Technically, the Gators avoided the trap by beating Florida Atlantic, albeit barely.
But if UF is anywhere near the level of suck that the team was at against the Owls, Florida will surely fall to FSU on Saturday.
Jim McElwain certainly knows it, as Florida’s coach looked concerned on Monday when detailing the upcoming matchup.
"We’re a 10-win football team that’s still got a long ways to go in a lot of areas," McElwain said. "We’ve got to complete passes when guys are open and create some explosive plays and consistency."
The Gators may even be at the weakest level they’ve been at all season, and that’s concerning for a team with a realistic path to the College Football Playoff.
I won’t go as far as to say UF is inferior to FSU from a talent standpoint, but the Gators haven’t demonstrated enough on offense to make me think they’ll whip the Seminoles.
So far this season, I haven’t seen a Treon Harris-led offense consistently create big plays that create separation on the scoreboard.
Kelvin Taylor, for all he’s been for UF’s offense, isn’t the type of back with breakaway speed to rack up touchdown after touchdown. FSU’s Dalvin Cook appears to be his superior.
Jake McGee has been UF’s most consistent threat in the receiving game while freshman Antonio Callaway is the team’s lone weapon that could seemingly saunter into the end zone every time he touches the ball.
These are red flags.
These are signs of a team with an unbalanced offense that is 10-1 thanks to a few breaks going its way.
"I don’t think they deserved the East Carolina game, at all. I don’t think we deserved (to beat FAU) at all," McElwain said.
"But whether we deserved it or not we figured out a way to do it."
Saying the team "figured out a way to do it" may be a vague way of saying "we developed a game plan to help us compete despite our inadequate talent level at multiple positions."
It’s harsh, I know, but it’s true.
UF may be one of the weakest 10-1 teams a Power-Five conference has ever produced.
But does that matter?
The Gators are in this position, and how they’ve gotten here doesn’t matter anymore.
Florida’s defensive unit has done enough to keep Florida in each game it’s played.
The offense has found a way to make just enough plays to keep the team ahead.
McElwain said Monday he was embarrassed with how close the Gators have been in some of their games. He said he’s not satisfied.
That’s how he needs to be.
He can be happy Florida is in a position to capitalize on its potential, but satisfied with where they’re at? Come on, it would take an ignorant fool to think there’s no room for improvement.
Everything that came before Saturday’s game will mean nothing if the Gators don’t beat the Seminoles. With the CFP still in the picture, the players need to realize that.
McElwain, to truly know what it is to be a "Florida coach," needs to do anything he can to prepare the team to bury its biggest rival and keep "15 opportunities" a possibility.
Follow Graham Hall on Twitter @Graham311
A drenched UF football coach Jim McElwain (center) walks off the field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium following Florida's 20-14 overtime win against Florida Atlantic on Nov. 21, 2015, at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
