It seemed unlikely that Florida and Billy Napier would walk out of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday with a win, and for Napier, a job. Besides a 55-point outing against cupcake Long Island in the season opener, the Gators had shown no signs of any offensive capability, scoring a combined 17 points in the previous two losses.
The Gators' quarterback, DJ Lagway, had fallen below the standards he was expected to meet this season, heading into the matchup against Texas with more interceptions than touchdowns. And while Florida's defense had kept Napier's team in the game, it was the offense that continued to falter, missing opportunity after opportunity to win games somehow.
Does any of that sound familiar? Besides the touchdown-to-interception ratio, the previous paragraph could just as well be about Jackson Arnold and the 2025 Auburn Tigers. All of the same things exist: bad quarterback play, shaky offensive line, but a defense that keeps their offense in it.
Were Hugh Freeze and the Tigers watching what Lagway and the Gators were able to do against the Longhorns? Napier's job was saved for another week as Lagway and the Florida offense showed up and put on a show, putting up 29 points with a balanced attack that saw more rushing attempts (37) than passes (28) in the win.
The Gators' defense made it difficult for Arch Manning all afternoon long, pressuring him into two interceptions and bad passes that looked nothing like the preseason Heisman hype that surrounded the famous nephew of Eli and Peyton.
And, as the crowd started seeing the first life from the Gators this season, they too got into it, making every snap count difficult to hear.
This is what could happen in Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday night against Georgia in the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry. This is what should happen, actually. With Freeze's job security in question, and the Tigers' season lingering on the edge, it's time for Auburn to show the fight that is needed to finally get back to where everyone thought they would be in Year 3 of the Freeze tenure.
Want even more comparisons? The Gators were coming off two tough losses to teams in the top ten. The Tigers are doing precisely the same, with a frustrating loss at Oklahoma and offensive failure in the defeat at Texas A&M. Both of the Gators' losses were on the road, same as Freeze's squad.
Now, back in the friendly confines of Jordan-Hare and coming off a bye week, it's now or never for this Auburn team. After a full day of tailgating, the crowd will be there. After two disappointing losses, the Tigers should definitely arrive ready to play.
Florida laid out the blueprint for Auburn this past Saturday. The Tigers must take advantage.