Gator players prepared to fight adversity

In his sixth season at Florida and 10th as a head coach, Meyer walked off Florida Field following the Gators’ 10-7 loss to Mississippi State burdened by a fact he had never experienced: three consecutive losses. Meyer didn’t mince words once he arrived at the podium underneath the south end zone stands at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. “We just have to get better,’’ he said. “We’re not very good.’’ The Gators never quit against the Bulldogs, but they also never led in Mississippi State’s first win in Gainesville in 45 years. In the final seconds, the Gators had a chance to tie and force overtime. However, punter Chas Henry, filling in for regular kicker Caleb Sturgis (back injury) for the third consecutive game, missed a 42-yard field goal attempt with four seconds left. On one sideline, former Florida offensive coordinator Dan Mullen and his players – Mullen is in his second season as Mississippi State’s head coach – celebrated wildly. Across the field, Meyer and the Gators struggled to come to terms with their third consecutive defeat since the calendar flipped to October. Adding to the disbelief, the loss marked the first time the Gators lost on Homecoming since 1988, snapping a 21-game win streak. Florida will also fall out of the polls when they come out Sunday morning, the first time that has happened under Meyer. “My mindset the whole time was that we were going to come back and win,’’ said senior center Mike Pouncey. “Around here at Florida, we’re so used to winning … the only thing we can do right now is go out and practice hard.’’