What DE Princely Umanmielen had to say on Monday ahead of FSU game
The last game of the regular season is nigh for Florida football with just a game remaining against the Florida States Seminoles at home in Week 13. The Gators have limped to the finish line, having lost their last four straight games and still a win short of earning a bowl berth.
The Orange and Blue had a shot at an upset victory against the Missouri Tigers on the road in the last game, but unfortunately, costly errors doomed Billy Napier’s boys down the stretch en route to a 33-31 loss. FSU will be no easier — despite the loss of their Heisman candidate quarterback — coming into the game ranked fourth in the nation and undefeated.
Now that the dust has settled on Week 12 and the upcoming weekend is in sight, members of the Gators roster along with their head coach spoke with the sports media on Monday.
Junior defensive end Princely Umanmielen was among those who talked to the sports media on Monday, answering questions about the Week 12 loss as well as looking ahead to Week 13. Below is an abridged version of his responses to their queries.
On his performance against Missouri
I feel like I played pretty good. I don’t know if it was the gameplan or whatever, but there was only two running plays that came to my side, so other than that I feel like I did my job pretty well.
The pivotal third-down sack he made
Yeah I did, because I believe their offense had just fumbled, and then we scored again and we needed a stop, so, you know, that was a big, big moment in the game. And, you know, I just seen him coming around the corner and I seen him running and I just knew I had to get him, get him down.
What the FSU rivalry means to him
It means a lot, you know. They’re not in our conference, but it’s an in-state rivalry, everybody knows about it, Florida-Florida State. Mike P hates ‘em, he talks about them all week, he said he’s going to be juiced up this week. So yeah you know it’s a big, big rivalry hate week.
Did he know about the rivalry before he arrived at Florida?
Florida-Florida State? I knew about the rivalry, I didn’t know how big of a deal it is really. I just knew when I was a kid there was a week where every school played their other in-state school, that’s all I knew, but I didn’t know how big of a rivalry it was.
Where the FSU rivalry fits in among Florida's biggest
I think they fit, I’ll say probably like just because they’re not in our conference, I would say third. For me, LSU is number one just because we haven’t beat them since I’ve been here. I wanna beat them so bad. It’s just because [FSU] isn’t in our conference.
You know it’s a big deal to be the best team in the state. That’s the big deal.
Read more
Everything Billy Napier said to open Week 13 vs. Florida State
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Despite loss Gators rise in 247Sports’ weekly SEC rankings
Florida falls in The Athletic’s weekly re-rank after Missouri loss
Florida football slips again in USA TODAY Sports’ Week 12 re-rank
Florida Gators are dubbed as ‘losers’ for third consecutive week
Florida football loses four straight games, earns no votes in AP Poll
Gators remain vote less Week 12 update to US LBM Coaches Poll
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