We are officially a quarter of the way through the college football season and as conference play begins, I thought this would be a good time to check in on each Florida team and see how they’re doing.
This is the State of the Union (Florida) address!
Florida State Seminoles (4-0, Ranked No. 5)
The Noles have come out and have had a dream start beating LSU and Clemson. Prime for a playoff berth if they can roll through the ACC, the college football committee has no choice now but to put them in. Jordan Travis has been everything as advertised and then some. We in Florida have known how good he was since last year but now everyone in the country is paying attention. Travis has done nothing but ball out so far with 1,028 rushing yards and ten touchdowns to only one interception. He hasn’t used his running ability so far this year which to me makes him 100 times more dangerous but my theory is they don’t want him to get hurt. Travis is firmly in Heisman contention. What’s helped Travis take his game to another level is the weapons he has at his disposal.
Keon Coleman and Johnny Wilson have been the best WR duo in the country. Coleman has been a touchdown machine and so far in FSU’s two big games LSU and Clemson Coleman has racked up five touchdowns. On the season he has 256 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Wilson the 6 ‘7 safety net for Travis has been dynamic as well always seems to make a big catch on third down he hasn’t found the end zone yet but he has racked up 300+ yards. This duo has accounted for over half of Jordan Travis’s passing yards; they are making their QB’s life a whole lot easier.
These two aspects of the team have been flourishing and for the most part, the defense has done their part as well. Jared Verse is still a beast even if his numbers don’t show it he’s getting doubled and triple-teamed every time he gets on the line. This has freed up some other guys and allowed them to step up. Kalen DeLoach has stepped his game up to another level already has three sacks on the season from the linebacker position he also scored a big touchdown late in the game against Clemson when the Noles were down. Another star linebacker has emerged and to me, the MVP of the defense Tatum Bethune has been nothing short of amazing. He’s a heat-seeking missile when it comes to tackling and going after the ball whenever someone gets a tackle on the FSU side it’s usually Bethune he recorded eight tackles in the Clemson game. Mike Norvell has this team feeling like a team of destiny there’s only one thing that could slow them down.
The defensive backs have been a let down allowing a ton of yards through the air if they don’t clean that up by the time they play Miami it could spell disastrous for the Noles.
FSU has a bye week this week to prepare for Virginia Tech.
Miami Hurricanes (4-0 AP Top25 ranking 18th)
Mario Cristobal has the Canes rolling to start the 2023 season. I don’t want to get on the hype train just yet. The schedule has been fairly easy and Tyler Van Dyke should find a microphone and yell “I’M BACK” because he has been the best player in the state of Florida so far. He has racked up over +1,000 passing yards eleven touchdowns to only one interception He’s been phenomenal and as has most of the team both running backs Henry Parish jr and Donald Cheney are averaging over 6.5 yards a carry. The defense has been shut down but losing Kam Kinchens is going to hurt and no one knows how long he’ll be out. This team is firing on all cylinders as conference play looms ahead.
Again it has been easy and of course, the numbers are juiced they played Miami (OH), BCU, and Temple. All those were blowout wins as they should be not to mention Miami beat at that time a healthy and ranked Texas A&M team. There’s nothing more Miami can do to prove they are the real deal. Yet I’m asking for more. Miami has a bye this week and then they get Georgia Tech (who’s not the doormat they used to be) and they play everyone’s favorite ACC darling Drake Maye and UNC Tarheels if Miami starts the season 6-0 the U is back.
Florida Gators (3-1 AP Top25 ranking: 22nd)
People tuned out the Gators after their loss in week one against Utah I’m telling you to wake back up. This defense is good and legit after one bad loss they’ve shown they’ve taken another step under Billy Napier and I know there are a lot of people doubting Napier but again he’s a hell of a coach. This defense is good enough to carry them to an 8+ win season and Graham Mertz is the perfect man to lead this group.
Mertz has been clowned for many years for failing to live up to the hype and has gotten a bad rap. His mechanics and feet are all fine. I think he just struggled with decision making and he has seemed to clean that most of all he’s the perfect game manager for this team he’s thrown for 972 yards four touchdowns and one interception. Graham Mertz is the college football version of Jimmy Garrapalo will never blow you away with stats or even get credit for the win but will play safe football that’ll allow his defense to dominate and win. Mertz won’t have to do too much with this elite defense and an elite running back in Trevor Etienne who had an amazing game against Tennessee he ripped off 172 yards carrying the Gator’s offense to victory. I understand most people won’t respect Florida but their worth keeping an eye don’t sleep on the Gators.
University Of Central Florida Knights (3-1 AP Top25 ranking: NR / CBS ranking of 39th)
It’s no secret I haven’t been UCF’s biggest fan and had them picked to finish in the bottom half of the BIG 12. I’m 100% wrong on my take on UCF finishing that low they will finish top four not because their team is that good and I was wrong about it. It’s more so the BIG12 is a massive dumpster fire.
Oklahoma State a staple of consistency in the country is atrocious and close to being the worst power five football team. Baylor lost their starting QB and even with him they lost to Texas State and are just atrocious overall. Cincinnati lost to Miami (OH) in overtime and theirs no reason anyone should be starting Emory Jones at QB. Texas Tech has failed to live up to the hype and everyone’s favorite dark horse in the conference is limping and looks ready to be put out of its misery. Iowa State and Matt Cambell were done before the season began with all the sports gambling problems which included starting QB Hunter Dekker. There are seven teams the Knights are significantly better than this season which will allow them to finish top five if not better.
The team MVP has to be Colton Boomer carrying UCF to victory against Boise State in an ugly slugfest.If the Knights lose that game and they’re 2-2 we would be talking a lot differently about them right now but UCF fans should be kissing Boomer’s foot for helping them get to a 3-1 start.
Do Knights fans want John Rhys Plumlee to be the starter? He continues to underwhelm in big games and was hurt last week and we watched Timmy McClain give Kansa State all he had and the Knights put up a good fight against the reigning BIG 12 champs. UCF QB depth is severely lacking I know Guz Malzhan likes mobile QBs in his system but two of his former QBs are having phenomenal seasons. Thomas Castellanos and Mikey Keene two former UCF guys are balling elsewhere.
We know why Castellanos left because he was going to be the third-stringer behind McClain. Keene left because he wasn’t a mobile QB but he’s a top-ten QB in the country maybe Malzhan should have adjusted to his former QB. I don’t want to dwell on this too much. It’s just interesting to see two UCF guys leave and looks like they could have been a significant upgrade compared to JRP and McClain (I still have hope for McClain). I think with a shot at the Big 12 title in play this season Gus Malzhan will have to make a firm call on QB once JRP is back.
There has been a lot of welcomed production that has helped lift this team where it is. Tre’mon Morris-Brash has been a beast getting three sacks to go along with him Jason Johnson has been his usual beastly self. No bigger star has emerged than Kobe Hudson who’s leading the BIG 12 in receiving yards with 463. He’s shooting up draft boards and has the potential to be one of the first WRs taken in the draft. This team has an opportunity to reach the top of the conference in year one Malzhan has to hand the keys over to McClain and let’s see if he can take the offense to another level.
They play Baylor this week which has been atrocious but Blake Shapen might play if so don’t sleep on the Bears Dave Aranda is a good coach possibly getting his QB one back.
University Of South Florida Bulls (2-2 AP Top25 ranking: NR CBS Sports ranking:98th)
Alex Golesh is an offensive genius on a team that got hit and lost both star wide receivers to the portal in Jimmy Horn jr and Xavier Weaver (Both went to Colorado). Yet he still has the Bulls offense ranked 38th in the country. Sophomore QB Byrum Brown may not be the best thrower but he makes up for it with his legs. This offense is already electric in year one and will keep USF for a fight at the top half of the American Conference.
The defense has been atrocious and does need help. They give up a ton of yards through the air meaning most USF games are going to be absolute shootouts. If you see USF finish top seven in the conference this should be put down as a successful season.
Florida International University Panthers (3-2 AP Top25 Ranking: NR CBS Sports ranking:97th)
FIU has had an amazing start to the season that culminated in a three-game win streak that was ultimately ended by Liberty. But my god what a rush it was watching the Panthers rattle off wins like that, especially two of them having heavy underdogs against UNT and UCONN. The running game is phenomenal. A two-headed beast with Shomari Lawerence and Kenjon Owens bother averaging 5.7 yards a carry or more accounting for five touchdowns between the two. Keyone Jenkins has been up and down as a true freshman but he’s not afraid to sling it the numbers don’t jump out at you which should go to show how awful Grayson James was when he started.
Jenkins has a 1,000 passing yards and five touchdowns to four interceptions but he’s averaging eight yards per completion compares to James abysmal -1.6 per completion. I mentioned Kobe Hudson as a star being born for UCF. The Panthers have someone similar in Kris Mitchell who’s been a god sent to this FIU passing attack with 459 receiving yards and four touchdowns. The literal definition of backpacking is what Mitchell is doing for the FIU passing attack. The defense has been solid, always keeping FIU in the game. The one weakness they seem to have is they can’t stop the run.
Losing two conference games early does hurt the Panthers but I think their step a above the bottom half of the Conference USA so far it’s been a great season. They have a bye this week but have a chance to make a conference statement against New Mexico State on Wednesday, October 4th.
Florida Atlantic University (1-3 AP Top25 ranking: NR CBS Sports ranking:99th)
It’s just sad seeing the Owls waste the talents they possess on the offensive side of the ball. LaJohntay Wester will go down as an FAU great along with Larry McCammon but it seems to not have amounted to nothing as they just fumble season after season. The QB play has been awful the defense has been awful it’s just been a dumpster fire. I trust Tom Herman but FAU fans deserve better.
FAU is down for the count and in two weeks if USF beats them you can bury FAU for the season.
Overall it’s been a positive season for the state of Florida so far the big 3 are all ranked for the first time in a while. USF shows some life. UCF surging in a power conference. Heck even FIU is moving on up . Fun Fact all Florida teams are ranked in the top 100 for the first time in a long time.