SEC Championship Game 2015: Florida really the second best team in the SEC?
The Florida Gators are headed to Atlanta to take on Alabama in the SEC Championship. We explore who deserves the title of second in the SEC.
We are days away from the SEC championship in Atlanta between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Florida Gators. The winner will be crowned SEC champion. Alabama is clearly the best team in the SEC. The question is who would be the team right behind them?
There have been rumblings in recent weeks about how good the Gators actually are after the suspension to quarterback Will Grier and the insertion of Treon Harris into the starting lineup. The defense has been good in a poor division, but the offense leaves a lot to be desired and the offense was shutout last week in the loss to Florida State.
Florida has taken advantage of playing in the SEC East. They are 1-1 against the West this season with a win against Ole Miss and a loss to LSU. In the last month, the Gators have had narrow victories against South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Florida Atlantic. Last week, they were destroyed by rival Florida State.
The challenge in downgrading Florida is there is no clear-cut answer for what team is better. Ole Miss has a solid resume, but the Gators hold the head to head advantage.
LSU beat Florida, but had an even worse November than the Gators. Texas A&M and Mississippi State both have four losses. Florida should not be faulted for playing the teams on their schedule, but they can be faulted for the way they have played.
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In the end, Florida gets the title of second best team by default. Ole Miss is right at their heals, but their inconsistency hurts them.
The Gators have an opportunity on Saturday to not only prove they are the second best team, but to win the entire conference. This is good news for Gators fans who have endured the scrutiny of fans and media alike in recent weeks.
What do people want to see from Florida? For starters, the ability to move the ball on offense. No one doubts the Florida defense, but it is the offense that has been the weak link.
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On Saturday, the Gators are fighting for first and not second against Alabama at the Georgia Dome.