College Football is up and running.
With the first weekend of college football in the books, many questions arise and the tension builds with anticipation for every team.
Now what about the SEC? (Regarded by many pundits as being the best conference in college football.) Which team is ready to take reign over this storied conference this year?
My prediction is the Florida Gators.
Of course, coming off a sloppy performance against the University of Massachusetts, most people will regard my prediction as being silly and foolish. However, one with an open mind may be convinced that the Gators may win the SEC.
It’s important to look at the Gators in 2015 to realistically predict their success for this upcoming 2016 season. The Gators were much weaker at the quarterback position in 2015 than they are in 2016. In fact, in 2015, reports suggested that Luke Del Rio looked the best compared to both Treon Harris and Will Grier. Considering how the Gators did with Grier (6-0) and Harris (4-4), having a quarterback that can lead an offense better than this promises even more results.
Many will argue that the Florida Gators won games due to their defense rather than their offense in 2015. While this is partially true, the Gator offense was definitely a contributing factor in most of their victories. The offense looked much more potent than that of the four years previous to 2015. It seemed clear that with the right players, this new system under coach Jim McElwain would thrive and bring success to the Florida Gators. Receivers like Antonio Callaway and Brandon Powell bring incredible explosiveness, as they did in 2015. The offensive line is more experienced and better this year as well. Thus, an upgraded offense, with new receivers that have coaches excited, an offensive line that is hyped up to be better than last year, running backs that are fast and strong, and a quarterback that can make plays will make all the difference in making this team a championship team.
Moreover, the defense of this team is still as strong as can be. The linebackers, especially with the return of Alex Anzalone, look very strong, given they stay healthy. Anzalone has not played a lot of football, and hopes to make just as big of an impact in games as he has in practice. Jarrad Davis is hyped up by many football analysts as being one of the best linebackers in college football right now. The defensive line is, as always, incredibly talented with stars like Bryan Cox Jr. and Cece Jefferson. Plus, you can’t forget about the secondary of this team. With cornerbacks Duke Dawson, Jalen “Teez” Tabor, and safety Marcus Maye, opposing receivers will have a hard time making plays. This defense will only get better, and considering how elite it is to start this season, one’s imagination can go crazy for how elite it will be at the end of this season.
Perhaps the most important and most exciting dimension of this Florida Gators team is their kicker. Eddy Pineiro, according to the Gators Radio Network during the game between the Gators and the UMass Minutemen, was “becoming a legend already”. In just his first game as a Gator, he had the stadium chanting his name. His ability in kicking field goals is amazing, and it adds a dimension to the Gators that has been missing for quite a few years.
It’s safe to say that the Gators, on paper, look much better than last year. It may not have looked as great this past Saturday. However, it’s safe to say that this team is going to become much better. When that happens, this team will be one to look out for.
