GAINESVILLE, Fla. — More than 500 prospects — yes, 5-0-0 — flocked to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday night, multiple Florida staffers told The Athletic. The recruits, among 89,409 people, witnessed a whipping that the 40-17 final score fails to accurately depict. There’s little reason why the drubbing Florida delivered to Florida State shouldn’t extend into the offseason, either.
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The regular season ended similarly to last year, with some slight discrepancies. This time, there was no Chauncey Gardner-Johnson looking to plant a flag at the 50, for instance. Instead, guys like Tyrie Cleveland soaked in their final moments as players on this field, with Cleveland kneeling down in the end zone. Like last year, No. 11 Florida (10-2, 6-2 SEC) has again positioned itself for New Year’s Six consideration, and the Gators’ case may have been strengthened by losses by No. 5 Alabama and No. 8 Minnesota. Florida State? The Seminoles are headed to a bowl this time, but only at 6-6 — while hoping to soon announce a new head coach. So, yeah, the Seminoles are still associated with uncertainty.
Regardless of whom the Seminoles’ next head coach is, the Gators have a window — flashing lights and a welcome mat included — to dominate the state. Between Florida’s season-opening win against Miami and Saturday’s thrashing of FSU, the gap hasn’t shortened since 2018. On the field, it has only widened.
Consider the differences displayed between Florida and Florida State.
The most talented player on the field might have been Florida State running back Cam Akers. Receiver Tamorrion Terry wasn’t too far behind. Defensive lineman Marvin Wilson would’ve had a strong case, if he were healthy enough to play. But Florida State has failed to take advantage of their skills. Saturday was a cruel reminder; though they both ended with fine stat lines, at halftime with the Gators leading 30-7, Akers was held to only 21 yards on eight carries, Terry two catches for 58 yards.
As for the Gators, seniors such as receivers Freddie Swain and Cleveland epitomized the opposite. Swain was once a four-star recruit, but he was underutilized under Jim McElwain. At the slot position under Mullen, he has thrived. Swain had five catches for 62 yards and two touchdowns. Cleveland was recruited as a star receiver under McElwain, but he’s seventh in receptions inside a deep room this year. Still, he has been a valuable member of the roster, starting on all special teams.
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Reminder: Both teams hired new coaches after the 2017 season, essentially starting in a similar place with similar problems.
“Offseason, working hard, trying to gain that confidence back in the team,” Cleveland said when asked how the Gators turned around from two years ago. “When we were 4-7, we were just, I wouldn’t say headed down the wrong road, we were just lost and confused. When Coach Mullen came, he really changed the whole program and changed the whole mindset. He told us just to work hard, give relentless effort, play for each other and everything will work out.”
It wasn’t just the personnel usage, either. Florida State was flagged for an inexcusable delay-of-game penalty on first-and-10 after taking over on downs just before halftime. It was one of 13 penalties for Florida State. The Gators were whistled for three. Midway through the third quarter, minutes after Florida fans started to do “the wave” in the stands, Mullen was irate with Kyle Pitts after the tight end was called for a personal foul. Uncoincidentally, FSU entered the game 129th out of 130 teams, averaging 8.9 penalties per game while Florida ranked 31st (5.5).
The hallmarks of Florida — discipline, unselfishness, getting the most out of ability — are dissimilar to its in-state peers.
“Winning always helps the brand,” Mullen said. “The fact that we’re winning games, that we have the opportunity to compete for SEC and national championships, get to play in the SEC, I think is a huge recruiting boost. I think being one of the top 10 public universities in America, right, the only SEC team that is, the only school in the state of Florida that is, so to have that academic, all of that, helps in recruiting, more than just winning those individual games. But I know, it’s great, it’s great for the Gators, it’s great for us. Anytime you can win (against) in-state rivals, those are your neighbors. ”
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Florida also did it in style, smartly taking advantage of an atmosphere it created. With just about 20 minutes left before kickoff, a video flashed on the scoreboard, touting Florida’s future football facility. The video lasted just over 30 seconds, but it was enough to tease a new weight room plus indoor and outdoor pools, among other things. The clip ended with a message: Coming December 2021.
How far will the gap be by then between Florida and its in-state rivals?
For now, the optics are in Florida’s favor. Being the state’s supreme team is always a goal, but Florida’s expectations don’t stop there. The Gators’ veterans pushed the program a step closer toward achieving what is higher on the list: Competing for national championships. To do that, Florida likely must recruit at a higher level.
That’s why the scene Saturday mattered so much. One staffer told The Athletic that in several years of working in recruiting, the accumulation of prospects in such a lively atmosphere was the “craziest experience.”
Six were on official visits, including two who are committed to Florida (offensive lineman Issiah Walker and safety Rashad Torrence). The other four were Columbus four-star 2020 wide receiver Xzavier Henderson (CJ Henderson’s brother), Mississippi State commit and four-star junior college wide receiver Malik Heath, four-star 2020 linebacker Phillip Webb and three-star Palmetto 2020 receiver Kentron Poitier.
Among the unofficial visitors were priority targets such as Sebastian River four-star 2020 defensive lineman Tim Smith, Winter Park 2020 four-star defensive back Ethan Pouncey and his older brother Jordan Pouncey, a receiver who entered the transfer portal after most recently playing at Texas.
With two weeks before the early signing period, Florida’s 2020 class is ranked No. 13 on the 247Sports Composite. Miami is No. 14 and Florida State is 18th. Eventually, Florida must catch Georgia, which has the fifth-best class, among other national powers. For now, though, being the best team in the state was something worth celebrating.
All of those prospects watched the difference between the Gators and Seminoles on the field. Now, the gap must continue to widen off the field, too.
(Photo: Kim Klement / USA Today)
Will Sammon is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering the New York Mets. A native of Queens, New York, Will previously covered the Milwaukee Brewers and Florida Gators football for The Athletic, starting in 2018. Before that, he covered Mississippi State for The Clarion-Ledger, Mississippi’s largest newspaper. Follow Will on Twitter @WillSammon
