1) Will Grier will account for three touchdown passes. A rebuilding ECU defense won’t be able to stop him (or Treon Harris) for more than a quarter. His passing windows still won’t be what they will be against SEC defenses, but that’s OK for at least one more game.
2) Florida’s defense forces at least two turnovers. I don’t like Blake Kemp’s chances to make things happen against a defense that’s already got worlds of talent and experience, but is now snorting fire after looking bad for an entire half against New Mexico State. Constant heavy pressure on a new quarterback is the perfect recipe for turnovers.
3) Austin Hardin will not miss a field goal should he attempt any. Obviously the goal is to score touchdowns on every possession. That’s not realistic, though, and so Hardin will likely have to kick some field goals. He’s always had the big leg, but his accuracy seems to have improved tremendously since last year.
4) Three different Gators will record a sack. ECU’s big uglies up front are no match for Florida’s ferocious front seven on paper. Paper, meet live game action.
5) Four different Gators will score a touchdown. Florida showed against New Mexico State that it has a myriad of skill position players capable of doing damage. They’ll prove against East Carolina that they can do damage against real teams, too.
6) Treon Harris will throw a touchdown pass. I won’t predict how or when it will come, but I’d be shocked if Harris doesn’t lead Florida to a touchdown drive or two. Here’s betting one of them comes through the air.
7) East Carolina will score a touchdown in the first half. I believe the Gators’ defense will be much better in the first half than they were against New Mexico State. That said, I also believe ECU is good for a touchdown drive at some point when they get good field position.
8) Florida gains over 450 yards of total offense. Between the two QB’s (Grier and Harris) and the trio of running backs (Kelvin Taylor, Jordan Scarlett and Jordan Cronkrite) this seems likely to happen for the second week in a row.
9) Florida will score at least 30 points. The ECU defense has more pure talent than New Mexico State’s, so asking for 60 again is kind of unrealistic. But a 3 in the first digit of Florida’s final score seems like a reasonable goal.
10) Florida wins by at least three possessions. East Carolina may be a better team than New Mexico State, but they don’t have the firepower needed to pull off a daring nighttime robbery in the Swamp.
Projection: Florida 34, East Carolina 14
