SUNDAY NOTEBOOK: Undisciplined Gators Lose Third Straight to Bulldogs

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Nov. 3, 2013 - PRLog -- By MIKE BONTS

www.gatorsinsider.com

– It was hard to watch.

Gator fans were excited to see a 17 point second half rally before falling 23-20 to Georgia Saturday at EverBank Field.

They can’t be excited about a lack of discipline that took potential points off the scoreboard and squashed any hope of completing the comeback.

Head coach Will Muschamp is winless against Georgia as a head coach. The last time Georgia won three in a row was 1987-89. Florida has a three-game losing streak the second time in Muschamp's three seasons at the helm.

Just looking at the infraction numbers doesn’t tell the whole story. Florida committed seven penalties for 70 yards. Georgia was flagged six time for 45 yards.

But to listen to Muschamp it’s no big deal. And certainly not a concern.

“It’s hard to see some of that. Whatever they call, they call. In the last 24 years, the University of Florida, we’ve led the SEC in penalties, 20 out of 24 (years) either first or second. That was long before I got here. So, it’s interesting, but it is what it is.”

Really Will.

Yes, the Gators have always had a swagger. An understanding that they are the class of the SEC and college football. It’s helped them win. Not lose.

There were plenty of offsetting personal foul calls in the game. Beyond that the Gators have a tendency to push and shove, and continue jawing after the whistle. The unbridled enthusiasm and aggressiveness would be better served during the play.

But timing is everything.

Trailing 7-0 early in the game the Gators were inside the Bulldogs five when receiver Solomon Patton’s personal foul pushed the Gators back 15 yards. Francisco Velez’s field goal attempt from 40 yards went wide right.

The Gators were looking to get the ball back trailing by only three points with 1:20 to play. The Bulldogs faced a third and five when defensive tackle Darious Cummings was called for a personal foul for hands to the face.

That gave Georgia a first down and ended any opportunity for a tie or win for Florida.

Even though Patton and Cummings are singled out, it’s a team epidemic. Florida has too much talent to be so undisciplined. A team that has earned a reputation for not being disciplined off the field is now seeing that trend on game day.

The second-to-last play of the game was marked by pushing, shoving and slapping that resulted in three unsportsmanlike penalties on the Bulldogs and one on the Gators.

Again Muschamp doesn’t see a problem.

"They're upset, hurt. We'll rebound and we'll be fine.''

The Gators are now 4-4 on the season and 3-3 in the SEC. Games remain with Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Georgia Southern and Florida State. Florida needs to win two to be bowl eligible.

But, they should be just fine.