Who has the edge? Sony Michel vs. Kelvin Taylor
The SEC’s game of the week features No. 11 Florida taking on a Georgia team that is trying to carry on despite losing RB Nick Chubb to a season-ending knee injury.
Chubb was injured on his first carry against Tennessee.
Since then, Georgia has rushed for 285 yards in two games, well short of the team’s average of 215.6 rushing yards per game, but still more than the 184 yards Florida has rushed for during that span.
Both teams have quarterback questions, which puts even more focus on the starting running backs, who could be the difference Saturday.
Florida junior RB Kelvin Taylor certainly was the difference last season, playing on the field his father starred on with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Kelvin Taylor ran for a career-high 197 yards and scored two touchdowns as Florida manhandled Georgia 38-20. (The Gators benched Jeff Driskel and started Harris, but only asked him to throw 6 passes, as feeding Taylor and Matt Jones proved nearly unstoppable.)
Taylor ran for 284 yards during a recent three-week stretch but was limited to 25 yards on 15 carries in LSU’s narrow win over the Gators on Oct. 17.
Now with an extra week to watch film and correct mistakes, look for Florida to try to get Taylor back on track against a stingy Georgia defense.
On the other hand, Sony Michel may have inherited the hardest job in college sports as he replaced Chubb, one of the great workhorse backs in Georgia history.
Michel was spectacular in relief of Chubb against Tennessee, running 22 times for 145 yards. He returned to Earth somewhat Oct. 17 against Missouri, gaining 87 yards on 26 carries.
At 5-foot-11, 212-pounds, the Bulldogs can’t hope to use Michel the same way they did Chubb, but with the SEC East wide open, Georgia simply doesn’t have a better option. In an all-or-nothing game for Georgia, expect Michel to get a full workload.
Prediction
Kelvin Taylor dominated Georgia last season. Think of what he could do as the focal point of the offense.
Taylor: 25 rushes for 121 yards and a touchdown
Michel: 22 rushes for 91 yards.
I highly doubt that Taylor has the same type of stats he had last year. Looking for a more modest stat line, probably around 70-90 yards rushing for Taylor. This game will be won through the air, and whichever QB can prove they can throw the ball will win the game.
^^^Exactly!
Georgia is not putting the same defense on the field as last year…this year they are better but still a scary game. I agree with the above comment 100%!!!
Do you realize what “gator bait” means? Look it up, stop using it, and tell your friends. If you respect yourself, your university, or people, you cannot continue to use that phrase.
Don’t get your panties in a bunch. Nobody uses it with the intent of being racist and if you’re offended by it then don’t follow anything that could be remotely related to UF because it WILL pop up. It was a sad part of history, but today’s meaning of it is completely different.
Nice ad hominem attack…really original. Getting back to the point, the “intent” doesn’t matter when the word, phrase, action, flag, etc. is so horribly offensive to people. And telling fans not to follow a team because they have a conscience is sad. Also, “today’s meaning” doesn’t change just because a few football fans want it to. If it is truly not offensive, then why doesn’t UF use it on anything officially affiliated with the University? I hope those who are ignorant or disrespectful enough to use that term change their ways. At the very least, I hope those who are disrespectful enough to use it avoid even remotely associating themselves with UF or the SEC; we’ve had enough of that.