Florida vs. Georgia Football 2009
No. 1 Gators Prepare for Next SEC Slugfest
But the top-ranked Gators have been severely tested during the 2009 Southeastern Conference football season. And if the trend continues, it'll happen again Saturday, Oct. 31, when the defending national champions face Georgia in a 3:30 p.m. EST game at Jacksonville, Fla.
Florida has passed all of its tests. Only one of the Gators' 2009 opponents have come inside double figures, and their record (7-0 overall, 4-0 SEC) is actually better than it was at this time last year (6-1, 3-1).
But coach Urban Meyer's team hasn't been blowing people out like it did last season. Those SEC romps of 51-21, 38-7 and 56-6 have been replaced by modest victories of 13-3, 23-20 and 29-19. That's enough to cause concern around a program as successful as Florida's.
Georgia has struggled to meet high expectations of its own. Mark Richt's Bulldogs (4-3, 3-2) were No. 13 in the preseason rankings, but haven't been in the Top 25 since losing to LSU on Oct. 3.
The Bulldogs are coming off their bye week, with their last game being a 34-10 win over Vanderbilt on Oct. 17. Florida, meanwhile, topped Mississippi State 23-13 in a hard-fought SEC contest last weekend.
CBS will telecast Saturday's game, which will mark the 88th meeting between the schools. Georgia leads the series 47-38-2, but Florida won 49-10 last season.
Bulldogs Look to Crank Up Running Game
Georgia is averaging 27.0 points and just 334.7 yards per game, with its weak spot being the rushing attack. It did have some nice moments late in the Vanderbilt game, but is still netting only 108 yards per contest.
The blocking's been inconsistent, and an injury-plagued contingent of backs has yet to produce a go-to guy. Richard Samuel (335 yards, 2 TDs. 4.4 yards per carry) is the top rusher, with Caleb King and Washaun Ealey also in the mix.
Georgia's aerial attack has been better, largely due to A.J. Green. The sophomore has made 41 catches for 682 yards, and his six touchdowns account for nearly half those thrown by QB Joe Cox.
Cox has fired 13 TD passes against nine interceptions. He's completed 57.4 percent of his passes for 1,581 yards during an up-and-down campaign.
Defense Must Keep Georgia Close
Expecting Georgia's offense to erupt vs. Florida's powerhouse defense is a bit much to ask. So the Bulldogs must depend on their defense to keep them close. That unit has been no steadier than the offense, yielding 27.7 points and 365.6 yards a game. But there is considerable talent.
Defensive end Justin Houston missed the first two games of the season because of a suspension, but has managed 7.5 tackles for loss and four sacks. Linebacker Rennie Curran (72 tackles) is one of just 17 FBS players averaging 10 or more tackles per game.
Other key players include Reshad Jones (43 tackles), cornerback Brandon Boykin (29 tackles, 2 interceptions) and tackle Jeffrey Owens (19 tackles).
What the Bulldogs haven't done much is force turnovers. Georgia has committed 17, but its opponents have done it just six times.
Special Teams Deliver for Georgia
The kicking game has been Georgia's most consistent facet. Punter Drew Butler leads the Football Bowl Subdivision with a 49.38 average, and Blair Walsh has hit 11 of 12 field goal attempts as well as all 20 PAT attempts.
Boykin has been effective on kickoff returns, averaging 27.27 yards per return with two TDs. Prince Miller is 12th in the FBS in punt returns with a 14.36 average.
But the Bulldogs have their work cut out for them in the latter category. Florida has had just two punts returned against it all season, allowing zero yards. The Gators also have a skilled, experienced return man of their own in Brandon James.
Florida Offense Still Rates High
Statistically, the Gators' offense is doing fine. They're averaging 35.3 points and 457 yards per game, ranking among the FBS top 10 in both categories. The yardage average is actually higher than it was in 2008, but scoring is down by more than eight points. Plus, Florida is 76th in the FBS in red zone offense after ranking eighth last season.
Quarterback Tim Tebow has rushed for 466 yards and six touchdowns on 3.9 yards per carry. His hammer-like running is complemented by speedy Jeffery Demps, (457 yards, 5 TDs 7.9 yards per carry), as well as Chris Rainey (368 yards, 3 TDs, 6.9) and Emmanuel Moody (271 yards, 2 TDs, 8.4).
But the passing game lacks it former explosiveness. Tight end Aaron Hernandez (33 catches, 392 yards, 2 TDs) and Riley Cooper (27 receptions, 396 yards, 3 TDs) are solid receiving threats, but they're the only Gators who have more than eight receptions.
Tebow is completing 63.6 percent of his passes for 1,159 yards, yet his eight TD passes mark sharp decline from the rate of his two previous seasons. He's thrown only four interceptions, but it was bizarre to see the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner have two picks returned for TDs by Mississippi State last week.
Florida Tops FBS in Total Defense
The Gators lead the FBS in total defense (229.57 yards per game) and are tied for second in scoring defense (10.14 points). They met Mississippi State without All-American linebacker Brandon Spikes, who sat out because of a groin injury. But they yielded only 237 yards and even scored a defensive TD (albeit a controversial one).
Spikes ranks fourth on the team with 32 tackles, including three sacks. The top three are linebacker Ryan Stamper (46 tackles), cornerback Joe Haden (39 tackles, 2 interceptions, 2 sacks) and safety Ahmad Black (36 tackles).
The pass rush is led by ends Carlos Dunlap (6.5 tackles for loss, 5 sacks) and Jermaine Cunningham (7 tackles for loss, 4 sacks). Safety Major Wright has a team-high three interceptions.
There's been a noticeable slowdown in one area. The Gators forced 35 turnovers in 14 games last season. They've done it just 12 times through seven games this year.
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