Florida Gators X-Factor vs. South Carolina: The Trenches
In this story:
There's nothing else like it in the world. Man vs. man, mere inches apart, giving 100% of their strength, determination and pure will to beat the man in front of him. Thousands of pounds of combined weight, clashing together with the force of a locomotive. That is the heartbeat of football.
The concept of victory is simple: You win in the trenches, you win the game.
Florida has an arsenal of these weapons in the trenches. Right guard O'Cyrus Torrence is as good as they come and is the spearhead of the Gators' offensive line. Very few defenders have been able to beat Torrence this year.
That is, until recently.
Torrence has been an absolute force for the Gators' offensive line this season, garnering first-round NFL draft hype for his play in a Gator uniform, specifically as a run blocker.
However, Torrence posted not just his worst pass-blocking grade of the season this past week (36.3 out of 100), but also of his collegiate football career, according to Pro Football Focus. This week provides another chance for Torrence to return to the elite level of play he has showcased so far this season and help keep quarterback Anthony Richardson upright and able to make his weekly highlight plays.
Another anchor and stalwart of the Gators' offensive line has been tackle Austin Barber. The second highest-graded starting offensive lineman for the Gators with an offensive grade of 83.8, Barber has been another reliable and consistent force for the Gators.
Even though Barber has moved back into a "depth" role due to tackle Michael Tarquin's return from injury, he's continued to play significantly and earned 114 snaps in the last two weeks.
Paired with Torrence, the right side of the Gators' offensive line has been unstoppable many times in the season for opposing defensive lines to slow down or stop.
Not only have they been the best on their team, but they currently sit as the only teammates to hold top-five for their overall offensive rating. They are the golden standard of what you want the right side of the offensive line to look like, and if they return to proper form this week, the Gamecocks' defensive line better be ready for a fistfight.
Now to the flip side of the coin, the Gators' defensive line must also win the battles they face. South Carolina has played rather abysmal this year in the run-blocking department. Going against a bottom-ten run-blocking unit among all Power Five schools this season, the Gators cannot afford to miss this prime target.
Edge rusher Princely Umanmielen was a wrecking ball last week against Texas A&M. Racking up seven total pressures, more than doubling his highest in-game total this season, Umanmielen was in the quarterback's face all afternoon, recording one sack, four hits and two hurries.
The Gamecocks have a wrecking ball of their own at running back in MarShawn Lloyd. The Gators' up-front run defense, led by defensive linemen Gervon Dexter and Desmond Watson, and overall tackling will have to be up to par when taking on Lloyd. Lloyd has been money this season at breaking tackles (35, per PFF) and accumulating yards after contact (4.32 yards after contact per rush).
To aid in controlling the line of scrimmage, lead run defense linebacker Ventrell Miller will have to be sharp to help slow down and stop Lloyd this week. Miller has been a proven run-stopper this season, as have edge rushers Umanmielen and Justus Boone. The Gators will have to be all hands on deck to ensure they remain with the upper hand and control the line of scrimmage and the trenches.
Florida can take a vital momentum swing in the waning weeks of the regular college football season. This week to ensure that happens, the Gators must demonstrate again that they can control the trenches and win the battle inside to win this football game.
Stay tuned to All Gators for continuous coverage of Florida Gators football, basketball and recruiting. Follow along on social media at @AllGatorsOnFN on Twitter and All Gators on FanNation-Sports Illustrated on Facebook.Get your Gators football, basketball and other sporting events tickets from SI Tickets here.
