Florida got a tidy little answer on Saturday night in Auburn, and it came from the middle of the offensive line. Harrison Moore was named the SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week after helping steady the Gators in a game that was supposed to be a real stress test for that group.
That honor lands with extra bite because of the offseason noise that followed Moore’s transfer out of Georgia Tech. Brent Key and some Yellow Jackets fans had made the case that Tech was better off at center without him. Three weeks into the season, that looks a lot less convincing.
Moore’s raw PFF numbers weren’t flashy. He finished with a 71.3 offensive grade and a 69.1 run-blocking grade. But the film and the more detailed numbers tell a stronger story about what he did for Florida.
On runs to middle left or middle right - the kind of plays where Moore would have been responsible for helping open things up - Florida picked up 74 yards on 12 carries. That comes out to 6.1 yards per rush. He also didn’t allow a single quarterback pressure.
Just as important, the snap problems that showed up early against FAU weren’t an issue this time. Jon Sumrall said after the FAU game that the staff had identified the specific play and blocking assignment tied to those issues, and it looks like Florida sorted that out.
Georgia Tech, for what it’s worth, is already on its second center of the season.
Moore’s recognition also says something broader about Florida’s offensive line. The preseason messaging from Sumrall painted a rougher picture than what the Gators have actually shown through three games.
Fans only got one real look in the spring game, and that didn’t inspire much confidence. This isn’t a polished, finished unit, but it has been more than serviceable.
Saturday night was billed as a tough night for the offense, and Florida did rack up more offensive line penalties than it wanted. Even so, the Gators kept Aaron Philo upright for most of the game and allowed only two QB hits with no sacks.
Moore isn’t Jake Slaughter yet, but Florida has to feel pretty good about having him right now. Georgia Tech, on the other hand, probably wishes he were still in Atlanta.
In Other News...
Florida Ole Miss Just Got Even Bigger In Gainesville
Gainesville is getting the full national spotlight before Ole Miss visits in Week 4, with SEC Network announcing that SEC Nation will broadcast live from campus on Saturday morning. The pregame show starts at 9 a.m. ET and will feature Tim Tebow along with the rest of the crew, setting the stage for a marquee SEC matchup that has already drawn plenty of attention.
The timing only adds to the buzz around a game that pits No. 4 Ole Miss against No. 21 Florida in the late afternoon window on ABC. For the Gators, the visit from SEC Nation is another sign that this one has the feel of a bigger moment than a typical conference game, with the buildup stretching well beyond kickoff at 3:30 p.m. ET. [Read more 🡒]
Kahleil Jackson Earned A Florida Moment Fans Wont Forget
Kahleil Jackson delivered one of those flash-point moments Florida fans will remember from the Auburn game, when the wide receiver stepped into a trick-play role and uncorked a 48-yard pass to tight end Amir Jackson. The play helped set up a field goal and had been in the playbook for two weeks before Florida finally found the right look to call it, with the defenses alignment giving the Gators the opening they wanted.
For Jackson, the moment carried extra weight because it came after a long stretch of recovery from previous injuries, and Florida coach Jon Sumrall also pointed to the play as a reflection of how the staff and players had prepared for the opportunity. It was the kind of sequence that can change the feel of a game in a hurry, and it added another layer to a season already marked by Jackson trying to get back to form and back into the spotlight. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Still Faces One Real Danger In This Calmer Ole Miss Week
The buildup to Floridas meeting with Ole Miss feels a little different this time around. After a year that brought plenty of noise around coaching changes and a much sharper edge between fan bases, the conversation has settled into something closer to a normal game-week hum. There is still history here, and there is still plenty for both sides to care about, but the social media temperature has cooled enough that the Gators can approach this one with less off-field static than they faced a season ago.
Even so, calm does not mean safe. Florida is the favorite, and that alone is enough to make this the kind of matchup that can turn tricky if the Gators are not locked in from the opening kickoff. Ole Miss has the profile of a trap game opponent, especially in a conference schedule where one flat stretch can change the feel of a season, and Floridas real concern is not the chatter around the matchup so much as what happens if the focus slips once the game starts. [Read more 🡒]