From The Sideline
From The Sideline
How Good Are The Gators?
By BRANDON FINLEY
The question is simple, but the answer may not be. How good are the Gators? Logic would tell you that any team returning a Junior Heisman trophy winner will be pretty darn good, but when you consider the Gators also possess the most exciting player in the nation you could see why there's excitement in Gainesville.
Not only is Tim Tebow the nation's best all around player, but Florida has Percy Harvin as well. He could be the nation's most exciting player. No other has the ability to turn every single play into a touchdown. Harvin is that dynamic player who not only received for over 800 yards while missing two games, but he was Florida's second leading rusher behind only Tebow.
Those two players will lead an offense that averaged 42.5 points per game during a 9-4 season, and that's where the questions begin. How could a team that averaged so many points lose so many games?
The answer is simple. While the Gators' offense may have been one of the best in school history, the defense may have been one of the worst. However, the bright side for the Gators is that many of their key contributors were underclassmen. That will be different this year, but the old adage remains that they will still be considered a poor defense until they prove otherwise.
If their defense can provide a stable balance, and guard against the disastrous game then the Gators could be significantly better. Will they be the number one team in the nation as some pre-season hype magazines have them? Probably not. Will they be much improved? Likely.
The fact is the Gators will play one of the toughest schedules in the nation next season, and to believe that they will make it through unstained is to be optimistic to say the least. However, one loss in the SEC is better than an undefeated season in some other leagues. The biggest obstacle will be a familiar one in Jacksonville. Both teams could come in undefeated setting up what could be the biggest game in the teams' rivalry.
If the Gators are able to get by Georgia there's a good chance they could end the season in the SEC and maybe even the National Championship game where another rivalry could be replayed. Anyone up for another Florida vs. Ohio State championship?
