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Defense on the rise, special teams are collapsing
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Defense on the rise, special teams are collapsing

THE Florida Alligators (4-4, 2-3 SEC) fell to the Georgia Bulldogs (7-1, 5-1 SEC) 34-20 in a game that was much closer than the final score would suggest.

With that, it’s time for a stock report. Let’s see which stocks were up this week and which ones plunged.

Ja’Kobi Jackson, running back

Another Gators running back is having a breakout game, and it’s coming against the second-ranked team in the country. Jackson rushed towards a a season high of 74 yardsaveraging 6.2 yards per carry and scored a game-tying touchdown in the fourth quarter.

The running game had to take over as much as possible after the injury to quarterback DJ Lagway. He and Baugh certainly did.

Alligator Defense

The stat sheet doesn’t tell the whole story. They picked off quarterback Carson Beck three times – almost a fourth – and completely stifled Georgia’s offense in the first half. Arguably only 20 of the 34 points were there.

Warner’s interception and botched special teams snap put them in places they wouldn’t have been otherwise for the two touchdowns that followed.

This defense continues to improve as the season goes on. They demolished UCF and Kentucky and battled two rivals ranked in the top 10. That’s significant.

Aidan Mizell, wide receiver

The redshirt freshman had a career night. He scored the only touchdown – his second of the season. In a game where the passing game fell by the wayside, Mizell managed to get a career game.

His 66 receiving yards were 30 more than second-best in the game. If Lagway had been healthy the entire game, he likely would have had more electric numbers. But when you put it into context, it’s an impressive day.

Gators special teams

Trey Smack would not have been punished for missing a 51-yard attempt. There was no guarantee that the Gators would lead 16-13 in this situation, and he made two baskets in the game. However, botching the game and allowing Georgia to take the lead is inexcusable.

If Georgia wins that touchdown after a field goal attempt, then that’s fair enough. But it was a major gift given to a team that heavily underplayed the competition. This moment sinks the stock.

The entire Gators passing game

There is no criticism of the passing game from a performance standpoint. Lagway was injured. That’s how it is. There they get a pass. Even then, they almost beat Georgia.

The reason the stock is plunging is because of what it means for the rest of the season. Aidan Warner does not appear to be a usable option going forward. Sure, Georgia is a tough team, but it’s not like the competition is getting any easier. The Gators play Texas, LSU and Ole Miss in that order over the next six weeks – every SEC team ranked in the Top 25. Maybe they beat Florida State again just because they’re so bad this year.

With Lagway, you could have the argument that they could live up to this competition and maybe even pull off a few surprises. They almost took Georgia to the wire without a quarterback. The uncertainty ahead leads to calls to sell, sell, sell.