Kirk Herbstreit: Dan Mullen is a magician, Georgia on notice

Florida couldn’t finish the job on Saturday, losing to No. 1 Alabama 31-29, but ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit believes the loss put Georgia on notice and reminded everyone just how good of a coach Dan Mullen is.

“Florida’s not into having moral victories but Florida’s got to feel really good about that game,” Herbstreit said on the ESPN College Football Podcast. “They had some missed opportunities, or maybe the win the game. My personal feeling is Dan Mullen is a hell of a coach. He works like a magician when it comes to quarterback play. I’m excited to see not just where Florida goes but the entire SEC.”

After trailing 21-3 at the end of the first quarter, Dan Mullen rallied his team back, in the process, sending a reminder of the type of coach he is.

Herbstreit said he knew going in Florida was going to be primarily running the ball. The ESPN analyst added that he believed Mullen would have to go back to the playbook he used at Mississippi State with Nick Fitzgerald at quarterback in 2016-2017.

In 2017 under Dan Mullen, Mississippi State led Alabama 21-17 heading into the fourth quarter, before the Crimson Tide outscored the Bulldogs 14-3 in the final quarter.

Florida once again turned to the ground against Alabama. Quarterback Emory Jones rushed for 76 yards and one touchdown, adding 195 yards through the air. Between Malik Davis, Nay’Quan Wright and Dameon Pierce, Florida had an additional 168 yards and three touchdowns.

In his career against Nick Saban, despite coming close multiple times, Dan Mullen is 0-11 as a head coach in his time at Mississippi State and Florida. Mullen’s last win over Alabama came in 2008 when he was offensive coordinator for Florida. Prior to Saturday, the closest Mullen came to beating Alabama as a head coach was in 2014, when Alabama defeated Mississippi State 25-20, despite the Bulldogs outgaining Alabama in total yards, 428-335.

Herbstreit believes Florida’s rallying performance in the loss not only showed that Alabama is not untouchable this year, but that Florida is going to push Georgia for a spot in the SEC championship.

“I walked away thinking ‘Ok Georgia, Ok Georgia. We were already putting you in Atlanta, that was a mistake,'” Herbstreit said, insinuating that he thinks Dan Mullen’s Florida team can beat Georgia this season. “We just always get reminders in this sport. Just when you think ‘I know,’ you don’t know.”

Georgia has opened the year 3-0, with a season-opening win over Clemson on the resume. Florida sits 2-1 on the year, with a home game against Tennessee next on the schedule.

Dan Mullen and his Florida Gators will take on the Bulldogs on Oct. 30.