Feleipe Franks Shreds Michigan as Florida Wins 2018 Peach Bowl

The Florida Gators scored a convincing 41-15 victory Saturday over the Michigan Wolverines in the 2018 Peach Bowl as part of the New Year's Six at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Florida (10-3) bounced back from a forgettable 2017 campaign to win at least nine games for the third time in the past four years. The triumph over Michigan moved the program's record to 3-1 over its past four bowl games and 9-3 over its last 12 postseason appearances.

The Wolverines (10-3) finished their season on a two-game losing skid after a blowout loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes in the regular-season finale ended their College Football Playoff hopes. They have also lost their bowl game in each of the past three years.

Feleipe Franks Deserves to Keep Starting Job After Strong Finish

Franks' spot as the Gators' starter under center appeared precarious when he was benched in favor of Kyle Trask during the team's blowout loss to the Missouri Tigers in early November.

The Florida native played much better down the stretch, however, including a strong showing in Saturday's bowl game. He completed 13 of his 23 throws for 173 yards and a touchdown and added 74 rushing yards and a score on the ground.

It continued a trend of improved play. He didn't throw an interception in any of the Gators' final three regular-season contests—wins over the South Carolina Gamecocks, Idaho Vandals and rival Florida State Seminoles—while accounting for 10 touchdowns (seven passing and three rushing).

That should be enough for him to at least open spring ball as the starting quarterback despite the continued presence of Trask, who's recovering from a foot injury, and Emory Jones.

At this stage, it's unlikely Franks is going to develop into a high-end pure passer. His accuracy runs hot and cold, he's quick to break from the pocket when under pressure and he has a tendency not to make it all the way through his progressions to find an open receiver.

He has, though, showed enough progress running the offense over the past four games, including one of his best overall performances Saturday, to show he can lead the Gators to a big year in 2019. His ability to make key plays with his legs will be the X-factor.

So, while there may be calls for Franks, Trask and Jones to enter next year in an open competition, Franks has earned some leeway and should begin the season as the starter.

Whether he can build on his noticeable strides down the stretch will determine whether he should stay in that role for the duration of 2019.

Michigan Rushing Attack Will Make or Break 2019 Season

The Wolverines got their first glimpse at a running game without leading rusher Karan Higdon, who sat out the Peach Bowl to focus on the 2019 NFL draft. The results were alarming.

Michigan finished the game with 77 rushing yards on 30 carries (2.6 YPA) against a defense that ranked 72nd in the nation in yards allowed per game on the ground (169.7) entering Saturday.

The team will have several options to fill the void heading into next season.

Chris Evans and Tru Wilson, who ranked second and third on the team in rushing this year, are slated to return for their senior seasons. For now, it seems they're on track for a timeshare to open 2019, but that's far from certain, especially after neither impressed in the bowl game.

An alternative could be incoming freshman Zach Charbonnet, a 4-star prospect and the No. 3 running back in the 2019 class, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. The Oaks Christian (Calif.) School standout was named the Los Angeles Times' back of the year Saturday.

With quarterback Shea Patterson set to return for his senior season, the Michigan offense has a strong foundation for success next year. Figuring out the backfield situation will be essential for the team to reach its potential and possibly earn a College Football Playoff berth.

Saturday's loss put those concerns on full display as the Wolverines ended their 2018 season with a second straight disappointing result.

What's Next?

Michigan will have to replace several key contributors before the start of next season. That's especially true on the defensive side, where the Wolverines' losses will include seniors Tyree Kinnel and Chase Winovich as well as juniors Rashan Gary and Devin Bush, prized NFL draft prospects.

Florida is in position to build on its 2018 improvement with a vast majority of its starters scheduled to return. It's a high-upside group that should feature Franks, leading rusher Lamical Perine and top tackler Vosean Joseph.