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Florida Gators Emerge as SEC East Contender

By Andrew Frosceno

Sep 10, 2016; Gainesville, FL, USA; Florida Gators defensive back Teez Tabor (31), defensive back Marcell Harris (26), running back Lamical Perine (22) clearer after they beat the Kentucky Wildcats. Gators defeated the Kentucky Wildcats 45-7. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 10, 2016; Gainesville, FL, USA; Florida Gators defensive back Teez Tabor (31), defensive back Marcell Harris (26), running back Lamical Perine (22) clearer after they beat the Kentucky Wildcats. Gators defeated the Kentucky Wildcats 45-7. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Florida Gators throttled the Kentucky Wildcats 45-7 on Saturday, in a game that announced they should once again be considered a top contender in the SEC East.

In the win, the Florida Gators took it to Kentucky for the 30th straight game and continue to be worlds ahead of the bottom feeders in the SEC.

The key to their success, as it seems to have been ever since Tim Tebow left, is finding good quarterback play. Well, on Saturday reason for optimism emerged. Junior quarterback Luke Del Rio, the son of Oakland Raiders coach Jack Del Rio, put on a clinic. He threw for 320 yards and four scores.

With a dominating defense like the Gators have, if they can get competent quarterback play, they could beat anyone. They held Kentucky to 149 yards on 48 plays for just 3.1 yards per play. Performances like that will keep them in any game this season.

It’s a formula that has worked before for Alabama. You ride a top notch defense behind a quarterback who takes care of the ball and makes the throws when you ask him too.

Another player who is continuing to improve and help the Gators look legit is sophomore wide-out Antonio Callaway. The speedy receiver caught 5 balls for 129 yards and one score. Del Rio hit him on a big 78 yard touchdown pass. It’s this big-play potential that has the Gators and their fans dreaming of what could be.

Looking outside of Florida, other top SEC East teams Georgia and Tennessee have shown some weaknesses thus far. Tennessee is ripe with talent and was the clear-cut favorite pick to come out of the East in the preseason. However, the Vols had to escape by the thinnest of margins against Appalachian State on opening weekend.

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On Saturday, the Vols sleepwalked through the first quarter against Virginia Tech until the Hokies imploded and allowed the Vols to win. Georgia, barely beat FCS Nicholls State 26-24 on Saturday. With a freshman like Jacob Eason at QB, the Bulldogs could be inconsistent all season.

It’s only been two games and it was only the lowly Kentucky Wildcats, but the Florida Gators made a statement on Saturday. The SEC East still has to go through Gainesville.

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