Site: Commonwealth Stadium (Cap. 61,000)
Kickoff: 7 p.m., Saturday
TV/Radio: SEC Network
We’re two weeks into the 2015 college football season, and we here at the alligatorSports Brand Picks Column are anticipating Florida’s first road game of the season.
The Gators faced an East Carolina team searching for revenge, but UF came out on top, 31-24.
Head coach Jim McElwain was displeased, however, with the lack of discipline displayed by Florida, and he didn’t hold back his displeasure. Now, after a week to fix those mistakes, UF takes on Kentucky at Commonwealth Stadium in a tough road battle. Florida has won the last 28 games in the series, but the Wildcats aren’t the pushover they once were.
Debating Saturday’s Texas Tech vs. Arkansas game are alligatorSports editor Graham Hall and Alligator managing/online editor Jordan McPherson.
The Razorbacks (-12) will beat the Red Raiders because...
Arkansas has something to prove. After being (relatively speaking) demolished by Toledo, the Hogs needs to prove their still a national contender. And that means running the ball down Texas Tech's throat and not backing down until the Red Raiders are sent to the locker room crying.
-Jordan McPherson
Texas Tech (+12) will beat Arkansas because…
The Razorbacks are coming off of a terrible loss to Toledo, and the game against Texas Tech is being called a "must-win" to keep their season alive. Coach Bret Bielema seems to lack confidence in the team’s running backs, as the Razorbacks sit 90th in the nation in rushing. Texas Tech’s defense is formidable in the secondary, but their rushing defense ranks near the bottom of NCAA Division I. If the Razorbacks run the ball down the Red Raiders’ throats, Arkansas will win. But Bielema hasn’t indicated that the game plan will be more run-oriented, and the Red Raiders should hand Arkansas a second-straight disappointing loss.
— Graham Hall
Now, onto this week's picks!
In first place, sitting at 11-4-1, is Gator Country’s Nick "Do you want me to type it for you" de la Torre, who received a (overdue and deserved) lashing from coach McElwain when he asked the coach to address the team’s discipline issues again. We know you have to get as much content as possible to keep Gator Country minorly relevant, but come on man. He had just addressed that.
In second with a 10-5-1 mark is the Palm Beach Post’s Anthony "Bandwagon Resident" Chiang, who tells anyone he meets that he grew up in Miami when he’s actually from Kendall in unincorporated Dade County. Come on bro, embrace your small-town roots! Kendall has a lot of notable natives...like OJ Simpson.
Coming in third with a 9-6-1 record is the Orlando Sentinel’s Edgar "The Deer Hunter" Thompson, who showed his age to us young bucks by repeatedly bullying Graham Hall into watching Michael Cimino’s 1978 classic. Good job trying to convince us that you’re a cultured movie buff, Edgar, but we all know your favorite film is Twilight.
In fourth place with an 8-7-1 record is alligatorSports editor Graham "Terrible music taste" Hall, who insists anyone he meets listen to Young Thug or Rich Homie Quan. Graham, no one know what they're saying. Listen to some real music and culture yourself, please. We can't stand you.
In a tie for fifth with a 7-8-1 record is the Alligator’s managing/online editor Jordan "New Landon" McPherson, who frequently gets confused for Inside the Gators’ workhorse by Mark Long. Come on Mark, how could you make such a mistake? Landon is clearly better looking and more professional.
Tied with Jordan for fifth is 247Sports.com’s Thomas "Armchair quarterback" Goldkamp, who spends his Sundays breaking down film from the previous game and telling his Twitter followers what he would have done differently from the comfort of his recliner. How soon until you start begging for a roster spot like former alligatorSports stud Richard Johnson?
In a weak seventh place with a 6-9-1 record is alligatorSports assistant editor Luis "Drunk Lou Holtz" Torres, who gets so flustered when he attempts to enunciate his opinion that he mumbles worse than Lou Holtz post-happy hour. How are you supposed to make it in telecommunications if your work will always need subtitles?
In dead-ass last with a piss poor record of 4-11-1 is alligatorSports staff writer Graham "Timezone illiterate" Hack, who adamantly told Luis to "ignore the time change and keep track of the time in your head." I know you’re used to keeping track of the time with a sun dial and charts at your house in Archer, but we have technology now.
