Florida vs. LSU Football 2009
SEC Game Is Biggest Showdown of Season Thus Far
The Southeastern Conference matchup at Baton Rouge. La., will be the first meeting of two top five teams this season. Defending national champion Florida will bring 4-0 overall record and a 3-0 in conference mark into the 8 p.m. EST game. LSU is 5-0 and 3-0.
The burning question entering the contest is whether Florida quarterback Tim Tebow will ready to play. The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner is recovering from a concussion suffered in his team's last game, a 41-7 victory over Kentucky on Sept. 26. If Tebow can't go, John Brantley will step in.
But no matter who's doing the quarterbacking for the Gators, the Tigers will still have to find a way to score against Florida's top-ranked defense.
Coach Urban Meyer's Gators are giving up just 212.75 yards per game -- ranking first in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision. They're also No. 3 in total offense at 526.25 yards per game.
LSU, meanwhile, is gaining 321.6 – the exact same number as it's been allowing. But coach Les Miles' Tigers are battle tested, and they know how to win. Four of their five games were close in the fourth quarter and LSU came through each time – most recently in last week's 20-14 win at Georgia.
Saturday's game will be telecast by CBS.
Florida's Backup QB Is No Slouch
Tebow, of course, is the heart of the Gators offense. He's rushed 55 times for 271 yards and five touchdowns, and he's 44-for-68 passing for 643 yards and six touchdowns.
The 6-foot-3, 245-pound senior has been intercepted just once, and his passing efficiency rating of 170.31 ranks third in the BCS behind Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen and Boise State's Kellen Moore.
Brantley, a 6-3, 217-pound sophomore, is an accurate thrower who in relief duty has completed 22 of 30 passes for 232 yards, with four TDs and no interceptions. And like Tebow, Brantley can run. He's picked up 44 yards on 10 carries.
But while Tebow is a bruising runner who punishes opponents like a fullback, Brantley is more of a standard pro-style quarterback. If Brantley's in, Florida's running backs will have to carry more of a load.
Sophomores Provide Speed for Gators
Sophomore speedster Jeffery Demps is the Gators' top rusher with 304 yards and four touchdowns on 28 carries. Another quick-stepping soph, Chris Rainey, has 261 yards and two TDs on 31 carries.
But Demps is 5-8, 183 pounds, and Rainey's only 5-9, 175, so they can't be expected to pound between the tackles as often as Tebow. So the Gators could turn more often to Emmanuel Moody, a 6-foot, 205-pound junior. Moody's gained 188 yards on just 18 carries this season.
The Florida receiving corps is led by Riley Cooper and tight end Aaron Hernandez, who have 15 catches and two TD receptions apiece. The 6-3 Cooper has gathered 242 receiving yards and Hernandez has 187. But the Gators have no other receiver with more than 100 yards.
Florida, however, has been getting a lot of yards from its kickoff return team. Brandon James and T.J. Lawrence are each averaging 34.5 yards per return, and James has an 85-yard TD runback.
The Gators are averaging 45.5 points per game. And they're only giving up 7.5.
Safety Black, All-American Spikes Head Florida Defense
Safety Ahmad Black, who had seven interceptions in 2009, has just one so far this year. But the junior leads the Gators with 22 tackles.
All-American linebacker Brandon Spikes has 21, as do cornerback Joe Haden and linebacker Ryan Stamper. Carlos Dunlap, the Gators' 6-6, 290-pound defensive end, has made three tackles for losses, including a pair of sacks.
The Gators have forced eight turnovers, with Janoris Jenkins and safety Major Wright each coming up with two of Florida's six interceptions.
Florida's pass defense is second in the FBS, giving up only 120 yards per game. And the Gators are surrendering just 92.8 on 2.9 yards per rush.
But the level of competition will rise Saturday against an LSU team that came alive late to beat Georgia. The Tigers scored two fourth-quarter TDs after being shackled for most of the game.
Running Back Scott Propels LSU Offense
Running back Charles Scott was the hero, running for 95 yards and his first two TDs of the season. The second was tie-breaking 33-yard score with 46 seconds left. The 6-1, 234-pound senior has rushed 62 times for 274 yards on the season.
Jordan Jefferson, meanwhile, is putting together a solid campaign at QB despite being sacked 13 times. The agile 6-5 sophomore is 80-of-128 passing for 920 yards and seven TDs. He's been intercepted twice.
Six-three Brandon LaFell and 6-5 Terrance Toliver have been his favorite targets, with each collecting 23 receptions. LaFell has picked up 282 yards and scored five TDs. Toliver leads the team with 342 receiving yards.
LSU has scored 27 points per game, and kicker Josh Jasper is responsible for many of them. He's 8-for-9 on field goal attempts, including a 52-yarder, and is 13-for-13 on extra points.
The Tigers also have a dangerous return man in Trindon Holiday, who set up the game-winning score with a 40-yard kickoff return last week.
Picks Place LSU on Plus Side in Turnover Battle
LSU has forced 11 turnovers while committing just four, and the difference is that the Tigers have made eight interceptions.
Safety Chad Jones has two of the picks, and also leads the DBs with 23 tackles. Cornerback Brandon Taylor has also made a pair of interceptions.
Linebackers Harry Coleman, Kelvin Shepherd and Perry Riley top LSU in tackles, with 34, 31 and 30 respectively.
Tackle Drake Nevis had added 19, including four for losses. End Rahim Allem has posted a team-high 4.5 tackles for losses, including two of his team's five sacks.
Gators Haven't Won in Baton Rouge Since 2003
Florida leads the series 29-23-3, but hasn't won at Baton Rouge since a 19-7 victory in 2003. The teams have split their last four, with the teams each winning at home twice. LSU was the last road team to win, posting a 24-21 triumph in 2004.
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