by other institutions. Kentucky is also credited with the 1976 SEC title due to the forfeiture of games by Mississippi State that season. The 1977 Wildcats finished with a 10-1 record and #6 ranking in the AP polls, but were ineligible for the SEC championship due to NCAA probation. The Wildcats play in Commonwealth Stadium, the newest stadium in the SEC and the largest stadium in Kentucky. Its official capacity is about 68,000, although the largest crowd on record was 71,024 in 2007 for the game against Florida (Kentucky lost, 45-37).
Kentucky’s history has not come without its fleeting moments of glorious victory. Kentucky has played 13 first-ranked teams in its history, and on three occasions the Wildcats were triumphant. The first was in 1951 against Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl, the second was in Jackson against Ole Miss, and the most recent was against the eventual national champions, LSU, in 2007.
The Florida Gators and Kentucky Wildcats have a long history playing another that dates back to their first meeting in 1917 (a 52-0 Kentucky victory). Florida has played Kentucky more than any other opponent other than Georgia and Auburn. For the most part, Florida has dominated this series, especially in recent decades, having triumphed 47 times in 64 games. Florida has more victories over Kentucky than any other opponent. Kentucky has only won 17 games against Florida and has not won against the Gators since 1986. The ongoing 27-game winning streak is the longest in SEC history and the sixth-longest in Division I's upper-subdivision history. In addition, Florida usually defeats Kentucky with relative ease. However, on occasion, the Wildcats have nearly managed to beat the Gators, only to lose in a heartbreaking fashion (for instance, in 1993, 2002, 2003, and 2007).
This drink is simple to make and quite refreshing on a hot Saturday afternoon! It's called Spezi ("shpaytzee") and essentially it's a 50/50 mix of cola and orange soda. Never heard of it? It comes from Germany, where mischgetränke ("mixed drinks") are particularly popular. Other popular mixed drinks include lemon soda and beer (Radler) and cola and beer (many names, but Colaweizen and Diesel are most common). Apfelschorle is half apple juice, half sparkling water. It's a German phenomenon.
Well then, that's all fine but why drink it on Saturdays? Here's why. When you mix orange soda and Pepsi, it's orange and blue, of course! Or at least the cans are. And you can usually find Pepsi and Crush on sale at Publix. And Pepsi is UF's official soda sponsor! And it really is a refreshing and unique beverage, perfectly suited for Florida's fall weather.
Ingredients:
Pepsi (or other cola)
Crush (or other orange soda)
Instructions:
Pour one part Pepsi and one part Crush into a cup or glass
Starting from the top of the table, one notices Georgia is the Gators' most frequent opponent. Florida and Georgia have met 91 times between 1915 and today, and have been playing annually every year since 1926 (excluding two years during World War II, when UF suspended its football program).
But perhaps Georgia should not be considered Florida's oldest rival. The first game against Auburn was played in 1912. Except for three years during the early Forties, the Gators and Tigers played every year from 1927 to 2002. When the annual UF-AU game was terminated after the 2002 season, Florida had played Auburn and Georgia 80 times each. In addition, Auburn is the closest SEC university to Gainesville. For at least a few more years, Auburn will still have played Florida more frequently than their arch-nemesis, Alabama.
Kentucky has played Florida more than anyone besides UGA and Auburn... this may be surprising considering the distance between Lexington and Gainesville. Indeed, for many years (1933 to 1992) UK was the farthest conference opponent from UF. Kentucky was also the northernmost SEC school (now Missouri), while Florida is the southernmost. Today, only Arkansas, Missouri, and Texas A&M are farther than Lexington. Nonetheless, they have played every year since 1967. This series has been terribly lopsided in the last half-century; since the teams began playing annually, Florida has won 42 times while Kentucky's won five.
Louisiana Stateis the Gators' most frequent opponent currently in the SEC's West division and still playing Florida annually. They had never played each other until both teams joined the SEC, but have played fairly regularly since 1953 (annually since 1971). When the conference split into East and West, it was decided that Florida would still play two western teams annually. While the Auburn choice was obvious (it was an old and competitive rivalry), LSU was neither the Gators' most frequently nor second-most frequent western team. As a matter of fact, they were third, but that will be explained farther down.
Not surprisingly, Florida State is the most frequent non-conference rival of the Gators. The game has been played annually since its inception in 1958. Florida State has played each the Gators and the Miami Hurricanes 58 times. Although the Seminoles and the Hurricanes first met in 1951, they did not start play annually until 1969. That series is led by Miami 31-27.
Miamiis the most frequent non-conference opponent that Florida no longer plays annually. Opinion among Gator fans is split as to whether this series or that with Auburn is the most unfortunate casualty of scheduling changes. Other than two years during the war, the Gators and the 'Canes played every year from 1938 to 1987. When the UF athletic department decided to cut its number of annual in-state opponents from two to one, it was decided that Florida State would be the one to remain. By that time, Florida State, the other large public university in northern Florida, had displaced the smaller private school in South Florida as the Gators' #1 in-state rival.
When the conference split in 1992, the Gators needed two western schools to play annually. Auburn was the first, but who would be the second? Surprisingly, before the split Florida had played Mississippi State more frequently than any other western opponent besides Auburn (48 times to LSU's 39). However, that series had been far less competitive to that point (Florida had led it 30-16-2). The decision for Florida and LSU, whose series at the time was led by LSU 18-17-3, to play annually was made partially in the interest of balancing and competitiveness. Ironically, the series between UF and MSU has been split 3-3 while Florida leads LSU 14-8 since the conference division.
Of all series between current annual opponents, that with Vanderbiltis the most lopsided. It was played somewhat infrequently until the SEC East division was created in 1992, though at the time Florida only led 14-9-2. Florida has dominated since then, with 21 wins to Vanderbilt's single victory.
Although they first met in 1916, Florida and Tennesseehave only been playing each other annually since 1990. Tennessee had previously dominated the series, though that changed after Tennessee-native-son-but-Gator-alum Steve Spurrier took the helm as Gator head coach. Florida has led 18-6 since the day Spurrier was hired. The series peaked in intensity during the 1990s, when both teams battled for domination of the SEC East.
It may surprise many that Florida has played Georgia Tech so frequently. As a matter of fact, the Yellow Jackets have played the Gators 38 times – more than six modern members of the SEC! However, the Gators did play Georgia Tech quite regularly from 1929 until the Jackets left the SEC after 1963. This is also the most lopsided series against the Gators of any opponent they have played more than ten times. The Orange and Blue only triumphed on nine occasions in 38 attempts against the Yellow Jackets. Had that series continued, one would imagine, that trend probably would have reversed. The Gators have not met the Yellow Jackets on the gridiron since a 27-6 triumph in 1981.
Alabamahas played Florida one less time than Georgia Tech. The Gators and the Crimson Tide have played infrequently since first facing off in 1916. Of their 37 meetings, seven have been SEC Championship games. In such games, Florida has triumphed four times while the Tide has won three times.
Before South Carolina joined the SEC in 1992, they had only played the Gators on 12 occasions (and not since 1964). Before the expansion, the Gators had led the series 6-3-3, but since have led 18-4. However, since Steve Spurrier began coaching at South Carolina in 2005, Florida has defeated the Gamecocks five times, while Carolina has beaten the Gators four times.
Despite both being charter members of the SEC, Florida and Mississippihave only met 23 times. Since first playing in 1926, the Gators and the Rebels have only played more than two consecutive years on one occasion (1944-1948). As of the most recent conference alignment, this is unlikely to change any time soon. The Gators have also defeated Ole Miss less frequently than any other charter member of the SEC still a member of the conference.
Like Georgia Tech, Tulane was once a member of the SEC and thus have some history playing the Gators. Until 1958, the Green Wave actually led the series with Florida 6-2-2. However, in 1958 the Gators won for the first time in 36 years and have not lost since. Since Tulane left the conference after 1966, they have only played Florida five times (the last being a 63-21 Gator victory in 1984).
Florida and Arkansashave played on ten occasions – the first was in Houston for the Bluebonnet Bowl while two others were in Atlanta for the SEC Championship. Arkansas has not won in the series since that 1982 Bluebonnet Bowl victory. Thus, this is the most lopsided series between Florida and any of their SEC opponents.
Missourihas only played the Gators three times, though they are currently scheduled to play on an annual basis. The Tigers won the first match-up, the 1966 Sugar Bowl, despite a furious comeback-attempt led by quarterback Steve Spurrier. Since then, each team has won once, each in their own home stadiums.
Like Missouri, Florida has only played Texas A&M three times. As members of different SEC divisions, they only play infrequently. The first game was played in 1962 and won handily by the Gators in Gainesville. The second game was the January 1977 Sun Bowl in El Paso. That game was won by the Aggies. The most recent game was in 2012, played in College Station, and won by Florida (20-17).
The Gators have played Florida Atlantic and UCF twice each; they have only played each South Florida and FIU once. The Gators have never lost to one of the four other in-state teams. The closest one came may have been in 2010, when the South Florida Bulls held the Gators to a 7-7 score at halftime. Eventually, the Gators triumphed 38-14.
Not included in the table above but also of note: Florida leads Sewanee (another charter member of the SEC who left in 1940 and now play in Division III) in their series, 7-2-0; UF leads Florida A&M 1-0-0, Florida Southern 13-1-0, Rollins 13-2-1, and Stetson 15-2-2.
The first week of college football is done and the Gators are one of just six teams left without a win or a loss (the others being Army, Cincinnati, Kansas, South Alabama, and, of course, Idaho). Turned out that more blitz came from the sky than from the Gator linebackers. The storm that terminated the first-ever Florida-Idaho match-up before the second play was run will be one of the more interesting and unique footnotes for future fans reading the history books. For fans of today, we are left rather disappointed. Still, the outcome was probably for the best. Florida is now scheduled to play the Vandals in 2017. The programs could have rescheduled the game for their mutual open date later this year, October 25, however, the Gators were not prepared to sacrifice their valuable week off before the Georgia game. Apparently, Florida is betting they'll win the SEC East (or at least have a good shot at it), as they did not decide to reschedule the game for championship game weekend (as Oregon State did when the Nicholls State game was suspended in 2012). Thus, Florida and Idaho will both play an old-fashioned 11-game schedule, a practice abandoned among FBS teams after 2005. Like last year, Florida will only play six home games in lieu of the usual seven, plus two other games in-state.
The new season-opener for the Gators will be played against the Eastern Michigan Eagles of Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti. Classes began at Michigan State Normal School in 1853. It was the first teachers' college to operate outside the original 13 states. The school became Michigan State Normal College in 1899 and Eastern Michigan College in 1956. After the graduate school was founded in 1959, EMC became today's Eastern Michigan University. Today, EMU enrolls over 23,000 students and nearly 19,000 undergraduates. Eagles teams wear green and white uniforms.
The Eagles won their 2014 season-opener 31-28 against
FCS-team Morgan State. The game wasn't easy; even the
cinder block-wall gave far more trouble than expected.
College football has been played in Ypsilanti since 1891, though the sum of successes there have been modest in the time since. Just over six miles from the winningest program in college football history, the University of Michigan Wolverines, EMU has always remained in its shadow. The team from Michigan State Normal began calling itself "the Hurons" (after a local Indian tribe) in 1929. The Hurons claimed a total of nine championships playing in various regional conferences until 1976, when they joined the Mid-American Conference. The Hurons had a miserable start to the 1980s – from 1980 to 1984 the Hurons won only five games while losing 46 (plus three ties). However, under the leadership of coach Jim Harkema, Eastern Michigan won four games in 1985 and then six in 1986. The following season is widely considered the greatest in EMU history; the 1987 squad won 10 games (including every home game), the MAC conference championship, and the California Bowl. To this day, the 1987 Hurons are the only Eastern Michigan team to win either a bowl game or the MAC championship. Their only losses were to Akron and bitter in-state-rival Central Michigan. Then, in 1988 (under recommendation from the state Department of Civil Rights), it was decided that the school would stop using its Native American nicknames. Eastern Michigan teams began using the name "Eagles" in 1991 and have only had one winning season (6-5 in '95) since. Meanwhile, rival Central Michigan kept their Indian nickname (with the consent of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe) and have won four MAC championships and three bowl games in that same span.
The Eagles play in the 30,200-seat Rynearson Stadium, west of the main campus and built in 1969. A shortage of space has never been a problem for EMU, as the largest crowd (26,188 in a 56-52 win over Central Michigan in 2008) was still far short of capacity.
The Gators and the Eagles have only played once before in their history. The 2004 game was also a season-opener for the Gators and the second-game for Eastern Michigan. The over-matched Eagles were trounced 49-10 in front of 90,000 spectators. Eastern Michigan has never defeated a team from the Southeastern Conference (though they have had only six opportunities). Florida, meanwhile, has a 12-1 all-time record against teams from the MAC (the only loss being against Miami of Ohio in the 1973 Tangerine Bowl).
