With every open hole Mike Gillislee plowed through and every would-be tackler he dodged, the Gators moved closer to reestablishing themselves as one of the best teams in college football.
In what was billed as a statement game, No. 10 Florida made its point loudly and clearly in Saturday’s 14-6 upset of No. 4 LSU.
UF isn’t the same team that fizzled after a 4-0 start and was called “soft” by coach Will Muschamp last season. These Gators have a legitimate shot at going to Atlanta for the Southeastern Conference championship.
“We’re not soft. No one can call us soft now,” quarterback Jeff Driskel said. “If we didn’t have people’s respect, we gained it today. We’re a physical team.”
The Gators proved that on the ground, rushing for 176 yards and controlling the line of scrimmage.
UF ran the ball on 25 consecutive plays to finish the game, a streak that began when Gillislee scored from 12 yards out to put Florida ahead for good with 5:15 remaining in the third quarter.
Muschamp’s first win against a top-five opponent clearly bore his signature. A year after being ridiculed, the Gators prevailed with physicality.
“It’s a big statement,” safety Josh Evans said. “This is a good spot and a good position we’re in to open up a lot of eyes to show that we’re on the rise.”
During the offseason, Muschamp preached toughness to a team that consistently struggled to close games out on the ground in 2011.
Saturday’s win validated that emphasis.
“That was fun,” Muschamp said with a sly smile. “It’s gratifying to me because of the way we lost games last year, quite frankly. I know we’ve made improvements in the organization.”
Florida’s line wore down LSU’s vaunted defense, showing the results of offseason work with strength coach Jeff Dillman.
Gillislee did the rest, rushing for 146 yards and two scores on 34 carries — the most by a Gator since Fred Taylor toted the ball 34 times against Auburn in 1997.
“I’m never tired,” Gillislee said. “I felt like I was getting stronger. I kept on fighting.”
Florida used extra blockers in jumbo sets like “chief” and “sumo,” pulling offensive linemen from one side of the line to the other to blast open holes.
Gillislee consistently found the gaps and burst through them, usually making a defender or two miss at the second level.
“I’ll take Gilly over anybody,” Muschamp said. “I’ve told him that all the time, and I mean that. … He’s a Will Muschamp guy.”
As Gillislee continued to roll, the Gators saw the Tigers wilting. Guard Jon Halapio said he could see the fatigue in defensive tackle Josh Downs’ eyes.
LSU was exhausted, and every carry pushed them closer and closer to defeat.
“I was looking at people’s eyes, and they were scared,” defensive end Dominique Easley said. “The whole game of football, to me, is about breaking a man’s will.”
Florida has become very proficient at that this season. After being outscored by an embarrassing 72-22 in the fourth quarter of SEC games in 2011, the Gators are the only team in the nation to not allow a fourth-quarter point in 2012. They’ve outscored the opposition 41-0.
Gillislee said the team’s conditioning is 10 times better. Guard James Wilson said the Gators are “miles ahead of where we were.”
“We’ve beat it in their heads in the offseason,” Muschamp said. “We are a stronger team.”
The shift in results against LSU from 2011 to 2012 proves that. In last season’s 41-11 win in Baton Rouge, the Tigers outrushed the Gators by 125 yards and held an 18:02 advantage in second-half time of possession. This year, the Gators outrushed Tigers by 134 and held the ball 10 minutes and 20 seconds longer than LSU did in the second half. Evans called it a “complete 180.”
“We wanted them to feel the pain that we felt last year,” Easley said.
The Tigers did, and now the Gators are one step closer to their goal.
“Nobody thought we were going to win, and to be the underdog and get a win is a great feeling,” safety Matt Elam said. “It’s another step to Atlanta, and that’s our goal. The sky is the limit.”
But there’s still a long climb to get there. Matchups with SEC powerhouses Georgia and South Carolina loom later in October — a reminder that Florida has a ways to go to reach the summit.
“We need to understand that as you continue to climb a mountain, it gets a little more dangerous,” Muschamp said.
Those are problems for next week. Even with an eye towards the future, now is a time for celebration. The Gators are back to being tough, back to being a powerhouse and back in the championship chase.
“This is a dream come true,” Gillislee said. “I’ll never forget this moment, the feeling, the win. It’s my opportunity, and I’m going to do the best I can to keep this opportunity going.”
Contact Greg Luca at gluca@alligator.org.
UF coach Will Muschamp celebrates with a Gator Chomp after Florida’s 14-6 upset victory against LSU on Saturday in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Unlike the team Muschamp called “soft” in 2011, UF won with physicality.
