The Florida Gators continued to roll through their opposition on the way to the SEC Championship Game. Dan Mullen 's side did not put up as many points as previous weeks, but it ...
Kyle Trask Powers No. 6 Florida to 38-17 Victory over Winless Vanderbilt
Nov 21, 2020
Florida quarterback Kyle Trask (11) passes against Vanderbilt in the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
The 2020 college football season has seen some wild, unexpected results, in no small part because of the complications that have arisen from the COVID-19 pandemic. Strange enough for winless Vanderbilt to upset No. 6 Florida on Saturday, though?
Not quite. But it was a bit too close for comfort from Florida's perspective in the first half.
Despite leading by just seven at halftime, the Gators moved to 6-1 on the year with a 38-17 win over the Commodores. Vanderbilt held a 10-7 lead after the first quarter before Florida reeled off 24 straight points to seize control of the game.
It wasn't a signature win from the Gators, who looked sloppy at times, especially on offense. But they'll remain atop the SEC East with the win, leaving them three victories away from a berth in the conference title game.
As for the Commodores, they moved to 0-7 with the loss.
Key Stats
Kyle Trask, Florida: 26-of-35 for 383 yards and three touchdowns
Kadarius Toney, Florida: six receptions for 107 yards and a score
Kemore Gamble, Florida: three catches for 66 yards and two touchdowns
Ken Seals, Vandy: 22-of-34 for 319 yards, two scores and an interception
Chris Pierce Jr., Vandy: four receptions for 97 yards and two touchdowns
Cam Johnson, Vandy: seven catches for 93 yards
Kyle Trask Deserves to Be the Heisman Front-Runner
Trask shook off a shaky start to lead Florida to an ultimately convincing win, throwing three of Florida's four touchdown passes. His accuracy and poise kept Florida's offense cooking, keeping the team in the national championship conversation in the process.
No, he wasn't as big of a name as Justin Fields or Trevor Lawrence coming into the season. And it isn't as though those guys are having bad seasons. But Trask now has 31 touchdowns through seven games. Those are absurd numbers. If Trask keeps up this pace, he has to be the Heisman winner.
And he's certainly made a strong case to be taken off the board in the early rounds come the 2021 NFL draft, too.
Vanderbilt Is Knocking on the Door
In most cases, a 21-point loss won't introduce many silver linings. But Vanderbilt played Florida tough for a half before the talent disparity reared its head in the second half.
Vanderbilt played Kentucky (38-35 loss) and Mississippi State (24-17 loss) tough too in its past two games. While the Commodores will be heavy underdogs when they face Georgia, matchups against Tennessee and Missouri are winnable.
Vanderbilt has gone from punching bag to competent in a hurry. Tennessee’s trip to Nashville next weekend looms strangely large.
By no means is Vanderbilt a good football team. But it feels like a team that might have a win in it down the stretch. That's something for head coach Derek Mason and his Commodores to work for in an otherwise tough season.
What's Next?
Florida hosts Kentucky on Nov. 28 at noon ET on ESPN. Vanderbilt will host Tennessee that same day at 7:30 p.m. ET.
NCAA Football Rankings 2020: Predicting Top Movers in Week 12 Top 25 Standings
Nov 15, 2020
Florida quarterback Kyle Trask (11) sets up to throw a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Arkansas, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
If college football fans were expecting a weekend of upsets, they're sorely disappointed after Saturday.
Three of the game's top four teams—Alabama, Ohio State and Clemson—were idle, and outside of No. 19 SMU's defeat to Tulsa, there wasn't a single Top 25 team that lost in Week 11.
There were, however, a couple of impressive wins, namely in the Big Ten, and a few victories that came a little too close for comfort—we're talking about you, Miami. As such, there likely won't be much movement in this week's Top 25 polls, save for a few teams moving up or down a spot depending on how dominant their wins were.
College Football Week 12 Top 25 Projections
1. Alabama
2. Notre Dame
3. Ohio State
4. Clemson
5. Florida
6. Texas A&M
7. Cincinnati
8. BYU
9. Indiana
10. Miami
11. Oregon
12. Wisconsin
13. Georgia
14. Oklahoma State
15. Marshall
16. Coastal Carolina
17. Iowa State
18. Oklahoma
19. Liberty
20. USC
21. Texas
22. Northwestern
23. Auburn
24. Louisiana-Lafayette
25. North Carolina
Badgers Bully Hapless Michigan
Wisconsin hadn't played since Oct. 24 because of COVID-19-related issues within the program, and the Badgers took out that frustration of Michigan, rolling up 341 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground. They led 28-0 at one point and never took their foot off the gas, as any hope of a midseason turnaround faded for Jim Harbaugh's squad.
Still remaining on the schedule are games against a surprisingly stout No. 23 Northwestern team, showdowns with Minnesota and Iowa and a meeting with No. 10 Indiana on Dec. 5. If the Badgers can run the table, they will face No. 3 Ohio State in the Big Ten title game, likely with a shot at the College Football Playoff on the line.
Florida Offense Torches Arkansas
If there were any doubt about Kyle Trask's legitimacy as a Heisman candidate, he put it to bed in the first half of No. 5 Florida's dominant 63-35 win over Arkansas. Trask had five touchdown passes in the first half alone and ended the game with as many TD passes (six) as he had incompletions.
The Gators look well on their way to a meeting with No. 1 Alabama in the SEC Championship Game, and while those games haven't been kind to Florida in recent history, this team has an offense with weapons that none of the other Gator teams came close to.
Whether Florida's defense can slow down the Crimson Tide's own dominant offense is a different question, but don't expect there to be a shortage of points if these two teams end up in Atlanta.
Indiana's Dream Season Continues
The last time the University of Indiana had a football team ranked in the top 10, head coach Tom Allen hadn't been born—and he's 50. For a program that has been mired in mediocrity for nearly all of its existence, 2020 has been a revelation. What started with a controversial last-second win over then-No. 8 Penn State has turned into four consecutive wins, with the latest being a 24-0 shutout of Michigan State.
The Hoosiers still have regular-season games against both No. 13 Wisconsin and No. 3 Ohio State left on the schedule, but even if the Hoosiers split them, they could make a significant case to be considered for a New Year's Six bowl game. And if they win both and beat Wisconsin in the rematch in the Big Ten title game? Well, you can do the math.
Kyle Trask Bolsters Heisman Resume with 6 TDs in Florida's Win over Arkansas
Nov 14, 2020
Florida quarterback Kyle Trask (11) looks to throw a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Arkansas, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Florida didn't let an old friend derail its playoff hopes, as the No. 6 Gators earned a 63-35 win over Arkansas.
Former UF starter Feleipe Franks was under center for Arkansas and had 250 passing yards in his return to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. It wasn't enough to keep up with his replacement, Kyle Trask, who starred by tossing six touchdowns to continue his Heisman Trophy-worthy campaign.
It was his second six-score game of the year, and he has 28 touchdowns and just three interceptions in 2020.
Florida improved to 5-1, including three straight victories with at least 40 points scored.
Arkansas (3-4) played without head coach Sam Pittman, who tested positive for COVID-19 this week. Defensive coordinator Barry Odom served as the team's interim coach.
Trask had been one of the hottest players in college football to start the year and did not slow down Saturday.
After throwing at least four touchdowns in five straight games—the first SEC player ever to do that—he accomplished the feat again Saturday before even reaching halftime. His production has put him in rare territory:
Since 2005, these are the QBs with 4 or more TD passes in 6 straight games: Colt Brennan Graham Harrell Logan Woodside Kyle Trask#Gators
Kyle Trask now has 28 passing touchdowns in Florida’s first 6 games. That’s the new SEC record...and he’s the only QB to do it against all SEC competition. Trask passes Tua for the record.
Arkansas had been one of the toughest pass defenses in the SEC entering the game, allowing the second-fewest passing yards per game in the conference, but the team had no answers for this offense.
Perhaps the most impressive part of Florida's explosion was it was without one of its top weapons. Tight end Kyle Pitts was sidelined with aconcussion, removing an elite red-zone threat who had a team-high eight touchdowns entering the day.
The Gators didn't seem to miss him as Trask was throwing darts all game, completing passes to nine receivers with four players catching touchdowns before the starter left in the fourth quarter.
Even teammate Anthony Richardson tweeted about him at halftime:
The onslaught continued in the second half as the Gators couldn't be stopped, scoring touchdowns on eight of their first 10 offensive possessions. Zachary Carter then helped seal the win with a fumble returned for a touchdown.
Trask was the real story, however, making himself a front-runner for the Heisman Trophy with a huge effort on national television.
Big Plays Not Enough to Keep Arkansas in Game
Fans were not happy to see Franks, who was booed during his first appearance:
The quarterback was the starter for parts of three seasons at Florida but suffered an ankle injury last year and eventually lost his job to Trask. He transferred to the SEC rival in January.
Franks silenced the fans early with a 47-yard touchdown to Mike Woods:
In the second half, Franks connected with Woods again for an 82-yard score.
However, the Razorbacks couldn't do enough to keep up.
Franks was an efficient passer and helped move the ball throughout the game (Arkansas had 458 total yards), but going 3-of-10 on third downs killed drives and limited the team's effectiveness.
Struggles on defense also left Arkansas with just 21 minutes and 12 seconds of possession in the 60-minute battle.
Without Pittman on the sidelines, the Razorbacks simply had no answers.
What's Next?
Florida will try to keep rolling next Saturday with a road game against Vanderbilt. Arkansas returns home to face an LSU squad that has struggled during a rebuilding season.
Florida's Kyle Pitts Won't Play vs. Arkansas, Vanderbilt with Concussion
Nov 14, 2020
Florida tight end Kyle Pitts, center, is escorted off the field after he was injured during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Georgia, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Florida head coach Dan Mullen announced tight end Kyle Pitts will miss Saturday night's game against Arkansas because of a concussion.
Mullen told ESPN's Laura Rutledge that Pitts, who was injured during last week's win over Georgia, is also likely to sit out next Saturday's matchup with Vanderbilt.
It's a major loss for the Gators offense.
Pitts has recorded 24 catches for 414 yards and eight receiving touchdowns, which was tied for the third-highest total in the country entering Saturday.
His success during Florida's 4-1 start to season has also helped the junior tight end boost his draft stock for 2021 to the point that he could be a top-10 selection.
"Nobody can guard him," UF wide receiver Trevon Grimes toldEdgar Thompsonof theOrlando Sentinelin October. "We've always known that. It was just a matter of time until everybody else knew that, and I think they know now. It's going to be hard to stop him."
Kemore Gamble and Keon Zipperer will likely split snaps at tight end for Florida against Arkansas.
The Gators sit atop the SEC East division with a half-game lead over the Bulldogs (4-2) along with a tiebreaker in that head-to-head race after last week's victory.
It does give them a little bit of wiggle room during the stretch run of the regular season, and a remaining schedule without a currently ranked foe also plays to their advantage.
Not having Pitts available lessens Florida's offensive upside for the time being, though.
Kyle Pitts Ruled out for Florida vs. Georgia Because of Injury
Nov 7, 2020
Florida wide receiver Trevon Grimes (8) celebrates his 14-yard touchdown against Georgia with tight end Kyle Pitts (84) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Florida tight end Kyle Pitts will miss the remainder of the No. 8 Gators' road game against No. 5 Georgia after enduring a helmet-to-helmet hit from Bulldogs safety Lewis Cine, who was subsequently ejected for targeting.
Pitts entered the injury tent following the hit, per Matt Baker of the Tampa Bay Times. CBS Sports' Jamie Erdahl Buckman later announced on the television broadcast that Pitts would miss the remainder of the game.
The hit occurred with 8:28 left in the second quarter and the game tied at 21.
Pitts, a junior, caught two passes for 59 yards and a touchdown before leaving the game. His 25-yard score down the sideline helped pull the Gators back even with Georgia at 21:
He's amassed 24 receptions, 414 yards and eight scores on the year, including four during the Gators' season-opening game against Ole Miss.
The Philadelphia area native and highly touted NFL draft prospect is ranked ninth on Pro Football Focus' 2021 NFL draft big board.
5 Players Suspended a Half-Game, Dan Mullen Fined After Missouri, Florida Fight
Nov 2, 2020
Florida head coach Dan Mullen calls to his offense before a snap against Texas A&M during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020. in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft)
Florida Gators head coach Dan Mullen has been fined $25,000 and five players in total have been suspended for a half-game after a fight between Florida and Missouri Tigers players on Saturday, the SEC announced Monday.
Florida defensive lineman Zach Carter and linebacker Antwaun Powell and Missouri linebacker Chad Bailey, offensive lineman Dylan Spencer and defensive lineman Markell Utsey are the players suspended.
"I respect the decision from the conference office," Mullen said in a statement, per Matt Baker of the Tampa Bay Times. "As the head coach, it is my responsibility to defuse these types of situations, and I didn't live up to that standard."
The fight between the teams occurred after Missouri's Trajan Jeffcoat hit Kyle Trask with a high and late hit on the last play of the first half. Mullen ran onto the field and began yelling at either the referees, Tigers players or both. Both sidelines then converged, and the shoving and punches commenced:
Three players were ejected from the Florida-Missouri game following a brawl that unfolded at the end of the first half. pic.twitter.com/GTavCznk6B
Mullen had to be held back by his staff during the situation and gesticulated toward the Florida crowd, presumably to pump them up, as he went into the locker room amidst their cheers. Carter and Powell were both ejected from the game for their roles in the fight.
SEC Network says Dan Mullen told them he was trying to get his team off the field. He went after a ref on the field, according to the tape. And then he did this after the field was cleared. pic.twitter.com/PPw1t8kJZy
Mullen continues to find himself in the news this season for reasons other than the football being played on the field:
Dan Mullen recently: - called for a full crowd at The Swamp - contracted the virus himself - said it was “unfortunate” and “disappointing” that players would miss practice so they could vote - instigated a halftime brawl
So Dan Mullen is fined $25,000 for his role in the Missouri-Florida brawl. Same fine Lane Kiffin got for retweeting about a blown referee's call last week - a tweet the league agreed with.
So, tweeting about (correct) refereeing is worse than helping instigate an all out brawl?
The SEC released the following statement on the situation:
"There is no place in college football for the kind of incident that took place at halftime of the Missouri at Florida game Saturday night. Everyone involved is responsible for meeting sportsmanship standards throughout each game. Running on the field to confront a game official, the gathering of teams in an on-field confrontation and student-athletes throwing punches are all disappointing at any time, but even more so as we work to support healthy competition during a pandemic."
Florida and Missouri also released a joint statement after the game, condemning the fight:
It was a bad look for both teams and for Mullen, who arguably incited the fight by storming the field and then needed to be held back by his coaching staff, as well as trying to whip the crowd into a frenzy following the brawl.
5-Star ATH Sam McCall Commits to Florida over Alabama, Oklahoma, FSU
Oct 28, 2020
Sam McCall, a 5-star athlete prospect out of Lakeland, Florida, announced his commitment to Florida in a tweet Wednesday, choosing the Gators over Alabama and Oklahoma.
McCall is considered the No. 30 overall and fourth-ranked athlete in the 2022 class by 247Sports. It's widely expected he will play defensive back at the next level.
"He says that at 6'2", or 6'3" that I can play all over the field," McCall said of his conversations with Florida defensive backs coach Torrian Gray, per Andrew Spivey of Gator Country. "He says I will play free safety but when they're going against a top receiver then I will match up with him. Coach Mullen and Coach Gonzales say I can play receiver and some wildcat quarterback from time to time too."
McCall is currently listed at 6'0", so perhaps he's hit a recent growth spurt that will make him a better fit to play the safety positions. If he stays around the 6-foot mark, he'll be a little undersized but still playable at safety.
The Gators had been an overwhelming favorite to land McCall throughout his recruitment. He was given a 100 percent chance of landing in Gainesville by 247Sports.
McCall is the second commit in the Gators' 2022 class. He joins 4-star wide receiver Syveion Ellis, who has been committed since all the way back in April 2019.
Dan Mullen's program currently sits 10th in the way-too-early ranking of the 2022 class. The Gators are eighth in the class of 2021 with 25 recruits locked up and ninth in 2020, which will help Mullen's continued rebuild of Florida into a perennial contender.
Florida Resumes CFB Practices After 2-Week Stoppage Amid COVID-19 Outbreak
Oct 26, 2020
Florida head coach Dan Mullen looks at the scoreboard during the second half of an NCAA college football game against South Carolina, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux,Pool)
Nearly two weeks after the Florida Gators were forced to pause football activities following an outbreak of COVID-19, the team returned to practice on Monday, according to ESPN's Andrea Adelson.
When the program came to a halt on Oct. 13, head coach Dan Mullen and two assistant coaches had tested positive, in addition to 26 players. Mullen said Monday the team has not returned a positive test since Saturday and will be able to produce an SEC-minimum 53 players for Saturday's game against Missouri.
Mullen, who experienced mild symptoms, would not say how many players would be at practice Monday, but that the team was looking forward to returning to the field in a practice that will be focused on "just getting our guys into the regular game-week routine."
"I don't expect us to come out there and have our sharpest, most crisp practice of the year, but I expect us to have great energy, excitement and enthusiasm to be back out there to get going as we build up to Saturday," he said, per Adelson.
Per SEC protocols, the Gators must follow a four-day re-acclimation period, with the first day of practice being conducted at 25 percent of normal, working up to 100 percent four days later.
Mullen said that the team is viewing their Oct. 10 road loss to Texas A&M as the start of the outbreak within the team, with the team having few positives until they returned from their first trip of the season:
"We always knew travel was going to be a concern and an issue for us. We got through Game 1 without an issue and we thought, 'OK we're headed in the right direction.' Unfortunately, you throw the virus in the middle of [a trip] with obviously someone having it on the team or at least maybe two people having it on the team, and you put it into that environment, you're going to get a spread, especially for us with a team that had so few numbers."
All of the players and staff that took the trip to Texas were told to quarantine, not just individuals who tested positive or were in close contact with someone who did, according to athletic director Scott Stricklin, who appeared in avideo statementreleased by the athletic department on Friday.
Florida HC Dan Mullen Says He Tested Positive for COVID-19
Oct 17, 2020
Florida head coach Dan Mullen calls to his offense before a snap against Texas A&M during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020. in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft)
Florida football head coach Dan Mullen announced that he has tested positive for COVID-19.
Per ESPN's Adam Rittenberg, at least 22 Florida football players tested positive for COVID-19 after the Gators' 41-38 loss to Texas A&M last Saturday.
Florida's home game against LSU, which was scheduled for Saturday, has been moved to Dec. 12 due to the outbreak. Their Oct. 24 matchup against Missouri will now be played on Saturday, Oct. 31.
The Florida football program paused all team activities on Tuesday because of the outbreak following anannouncementfrom Gators athletic director Scott Stricklin.
"The University of Florida football team has experienced an increase in positive COVID tests among players this week," Stricklin said in part.
"Out of an abundance of caution, team activities are paused as of Tuesday afternoon."
Mullen had previously wanted his team's home stadium packed to capacity.Pete Thamelof Yahoo Sports provided more information:
"Mullen's positive test comes in the wake of remarks that weredismissive of COVID-19 protocols. After a loss to Texas A&M last Saturday, Mullen suggested unprovoked in his opening statement that Florida fans should 'pack The Swamp' this week, using the nickname for Florida's stadium. He added: 'Absolutely want to see 90,000 in The Swamp. Hopefully that creates a home-field advantage for us next week because now we passed a law in our state that we can do that.'"
The Florida athletic department and school administration shut down the idea quickly.
The SEC has encountered numerous issues lately, including the SEC fining Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Tennessee for not following COVID-19 protocols, perSports Illustrated'sRoss Dellenger.
There have alsobeenoutbreaksin the Vanderbilt and Ole Miss programs.
