Although fans were hoping Florida could stay hot coming off of an upset win over Texas, the Gators fell flat against rival Georgia. The Gators' three losses don't technically knock Florida out of the College Football Playoff hunt entirely.
But a loss against Oklahoma at home this Saturday certainly would. Jon Sumrall getting a fourth loss would also put a massive damper on what was expected to be a huge first season in Gainesville. Not to mention the game at No. 7 Kentucky is looming large next week.
Let's take a look at how Florida can avoid a letdown against the Sooners at home.
3 ways Florida can get a win over Oklahoma
1. Exploit Oklahoma's run defense
I wrote earlier this week about how this could finally be the game Jadan Baugh gets back to his earlier-season form. This is a massive opportunity for the Gators to have a big game on the ground. Baugh will be eager to eclipse 100 yards on the day, something he hasn't done since Sept. 26 against Ole Miss.
Duke Clark also makes a return this week, and Oklahoma's defense ranks 51st in the nation, allowing 129 yards on the ground per game. A good blueprint for Florida to follow would be what South Carolina did to the Sooners last week, getting 212 yards on the ground led by quarterback LaNorris Sellers, who had 96 and two touchdowns.
Having a go-to run game can also take the pressure off of Tramell Jones under center as he makes his first start at home. Speaking of!
2. Let Tramell Jones have time to throw
Jones was sacked four times last week against Georgia, and it's no surprise that the Gators were held to their lowest point output all season (8). While a solid ground game will be great for Jones, you have to throw the ball effectively to win games.
Florida has allowed 13 sacks all season, which is tied for 44th nationally. Oklahoma, meanwhile, has 23 sacks so far this season, which ranks inside the Top-30 nationally. The defense is led by defensive linemen Adepoju Adebawore and Jake Kreul, who have combined for seven so far this year.
Holding up well against a Sooner defensive line that gets after it will be big for Jones to settle in and take command of the passing offense.
3. Don't let Oklahoma's OC change fool you, defense
Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables shook things up this week, moving on from offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle. The Sooners' new play-caller is none other than former Dallas Cowboys tight end and OU tight ends coach Jason Witten. While Oklahoma might have a few new wrinkles here and there, the Sooners' offense has been far from electric so far this season. Oklahoma ranks 109th in scoring offense, with just 22 points per game.
The Sooners' red zone offense is even worse, as Oklahoma's scoring percentage inside the red is just 75%, good for 124th in the nation. Oklahoma has also failed to score more than 30 points all season except for the Week 1 51-0 win over UTEP.
Florida's defense played great early against Georgia. A performance just like that should be more than enough against this Sooner team. Forcing turnover-prone John Mateer to cough up the football certainly wouldn't hurt, either.
This is a great chance for Florida to get a big home victory before going on the road to play Kentucky. A loss to a mediocre Oklahoma would take some air out of Coach Sumrall's sails in Year 1.
Florida vs. Oklahoma: How to watch, weather, injuries, odds, announcers and more
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