The college football world loves a hot take, but Josh Pate's latest prediction is aging like milk left in the Florida sun. After the Gators stormed to a 4-0 start, Pate went on the Bussin' With The Boys podcast and dropped a comparison that has now come back to bite him hard.
Pate, a prominent college football analyst, suggested that Florida was on the verge of being mentioned in the same breath as LSU's legendary 2019 squad—a team widely considered one of the greatest in the sport's history. But since that bold proclamation, the Gators have dropped two consecutive games by a combined 47 points, and the internet is having a field day at Pate's expense.
The take that sparked a firestorm
During the Sept. 30 episode of the podcast, Pate told hosts Taylor Lewan and Will Compton that he believed Florida was just one strong week away from drawing comparisons to that historic LSU team. "I think we're on the precipice of one more week of that happening, and people go LSU 2019 on Florida," Pate said. "So people are going to make that comparison."
That prediction didn't age well. After Florida's embarrassing losses, fans and analysts alike have piled on, with many pointing out the absurdity of the comparison. Former NFL offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz took to social media to mock Pate's strategy, calling it a "perfect social media clip/take." Schwartz wrote, "Say something completely wild for attention and while doing it claim that 'some people' are saying it so when it's wrong you can claim you didn't mean it. Or it wasn't your take. Well done."
The backlash didn't stop there. One fan tweeted, "You guys remember like two weeks ago when that moron Josh Pate said that Florida was 2019 LSU 😂," while another added, "Never forget when Josh Pate compared us to 2019 LSU 💀." The criticism grew louder after Florida's latest loss, with one user quipping, "Josh Pate is such a sellout fraud. 2019 LSU would've never gotten completely humiliated like Florida did tonight 😂."
Pate's defense falls flat
Despite the mounting criticism, Pate initially stood by his take after Florida's first loss, insisting, "The thing I regret most about comparing Florida to 2019 LSU is that I didn't compare Florida to 2019 LSU." But with the Gators now facing a potential undefeated No. 1 Texas team next week, Pate might be feeling the heat even more.
As Florida's season spirals, the comparison to LSU's juggernaut looks more laughable by the day. The Gators' recent struggles have even sparked a social media frenzy after an ESPN cameraman's zoom on a Florida fan went viral, capturing the frustration of the fanbase.
While Pate's take was bold, it's a reminder that in college football, injuries to key players can change everything. Florida's slide has been so dramatic that some are already looking ahead to a potential coaching change, with reunion talks involving Jimbo Fisher gaining steam.
For now, Pate is left to eat crow as the Gators try to salvage their season. And with Texas looming, the comparison to 2019 LSU might just get even more embarrassing.
