Florida Gators vs Vanderbilt Commodores: 5 Gator Keys to the Game

The Florida Gators earned a decisive victory in a must-win game last week against Georgia. But with the way recent Gators teams have looked, many fans are wondering if the Georgia win marked a turnaround for Florida or if it was just one good game from a mediocre team.

Today’s game against Vanderbilt can go a long way towards helping this team get better for a stretch run that can earn the Gators a bowl berth, possibly the SEC East title and perhaps a season-busting upset of rival FSU to end the year.

Of course, Florida must win, or any and all of those goals will come in doubt. But the Gators are a two touchdown favorite and they need to play like it. Here are five keys for the Gators in their 7 pm matchup today in Nashville against the Vanderbilt Commodores:

Get an early lead …

Sep 6, 2014; Gainesville, FL, USA; Florida Gators wide receiver Ahmad Fulwood (5) catches the ball as Eastern Michigan Eagles defensive back Ray Tillman (31) attempts to defend during the first half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

On Saturday morning, head coach Will Muschamp told SEC Nation that freshman quarterback Treon Harris can throw the deep ball and to expect some big throws early.  The Gators have offensive weapons that remained sheathed against Georgia, like wide receiver Demarcus Robinson who had no receiving yards, though he did make several key down field blocks. Muschamp also wants to see more from receiver Ahmad Fulwood, a 6’4” sophomore  who can give Harris a big target in the middle.

… but play like you’re behind

If the Gators go up by more than two scores in the first half, there could be some tendency to go with the run and play it safe. But this is also an opportunity for Harris to work on the passing game, without having the threat of a game-changing mistake. The Gators can certainly beat the Commodores with their running game, but that might not be the case for South Carolina or FSU. They’ll need better passing offense in future games, so offensive coordinator Kurt Roper should take the reins off Harris early to see exactly what kind of plays they can make. If Florida has a significant lead in the second half, it would be good to see Jeff Driskel get some snaps to help him regain his confidence and further diversify the offense.

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Keep working the run

As Hail Florida Hail noted earlier this week, when the Gators run, they win. Last week the Gators ran the ball 60 times, but only passed six times, and both Roper and Muschamp said they will open up the offense this week. But more importantly will be to build off of the both the balance and the momentum the running game found last week. Running backs Matt Jones and Kelvin Taylor each got 25 carries. They should sacrifice a few touches to Brandon Powell, a dynamic playmaker who shows his talents best when he gets in space. Roper has room to open up the offense with more read option running plays to supplement the power running game that excelled last week.

Make a big turnover

The Commodores are playing a redshirt freshman in Johnny McCrary who is coming off a five touchdown pass performance. He’s gaining confidence in the offense. But Old Dominion won’t have the same kind of pass rush that Gators will be bringing with defensive ends. The Gators got a key turnover yesterday against the Bulldogs by strip tackling tailback Nick Chubb in the open field, but he later scored on a touchdown catch that bounced off a Gator defenders hands. Facing a freshman quarterback, this is a game for the Gator secondary to make interceptions and do something with them.

Shore up the run defense

If you just watched the first quarter of the Georgia game, you’d be sure the Gators were on course for a thrashing. Chubb had 100 yards rushing and a touchdown in the first quarter and was finding holes throughout the game, with 156 yards total and a 7.4 yard average. Georgia has a strong running game, but it was the Florida offense that forced the Bulldogs to abandon the run, not the defense.

Vandy has presented a weak rushing game so far this year, ranking 110th with a 117.9 average.  But the Commodores have a freshman running back in Gainesville-native Ralph Webb, who is coming on strong lately and set to set the Vanderbilt record for yards for a freshman. He rushed for two touchdowns and 156 yards last week against Old Dominion and should be a top target for the Gators defense.