The holiday season leaves us with plenty of time for reflection.
Reflection on the ups and downs the year has brought and reflection about what we’re thankful for.
For the 2018 Florida Gators, there’s plenty.
To start, first-year coach Dan Mullen turned a 4-7 dumpster fire of a program into a formidable competitor and top-20 team in just one year.
No one saw the Gators coming this season. And you have to wonder if even they saw them coming.
The Gators sit at 8-3 (5-3 SEC) on the year and have made a convincing case to make a New Year’s Six bowl game.
And I see little reason as to why they won’t play in one.
One check in their favor is that they play in one of — if not the — toughest conferences in the nation.
Their SEC schedule this season included matchups with ranked opponents in Georgia, Mississippi State and LSU. They beat the latter two.
As the college football playoff rankings go, the top 12 ranked teams are guaranteed a major bowl game.
That top-12 spot is surely attainable as long as Florida doesn’t lose to 5-6 Florida State in its season finale, which it isn’t expected to do.
As for other reasons to be thankful, the Gators’ 63-10 rout of Idaho in their last home game of the season proved that the program has a lot of bright spots for the future. The young guys who’ll replace the departing veterans showed real promise against the Vandals.
And according to some of the Gators’ seniors, there’s no better staff to get those younger guys ready.
“Man, they lucked out with this coaching staff,” tight end R.J. Raymond said. “I wish I would have had them my entire five years here. They’re great, they’re gonna get this program rolling in the right direction.”
At the helm of the freshman display on Saturday was quarterback Emory Jones, who came in at the end of the second quarter and played the most second half.
He did make some mistakes, and his inexperience showed when he was under pressure.
But he made plays inside and outside the pocket and showed some arm strength and accuracy that will only get better as he continues to develop.
“According to me, my dawg balled,” freshman tailback Dameon Pierce said of Jones.
But besides the obvious on-the-field aspects, the Gators can be thankful they’ve gotten through this season relatively drama-free compared to the soap opera antics of years past.
No credit card scandals or rumors of death threats dominated the narratives this season.
Mullen created a new culture and instilled a mentality that many guys said had been missing.
“(Mullen) turned the whole program around,” tight end C’yontai Lewis said. “I think they’ll win the championship next season.”
Alanis Thames is a staff writer at the Alligator. Contact her at athames@alligator.org.
In his first season as UF head coach, Dan Mullen led the Gators (9-3) to the Chick-fil-a Peach Bowl, where they will face Michigan.
