2010 Florida Gators Betting Preview

They no longer have Tim Tebow, but the Florida Gators are still a top program in the country. With Coach Urban Meyer ultimately deciding that he wanted to return to coach this season, the Gators look to move past Alabama and recapture the SEC crown. Last year, the Gators had an against the spread record of 6-6-1.

Offense

Surely, the loss of Tim Tebow is going to hurt the Gator offense. Losing arguably the greatest college football player of all time will do that. Instead, John Brantley will be taking the ball under center, and the tools are there for him to compete. Most notably, Brantley is known for his fundamentals and accuracy. Jeff Demps will be the number one guy on the ground, as he gained 745 yards on 99 attempts last season. At wide receiver, who becomes Brantley’s go-to guy is still up in the air, but Deonte Thompson is the most likely candidate with Omarius Hines, and Andre Dubose also contending for a starting role.

Defense

There is a lot of turnover between last year and this season on defense – Brandon Spikes, Ryan Stamper, Dustin Doe, Carlos Dunlap, Jermaine Cunningham, Joe Haden, and Major Wright – all 2009 starters who will need to be replaced this season. However, Urban Meyer’s 2010 recruiting class was ranked #1 by ESPN, so we could see a lot of talent waiting in the wings and maybe even making an impact this season. It is tough to overcome that level of turnover, though, and it could be a tough year for the Gators on the defensive side of the ball.

Overall

The Gators will have a very strong offense, but there are huge question marks on defense. It is unlikely that they will be competing in the SEC championship game again this year, but Brantley’s development should be fun to watch.