Florida football looks to get back on the winning track after a gut-punch loss to the Georgia Bulldogs last weekend — one that saw the Gators make too many costly errors against one of the best teams in the country.
Next up for Jon Sumrall and Co. are the Oklahoma Sooners, who travel to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Week 10 for the first-ever meeting between the two schools as mutual members of the Southeastern Confernece. They have met twice before — both times in the postseason — including the 2009 BCS Championship game, in which the Orange and Blue prevailed for their second national title in three years.
This season, Florida (5-3, 3-3 SEC) sits just outside of the US LMB Coaches Poll top 25 and just barely hanging on in the AP Top 25 at No.
25, while Oklahoma arrives in Gainesville voteless in both major polls with a 4-4 record (2-3 SEC).
Ahead of Florida's Week 10 SEC showdown in the Swamp, Gators Wire's staff convened to offer their expert predictions and picks for the matchup. Take a look below at what we had to say.
'I have a feeling Florida is going to bounce back against Oklahoma'
I have a feeling Florida is going to bounce back against Oklahoma, even after last week’s disastrous offensive performance against Georgia. The Sooners have been solid defensively this season, but I think Tramell Jones Jr. gets the start and provides the spark the Gators have been missing. I’m expecting a strong first half, with Jadan Baugh playing a major role in establishing the offense.
Florida’s defense was one of the few bright spots against Georgia, and there’s little reason to expect significant regression against an Oklahoma offense that has struggled to score consistently. If the Gators can clean up the turnovers and penalties that have plagued them, I think they can take control early and maintain a comfortable advantage throughout the second half. — David Rosenberg
PREDICTION: Florida 28, Oklahoma 14
'(The Gators) will need a big offensive day and to limit turnovers'
The Gators need a win to get back on track, and what better way than to face a program in Oklahoma that currently ranks in the SEC's bottom three in points per game. On the other hand, they are one of the conference's better defenses.
While their offense has slipped a bit, the Gators have shown progress defensively, and I expect the trend to continue in Ben Hill Griffin. OU has struggled offensively throughout this season, and Florida’s defense has been opportunistic in spurts.
The Gators have been the better team throughout the season but have had multiple hiccups. To win this game, they will need a big offensive day and to limit turnovers, because this season's numbers show Oklahoma won’t be able to keep up. — Michael Trim Jr.
PREDICTION: Florida 28, Oklahoma 17
'I think the Gators' defense does enough to stifle Oklahoma'
There shouldn't be any panic in Gainesville as the Gators are ahead of schedule in year one of the Jon Sumrall era, but that doesn't mean the early 4-0 start didn't get everyone's hopes up about this ideation of the Gators' roster. Florida showed the country what it was capable of during that first month of the season but reminded the college football world it had a long way to go in order to consistently compete with top programs like Georgia.
The key on Saturday is to steady a ship that has been battered with turmoil in the last month. Jadan Baugh and the UF rushing attack have taken a giant step back, several skill position players have been in and out of the lineup and the quarterback now feels extremely uncertain.
After Philo's nighmareish first half against Georgia, I anticipate Sumrall will run both he and Tramell Jones Jr. for the OU game. Whoever has the hot hand or creates the most favorable matchup will get the majority of the snaps. Ball security will be the biggest factor for whoever stays on the field, as four turnovers proved costly.
Saturday should be a chance for the Gators' defense to shine. Oklahoma just let go of offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, who led a unit struggling to score, producing 17 points per game in their last three games. I predict Florida's pass rush will make life difficult for Sooners' QB John Mateer, who was sacked three times against South Carolina.
Brad White's unit played relatively well against the Bulldogs, all things considered; they allowed only 6 of 15 third-down attempts and forced several stops to force UGA field goals. I think the Gators' defense does enough to stifle Oklahoma at home. — Michael Long
PREDICTION: Florida 24, Oklahoma 13
'I expect the Gators to pull this one off'
Sumrall has a lot of work to do this week to correct some grievous issues seen in the loss to Georgia, but the one bright spot for the Orange and Blue was how well the defense played given the circumstances. There are some serious concerns at the quarterback position after Aaron Philo's poor performance and Tramell Jones Jr.'s lingering undisclosed injury.
Florida is a one-touchdown favorite on its home field to start the week and if the team plays the way it did against the likes of Ole Miss and Texas, this should be a sure win. While there are some lingering doubts, I expect the Gators to pull this one off and clinch a bowl berth in the process. — Adam Dubbin
PREDICTION: Florida 24, Oklahoma 17
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Expert predictions, picks for Florida's Week 10 game vs Oklahoma
