Those facts have not gone unnoticed by Florida, a team that has made a name for itself this season by shutting down some of the best passers in the country. But despite beating Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M and forcing Georgia’s Aaron Murray into his ugliest game of the season, the Gators this week have said none of the quarterbacks they have faced this season compare to Bridgewater.

“He’s hands-down the best quarterback we’ve faced this year,” UF safety and AP All-American Matt Elam said, failing to back down when asked if Bridgewater is better than the likes of Manziel or Murray. “Hands down, yes. … He can move around and throw the ball. He throws great balls. He doesn’t make bad decisions.”

Healthy again

With more than a month to heal since Louisville’s last game, Bridgewater said this week that the ankle and wrist that hobbled him against Rutgers should not be a factor against Florida. And although he is starting to receive national attention and high praise for his efforts, Bridgewater is remaining even-keeled heading into the biggest game of his young career — and possibly the biggest in his program’s history.

But, like everything he’s done so far, that should not really come as a surprise.

“We don’t change anything [in preparation for this game],” Bridgewater said. “Every day has been a ‘grind-it-out’ day, and we approach each day with that mentality. … Games like these, we’re not going to try to put an ‘S’ on our chests and a cape on our back. You just take what they give you.”