Pasquali's Pix: Florida's climb steeper than it was a month ago

FILE - In this Oct. 1, 2016, file photo, Florida head coach Jim McElwain watches from the sideline in the second half of an NCAA college football game against Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn. Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and McElwain become close friends while spending four years together at Alabama (2008-11) and will reunite for a game Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)
FILE - In this Oct. 1, 2016, file photo, Florida head coach Jim McElwain watches from the sideline in the second half of an NCAA college football game against Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn. Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and McElwain become close friends while spending four years together at Alabama (2008-11) and will reunite for a game Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)
photo David Paschall
photo Running back Leonard Fournette and the rest of the LSU Tigers stand in the way of the Florida Gators and a spot in next month's SEC title game against Alabama. The Gators play their rescheduled game against LSU on Saturday afternoon at Death Valley.

OTHER PICKS

Kentucky 42, Austin Peay 15Texas A&M 45, UTSA 28S. Carolina 29, W. Carolina 16Louisville 26, Houston 24Oklahoma 28, W. Virginia 21Ohio St. 31, Michigan St. 19Wisconsin 30, Purdue 13Miami 27, N.C. State 20Pittsburgh 23, Duke 22Florida State 34, Syracuse 17N. Carolina 35, The Citadel 32Clemson 38, Wake Forest 25Penn State 52, Rutgers 7Washington 41, Arizona St. 26Southern Cal 33, UCLA 14Michigan 20, Indiana 17Notre Dame 27, Va. Tech 22

The Florida Gators have experienced good news and bad news since Oct. 6, when their home football game against LSU was postponed due to Hurricane Matthew.

Tennessee was 2-0 in Southeastern Conference games at that time, having rallied past the Gators 38-28 and topped Georgia 34-31 on a 43-yard touchdown pass on the game's final play. The Volunteers called the shots in the Eastern Division race, but they proceeded to drop their next three SEC contests, including a 24-21 upset loss at South Carolina on Oct. 29.

That enabled the Gators to not only take over the East lead but get some breathing room, yet they lost some of that comfort with a 31-10 loss at Arkansas on Nov. 5. Now they have Saturday's rescheduled game against LSU, only it's in Baton Rouge, La., which has made Florida's challenge significantly steeper than it was a month ago.

Florida would clinch a second consecutive SEC East title with an upset of the Tigers, but a loss would open the door for the Vols should they sweep Missouri and Vanderbilt.

"The great programs that are there year in and year out understand the importance that it really doesn't matter who or when or where but rather the fact that it's another opportunity," Florida coach Jim McElwain said Wednesday. "That's the way we're approaching the game. Winning a championship in doing whatever you do is a byproduct of taking care of your own business. It's really all about the now, no matter what.

"When you start thinking that a championship is the only thing out there, you're probably going to get beat up along the way. It's not the way successful people and successful organizations think."

Florida opened as a one-point underdog last month when the Gators were scheduled to host LSU. They were 13.5-point underdogs Wednesday afternoon.

The Florida-LSU game kicks off at 1 p.m., with Missouri-Tennessee at 3:30. Vols coach Butch Jones was asked Wednesday whether he thought scoreboard updates in Neyland Stadium would be helpful or harmful.

"It may sound like coach speak, but I haven't even thought about that," Jones said. "When you put Missouri on video, you're facing a very talented football team that's going to take all of our efforts and all of our energies. I tell our team every single week that we have to control the controllables.

"I haven't even thought once or twice about that, and all I know is that we have to play winning football in order to win on Saturday."

Pasquali's Pix:

Louisiana-Lafayette at Georgia: The Bulldogs are wearing black jerseys under a coach who helped get that Georgia apparel choice ditched eight years ago as Alabama's defensive coordinator. Bulldogs 31, Ragin' Cajuns (quality nickname) 10.

Virginia at Georgia Tech: Paul Johnson is 67-48 overall and 41-30 in Atlantic Coast Conference games as Yellow Jackets coach yet had to answer questions this week about job security. Yellow Jackets 28, Cavaliers 24.

Florida at LSU: Significant space might be needed between these two athletic directors after the airing of dirty laundry following last month's rescheduling. Tigers 24, Gators 17.

Missouri at Tennessee: Who knew a 31st win over Kentucky in 32 years was all the Vols needed to vault into the playoff rankings? Vols 41, Tigers 22.

Arkansas at Mississippi State: Welcome to the "Reeling Bowl" after last week's outcomes against LSU and Alabama. Bullies 23, Razorbacks 20.

UTC at Alabama: The Crimson Tide have not allowed a touchdown in 147 minutes and 54 seconds of game action, which dates back to the third quarter of the Texas A&M game on Oct. 22. Crimson Tide 49, Mocs 0.

Alabama A&M at Auburn: The Tigers could be on the verge of losing three straight to both Georgia and Alabama for the first time since 1966-68. Tigers 33, Bulldogs 14.

Ole Miss at Vanderbilt: Remember when Shea Patterson's team was Chad Kelly's team all those hours ago? Rebels 22, Commodores 17.

Last week:

Winners................15

Sumlins.................10

Pasquali is now 216-59 overall (78.5 percent) this season.

Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.

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