Every Game Matters.

That's what coaches and analysts always preach. Especially in college football when one loss can decide if you are in a bowl game or watching them from your mom's couch.

Some games do matter more than others. Especially games like this. Where the number 5 ranked Louisiana State Tigers fought a war with my Florida Gators. On the day Tebow was inducted into the Ring Of Honor. An accomplishment that only 6 men have received over the past 100 years of UF Football.

To understand this game you have to read the room as it were.

The Gator Nation has been hungry. Ever since Tebow walked off the field after beating Cincinnati Bearcats in the sugar bowl the Gators have decayed on offense. For nearly a decade the team has wandered aimlessly bogged down offensively in an invisible funk that's akin to the name of their home turf.

The Swamp.

A 90,000 plus capacity stadium that has not been sold out since 2015.

Our fanbase grew complacent, players became entitled. After Meyer left fans still felt we deserved to be in the national title conversation, as our offense and eventually defense would become more and more inept. After a few subpar seasons, a phone call was made. Out to a man who wore a maroon visor a few states over. Not THE ball coach with a visor but legendary none the less.

Enter Dan Mullen. I wasn't thrilled when he was hired. I was drooling over the almost marriage of Chip Kelly and the speed of Florida recruits. Seeing the team he spurned Florida for (UCLA ) go 0-5, although short sighted. I feel better about dodging that bullet. Like the rest of Gator Nation we slowly realized where the team's explosiveness and fun leaked from. When Dan Mullen left to go to perennial SEC West doormat Mississippi State. Meyer's teams grew clunky and dysfunctional when they had the ball and Meyer began to have chest pains.

Some of us realized, Dan the Man could bring us back to the quality of football we had missed like that perfect girl that got away.

Fast forward to Saturday night. In a game that I think was the best win in years. Between this and the last week on the road with a very emotional game for the team we played against. The team that wore maroon didn't forget that their former coach Dan Mullen left them for what they felt was "a lateral move". This three game stretch of dismantling the Vols in Knoxville, beating an emotional team to the sound of cowbells and facing a top 5 team a rival that brings as much passion and hate as two non-division rivals can have. This team is something special. LSU was undefeated and some projected them going to the playoffs.

Up 20-19 with 6 and a half minutes to play backed up on the 4 yard line these gators didn't break they grinded on the ground and converted TWO 3rd and 1s to burn that clock and when they did punt to put a vise grip on the former Buckeye QB. Pressured into a quick throw Burrow's pass lead to the loudest explosion of excitement in years. As the CB took it back to the house for a Pick Six and helped put the Gators ahead off of the QBs first INT of the year no less!

Up 27-19 the Gators ratcheted up their pressure and forced the Tigers to get picked up on 4th down and put Franks in the victory formation.

It was a gutty win. LSU could have owned the game early but the defense stripped the ball as they drove towards being up 14-0.

This team has bought in.

Dan The MAN Mullen is a hell of a salesMAN.

Go Gators. Onward to Nashville to take on Vandy. See if we get an emotional hangover.

NCAA / florida

Statement In The Swamp

Statement In The Swamp

Statement In The Swamp

Tigers vs Gators: who are you takin'?

Tigers vs Gators: who are you takin'?

Tigers vs Gators: who are you takin'?