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Florida Gators Humbled by Missouri as South Carolina Heads to Gainesville Amid Coaching Questions
Photo Courtesy of UAA Communications
The Florida Gators were riding high, moving into the top 10 and 4-0 after huge conference wins at Auburn and Ole Miss that were both lopsided. They looked like National Championship contenders last week. This week they looked like also rans in a convincing 45-17 loss to Missouri, where the Tigers pushed them around in Columbia with Tiger fans celebrating each step of the way.
We wrote about Florida running back Jaden Baugh being a Heisman candidate, and he responded with 13 yards on 12 carries, repeatedly stuffed at the line of scrimmage. The loss does not fall solely on Baugh. Florida was handled on both sides of the line of scrimmage by Missouri. Fortunately, they can regroup back in The Swamp this weekend when they face reeling South Carolina.
South Carolina’s Chicken Curse
Speaking of South Carolina, the Chicken Curse seems to be alive and well. According to website Shakin the Southland, the phrase was coined by a newspaper columnist to explain a series of indescribable losses by the Gamecocks and has endured over the years.
As they head to Gainesville, the job security for Head Coach Shane Beamer is in question, and the fans are moaning “Why us?”
This week it was a home overtime loss to Kentucky on a two-point conversion the Wildcats made to send the faithful home unhappy. “Are there calls I would like to have back at times? Sure,” Beamer said at his weekly press conference. “Hindsight being 20/20, I wish I would have called timeout before the two-point play the other night. They scored on it.”
Backlash on Beamer
Beamer feels the weight of fans and some people in the media wanting him fired. “It’s a challenge. It is what it is. It’s week to week,” he admitted. There were even chants in the crowd of “Fire Beamer” during the game against Kentucky.
The thing is the actions of fans have gone too far. “I feel for the kids because my daughters are a senior in high school and a junior in high school, and let’s be real. They are on social media and on Tik-Tok and whatever, and it’s pretty (far) out there. That’s hard for them to see.”
Beamer relayed the story of going to his daughter’s homecoming dance. When pictures were posted on the high school’s website, people not affiliated with the high school went into the comments section to trash Coach Beamer. “There are some crappy people in the world.” Beamer said that he’s praying for them.
We should all pray for fans who go into the fanatical world. There’s just no excuse for it. Here’s wishing Shane Beamer the best in his future endeavors once South Carolina moves along. The Gamecocks are here for a reason. They have a passionate fan base and pack the stadium most weeks. At the same time, they just do not have the resources of their SEC brethren and will always take a backseat in the Conference, and most of the time in their own state, to Clemson. Should they settle? Hard to say. This is a program that wins National Championships in sports like baseball and women’s basketball, but football is a whole different level of financial commitment that neighboring schools like Georgia and Florida are always going to be willing to make.
UCF at Oklahoma State
Somebody cut UCF a break. They were up 17-0 over Houston when their backup quarterback went down with cramps. Houston scored 27 unanswered to extend UCF’s road losing streak to 11 games. UCF goes to Oklahoma State next, a team ranked by the Associated Press, mostly on the strength of their wins over Oregon and at West Virginia. I watched them lose at home convincingly to Tulsa and won’t fall for it.
Two schools I have not been impressed with are Oregon and Southern Cal, both out of my rankings this week. I want to see more from either school before they return.
TOP 25 FOR THE WEEK BEGINNING OCTOBER 5TH
- TEXAS (4-0) 5 of next 6 opponents are ranked. Oklahoma Saturday in a rivalry game is the only one not in the Top 25
- ALABAMA (5-0) Went to previously unbeaten Mississippi State and handled them easily
- MIAMI (5-0) Win at Wake Forest looks better every week, and put Clemson away in the 2nd half
- NOTRE DAME (5-0) Wisconsin win looks better again this week
- GEORGIA (5-0) Now have dominated 2 SEC foes, but both will end in the lower third of the conference
- TEXAS TECH (5-0) Still on the strength of the Houston win. Cougars proving they’re good
- UTAH (4-0) They are a Big 12 contender. Can’t wait to see them play BYU in early November
- PITTSBURGH (5-0) Took real guts to come back from 14 down to win at Va Tech
- BYU (4-0) Win over Arizona is better than any win Indiana has
- INDIANA (5-0) I cannot reward this awful schedule, but at least Northwestern win looks better this week
- FLORIDA (4-1) Lost at Missou, but their wins at Auburn and over Ole Miss still impressive pair of victories
- OHIO STATE (4-1) One point loss at Texas, but did win at Iowa
- OLE MISS (3-1) Interchangeable to me with #12 Ohio State. Both with a top win and a top loss
- MISSOURI (4-1) About as dominant as I’ve ever seen them in beating Florida
- LSU (4-1) Loss is at Ole Miss with dominant wins over Texas A&M and Clemson
- UCLA (4-0) The more we go into the season, the worse their early wins look
- DUKE (4-0) See UCLA above
- NEBRASKA (5-0) Now 5 wins over nobodies
- MISSISSIPPI STATE (4-1) Handled by Alabama, but still beat Missouri and trounced Minnesota on their field
- HOUSTON (4-1) Should have beaten Texas Tech. Stormed back to beat UCF by 10
- TENNESSEE (4-1) They may end the season in this area. Good, but not elite
- WAKE FOREST (4-1) Wins impressive and gave Miami its most competition
- IOWA (4-1) On strength of wins over Iowa State and Michigan
- ARIZONA (4-1) Competitive in loss at BYU, rolled Cincinnati Saturday
- WISCONSIN (4-1) Rattled off four straight since losing opener at Notre Dame
