McElwain's team is 3-8 vs. Top 25 teams./TRAVIS PENDERGRASS
Sunday, 1 a.m.
Forget, for a moment, the suspensions. They didn't help, but who knows if they would have added enough firepower to the Florida Gators.
Forget the quarterback debate although, to tell the truth, that's going to be as loud as ever this week.
Forget the results, even. Michagan pounded the Florida Gators Saturday night, 33-17, but that was hardly a surprise.
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Instead, if you are a Florida football fan, you should focus on this question: Has anything really changed for the Gators' offense?
Above all, that was the hope for the Gators. Despite the suspensions, despite the opponent, despite the history, Florida fans had hoped to come out of Saturday's game against Michigan with a hope that the quarterbacks of this year's team would be better than the quarterbacks of the past couple of seasons. Someone crisp. Someone dangerous. Someone promising.
Instead, the Gators got more of the same.
And furthermore, groan.
The Gators scored 17 points against Michigan, but 14 of them came on pick-sixes. On its own, the Florida offense scored three points. Starting quarterback Feleipe Franks hit just five of nine passes for 76 yards, a 23.6 ranking. Backup quarterback Malik Zaire hit nine of 17 passes for 106 passes, a 4.6 rating. Both quarterbacks lost fumbles.
“Disappointed in the lack of being able to run the footbal," McElwain saidl.
The defense gave us opportunities. Wore down a little bit, but I still believe in this football team. I still believe in these guys. The (10 suspended) guys that weren’t here, that was a choice. That had no impact on the outcome of this game and we’ve got some ballgames ahead of us that we’ve got to get ready for.
“Plain and simple, take your whooping. I’m taking it.”
The Gators are now 3-8 against Top 25 teams.
Florida took a 17-10 lead in the second quarterback when Duke Dawson and C.J. Henderson ran back interceptions 48- and 41-yards for scores. But Michigan outscored Florida 23-0 the rest of the game.
For the game, the offense produced only three points, 192 total yards, nine first downs and 11 yards rushing.
In its last two games against Michigan, the Gators have been outscored 74-24.
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