Coach Will Muschamp isn’t worried about style points.
Although an impressive win against Florida State combined with a Notre Dame loss on Saturday would likely land UF in the national title game, Muschamp doesn’t care about margin of victory.
To him, the Gators’ record speaks for itself.
“You play in our league and you play in some of the venues we’ve gone and played in, and regardless of what it looks, how it looks — my wife told me I was sexy after the game,” Muschamp said. “We don’t win sexy, but she said ‘You’re sexy.’ That’s a positive. She was kidding.”
Florida has not had many sexy wins this season, and Saturday’s 23-0 victory against Jacksonville State wasn’t one of them.
The offense only scored one touchdown against the 108th-ranked defense in the FCS. Eight FCS schools scored 23 points or more against the Gamecocks this season.
The Gators’ average margin of victory is 16.3 points — the lowest for any of the 11 teams in UF history that have won 10 or more games in a single season.
Defensive tackle Omar Hunter said the players are fine with winning tight games.
“That’s just our style,” Hunter said.
“That’s just how we play football. We love winning those hard-fought games. Those are the games that really show people how tough this football team is, the ones that go in the fourth quarter. You have to battle your way through.”
Muschamp reiterated that he wanted his team to avoid focusing on other games.
The Gators need only worry about beating the Seminoles on Saturday.
“We’ve got to take care of business Saturday,” Muschamp said.
“That’s my message for our football team today at 3 o’clock. Let’s understand what’s at stake and what’s important, and that’s focusing on the game.”
Seminoles’ front: Florida State boasts one of the nation’s top pass rushes.
Seminoles defensive ends Cornellius Carradine and Bjoern Werner are tied for eighth and 12th in the country in sacks, respectively.
Carradine has recorded 10.5 sacks this season, while Werner is only one behind.
Florida ranks 109th in the country with 32 sacks allowed.
Florida State ranks No. 24 in the country with 28 sacks this season. The Seminoles also boast the nation’s No. 5 pass defense, allowing 165.6 yards per game on an NCAA-best 4.9 yards per attempt.
“Carradine and Werner are the two ends that you know kind of start it for them,” Muschamp said.
“They’re really good pass rushers. They create vertical separation, and they do a nice job of creating some problems.”
Injury update: Offensive tackle Chaz Green and fullback Hunter Joyer should both be ready to play against Florida State on Saturday, Muschamp said on Monday.
Both players are expected to return to practice today.
Green left Saturday’s game with an ankle injury and Joyer sat for nearly the entire game after suffering a left thigh injury on Florida’s first offensive play.
Muschamp added that linebacker Neiron Ball and wide receiver Andre Debose would return to practice today and play on Saturday.
Ball didn’t play against Jacksonville State on Saturday after suffering an ankle injury the previous week against Louisiana.
Debose has not played since Oct. 27 against Georgia after injuring his knee in practice on Nov. 1.
Contact Josh Jurnovoy at jjurnovoy@alligator.org.
Florida coach Will Muschamp walks around The Swamp and waves to the fans after his team’s 27-20 victory against Lousiana on Nov. 10.
