Some positives to take away from Saturday

Saturday was the worst game the Florida Gators have played since the school record 16 game winning streak has started. I don’t think there is too much of an argument about that. We were flat. We were careless with the football. We were simply awful. With that said, there were some good things we can take away from Saturday.

1. Alabama and Texas didn’t look a whole lot better. These two teams will most likely be the two we have to beat to win the BCS Title this year. Both of them look to be beatable. In fact, Oklahoma probably beats them easily with a healthy Sam Bradford. And If South Carolina can ever find just a fifth of the offense that Steve Spurrier  used to run out onto Florida Field every year of his 12 years in Gainesville, Bama would have been in big trouble.
2. This game was the “Ole Miss” game and we won it. OK we survived it. But that’s better than last year when we did just enough stupid stuff to lose. Of corse this year we won’t get a Tebow promise to be the hardest playing team you ever saw, but I’m thinking in private, his teammates may be getting such a speech today. I’m sure the speech they get from Urban Meyer will light a fire under them.
3. We played pretty good defense. We played very good defense considering we had to go without the heart and soul of the defense almost all game. Also add in that we played one of the best offenses in the SEC, 20 points is not too shabby. It could have been better. I don’t quite understand how we give up a long TD on 3^rd and 17. But like I said, this was Ole Miss all over again. We did the exact same thing in that one.
4. We finally hit a long pass play. This has been sorely lacking all season long. Welcome Deonte Thompson. You got here just in time. Notice how after that play, the running game opened up? That’s not a coincidence. Just the threat of  #6 will force DB’s not to cheat up to stop the run. If they do, we’ll just burn them deep too.
5. The second half was much better than the first. We only turned it over once in the second half. And that play was just flat out rotten luck. It should have been a penalty for tripping. Even Gator hater Gary Danielson thought so. Had we not shot ourselves in the foot three times in the first half, this game was never even close.
6. We have a two game lead in the SEC East. With four games to play, that’s about an insurmountable lead. Especially with the mediocrity riddled eastern division. We might as well start making plans for the week after FSU. Because we got a game.
7. Last but not least, we are 6-0. When was the last time that happened? It’s been a while. We have one more game against the SEC West. And it’s against the bottom team in the division. Win it and it will be our first sweep of the West in ten years! The remaining schedule is so bad 12-0 is looking very likely., the toughest game we have left is Georgia.
8. We’re # 1 in the BCS standings! So buck up people. Things look pretty good.

About Jim: Thank you to the senior class of 2009!

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