South Carolina is coming off a much-needed bye week and looking to bounce back against the Gators. The Gamecocks get this game at home and will look to attack based on some obvious Florida strengths and weaknesses. Looking at the opponents the Gators have faced shows that their overall statistics can be a bit misleading. Out of six opponents, Florida has played four Power 5 opponents, one of which was Vanderbilt (sorry Commodores). So, games against Utah, Tennessee, and Kentucky show what real strengths and weaknesses Florida possesses. The Gators are 1-2 in those games.
The Gamecocks have the personnel to match up well with the Gators on Saturday. Plus, playing in Williams-Brice seems to make a major difference for Carolina teams under Shane Beamer. With that being said, there is no doubt the Gamecocks need this win. Fans had high expectations for this year. Although success is not linear, the perception will be negative if Beamer can’t find a way to get, at least, seven wins in the last season of the Spencer Rattler era. The remaining schedule is more favorable than the first five games. So, the focus shifts to the opponents. First up, the Florida Gators.
Florida’s Strengths
Much has been made of the lack of quarterback talent in Gainesville. Transfer signal caller Graham Mertz is the starter for Florida in 2023. This is perceived as a weakness, but Mertz has played well enough to have the Gators sitting at 4-2 midway through their season. He leads the SEC in completion percentage but checks the ball down more than most. Florida is seventh in the conference at just over eight yards per pass attempt (right behind South Carolina).
Looking at the three most meaningful games of Florida’s season show its real offensive strength, which is the running game. The Gators have rushed 209 times this year compared to 186 passing attempts. Montrell Johnson Jr. and Trevor Etienne split time in the backfield for Florida. They average just over five and six yards per carry, respectively. The team is averaging over 150 yards per game. That is good enough for fifth in the league. Make no mistake, this offense runs through those two backs and their ability to move the chains. This is a trademark of head coach, Billy Napier.
On defense, the Gators have allowed just under 17 points per game. They are allowing 120 yards to opponents on the ground, but only 167 through the air. With only two turnovers on the season, this defense is simply making stops. Florida has great athletes but the Gators are tied with the Gamecocks for last in the SEC in sacks. So, how exactly are they stopping teams? Florida is holding opponents to just a 26% conversion rate on third down. The Florida defense as a whole is a strength. It doesn’t need to be opportunistic because it is consistent. Through six games, the defense has largely held opponents in check.
Florida’s Weaknesses
On the offensive side of the ball, Mertz has been painfully efficient. His 80% completion percentage is impressive, to say the least. Against Utah, Tennessee, and Kentucky, Florida’s best three opponents, Mertz is still completing passes at 77%. So, how did the Gators lose two out of three? Opponents outscored Florida 73-54 over those three games and 57-25 in the two losses. Mertz is efficient, but if Florida can’t run the ball, he has little options in terms of pass catchers who can make plays downfield.
Ricky Pearsall has been a standout strength for Florida against the backdrop of a receiving corps that is an overall weakness. This creates an obvious hole that both Utah and Kentucky exploited. Stop the run and live with what Mertz can attempt to do through the air. Even when Mertz and Pearsall make extraordinary plays, the team’s explosiveness on the outside is limited enough that opposing defenses do well to make the passing game the only option.
Defensively, Florida has displayed many strengths. The unit shut down Tennessee’s run game which leads the SEC from a team standpoint. It has gotten stops without turnovers. The defense has only recorded one interception and one fumble recovery all year. And the Gators don’t typically get to the quarterback. The holes on defense are a little harder to find, but when they are been exposed, they are exposed badly. Kentucky’s Ray Davis ran for 280 yards and four total touchdowns against Florida. Utah scored on an explosive pass play, explosive run play, and a five-yard quarterback run. This balanced attack added up to a loss for the Gators.
Big Play Potential
All in all, teams have had success against Florida in multiple ways. Clearly, if teams can get a push from the offensive line and have a stud in the backfield, this Florida defensive unit is vulnerable. However, taking advantage of big plays can also lead to quick scoring opportunities against the Gators. 46% of the touchdowns scored against Florida this year have come from outside of the red zone.
Location, Location, Location
Finally, perhaps Florida’s most glaring weakness thus far is the inability to perform well on the road. The Gators have won four home games (McNeese, Tennessee, Charlotte, Vanderbilt). But they have lost both of their road games. In both losses, at Utah and at Kentucky, the games were not close. The Gators crumpled under the pressure of opposing crowds. Look for a major factor in the Gamecocks’ keys to victory to be the location of the game: Columbia, SC.
Follow along to get a focused look at the tools that South Carolina has to use against Florida’s strengths and weaknesses.
