Coach Will Muschamp’s mantra has been the same all season.
After every win and after every loss, a reiteration of the same phrase is always heard.
"Everything is still in front of us."
The Gators’ goal is simple: Win the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division and make it to Atlanta for the first time since 2009 — two seasons before Muschamp took over as the program’s head coach.
Right now, the goal is within reach.
But that has nothing to do with how well Florida has played this season. Rather, it’s due to the fact that the SEC East has no clear frontrunner halfway through the season.
Preseason favorite South Carolina already has three losses in conference play — including an embarrassing 52-28 beating from Texas A&M to open up the year and back-to-back defeats that came at the hands of Missouri (21-20) and Kentucky (45-38) in the last two weeks.
No. 10 Georgia (5-1, 3-1 SEC) looks to be the East’s best candidate to reach the promised land of Atlanta, but the Bulldogs aren’t without their flaws.
They dropped their first conference game against the Gamecocks and barely squeaked by Tennessee two weeks later.
Plus the off-the-field issues surrounding the Todd Gurley situation aren’t going to help them either.
Florida has the opportunity to reach Atlanta, but it’s margin for error is as slim as it could possibly be if it wants to sit at the top of the SEC East totem pole this season.
The Gators’ play has not been indicative of an SEC Champion in the slightest.
Sure they have two wins against opponents in the East, but they were last-second victories against Tennessee and Kentucky — both of which were on the easier side of Florida’s conference schedule.
And during the Gators’ two losses to Alabama and LSU — and even in its two wins, for that matter — Florida’s play on both sides of the ball were riddled with inconsistencies.
Passes can’t continue to drop out of receivers’ hands.
Coverage miscommunications have to be avoided.
Third downs need to be converted.
The Gators will need to win out the back half of its SEC schedule — a lineup that includes Missouri, Georgia, Vanderbilt and South Carolina — to reach its goal.
And, frankly, they won’t be able to do that if they continue the trends they have shown all season.
If those problems aren’t fixed and aren’t fixed quickly, Florida will be in for a rude awakening throughout the next month.
So while the trip to Atlanta is still attainable, Florida has a long way to go before anything can be considered.
Everything is still in front of the Gators for now.
But one more mistake can change that in a heartbeat.
Follow Jordan McPherson on Twitter @J_McPherson1126
Will Muschamp looks down the field during Florida's 30-27 loss to LSU on Saturday at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
