Week 7 Game of the Week Preview

By BJ Bennett
SouthernPigskin.com

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SouthernPigskin.com Senior Editor B.J. Bennett breaks down the biggest game of the week in southern college football: LSU at Florida.

By B.J. Bennett
SouthernPigskin.com Senior Editor

SouthernPigskin.com Senior Editor B.J. Bennett breaks down the biggest game of the week in southern college football: LSU at Florida.

Game of the Week: LSU at Florida

Why to Watch - This clash features the last two national champions in one of college football’s loudest venues.  This is SEC football at its best.  What more could you want?  Two of the premier coaches in college football, Les Miles and Urban Meyer, will match wits here.  Last season’s meeting in Baton Rouge was a classic.  This outcome will obviously have major conference and national championship implications. 

Overview - This game will go along way towards deciding both who gets to Atlanta and who gets to Miami.  With the last two champions meeting on the field, something has to give.  Should Florida lose, giving them two SEC losses in three weeks, the Gators would be facing an uphill climb in the SEC East.  Should LSU falter, Alabama would stand alone atop the SEC West.  Nationally, the 15 will look much different come Sunday afternoon.  This game is a big reason why.  One of the obvious games-within-the-game is Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin versus the fierce Tiger defense.  Some game-week trash talk has added a little more fuel to the fire here.  Buckle that chinstrap, fellas. 

Keys for Florida
1. Push the Tempo - The key for any team in a big game like this is to dictate the flow of the game and establish a tempo that best fits your style.  Florida has been described to play basketball on grass.  With offensive weapons like Tim Tebow, Percy Harvin and Chris Rainey, the Gators are at their best when their speed and athleticism is on full display.  With that in mind, Florida needs to play fast.  By putting the pressure on the LSU defense, the Gators can temper the Tigers’ defensive aggressiveness and foce them more into a react mode.  The offense needs to try to squeeze as many snaps as they can out of the game and get the football to the edge early and often.  Defensively, the sentiments are similar.  Though quarterback Jarrett Lee has excelled, he remains a relatively inexperienced sophomore.  Constant pressure, pursuit and attacking of the line of scrimmage plays into the rhythm the Gators will be looking to implement.  Considering the LSU offensive line has allowed just three sacks on the season, Florida will likely have to blitz to get consistent backfield pressure on Lee.  http://assets.espn.go.com/photo/2007/0915/ncf_g_harvin_195.jpg 

2.  Play Special on Special Teams - Look at how many games have been changed by special teams play, especially in favor of the underdog.  Few teams have been better on special teams than the Gators.  The exciting Brandon James is tied for the national lead in punt returns for touchdown with two and is 12th in the nation in kickoff return average.  Needless to say, he is a big play waiting to happen.  Beyond that, the Gators are tied for the conference lead in kicks/punts blocked as well.  Oh, Florida kicker Jonathan Phillips hasn’t missed a field goal this season and punter Chas Henry is seventh in the nation with a 45.5-yard punting average.  In a big game between two evenly matched teams, plays like a big return, a block, a field goal or a long punt that turns field position can go along way towards deciding the outcome.  All, few things ignite a home crowd like a big play on special teams.  Speedy Trindon Holliday is 2nd in the nation, better than James, with a 21.5 yard punt return average.  The UF coverage unit must keep him under wraps. 

3. Slow Down C-Scott - The SEC’s leading rusher is averaging an impressive 133.8 yards per game and a ridiculous 7.5 yards per carry.  Not bad, eh?  Charles Scott has been fantastic this season and has proven to be the offensive motor for LSU.  At 5’11’‘, 220 pounds, Scott is the ideal fit for the physical Tiger offense.  Running behind one of the premier offensive lines in the nation, Scott has been quite effective.  LSU will undoubtedly try to establish the power run game behind their veteran offensive line.  The pressure will be on linebacker Brandon Spikes and the rest of the Gator front seven to slow the ground game down.  This unit will look to maximize its speed advantage and shoot the gaps in an attempt to disrupt Scott in the offensive backfield. 

Keys For LSU       
1. Run Wild - A lot hinges on the Tigers’ ability to run the football.  Charles Scott is the offensive focal point, just look at his numbers.  The bonuses for developing a consistent ground game against Florida are many.  First and foremost, running well will allow LSU to tip the tempo in their favor.  Just as the Gators are their best when they are spreading the field and taking advantage of their speed and quickness, the Tigers are most comfortable running right at you.  A big day from Scott and company will allow LSU to control the time of possession, keep Tim Tebow and the Gators off of the field and silence the rowdy home crowd.  Few things can demoralize a defense like a consistent rushing attack.  Early productivity will open up the big play downfield stars Brandon LaFell and Demetrius Byrd.  This offensive line loves to line up and run right at you.  If the unit can get a push, third downs will potentially be more managable after successful rushing attempts on first and second down.  Up front, the Tiger offensive line has a considerable size advantage over the Gator defensive line. 

2. Prevent Yards After the Catch/Pitch - The Gator wide receivers and running backs have tremendous speed and quickness and getting them out in open space is a big part of the Florida offense.  Percy Harvin is the obvious catalyst here.  He had 13 receptions for 186 yards and a touchdown versus Ole Miss.  He has a receiving touchdown in each one of the team’s SEC games so far this season.  Louis Murphy is another talented threat.  Tailbacks Jeffrey Demps and Brandon James are also very dangerous as potential receivers and running off the edge.  With so much speed on the outside and the Gators having utilized slip and bubble screens so productively in the past, it is imperative that the LSU defenders limit yards after the catch.  Arm tackles won’t cut it; fundamental, sound tackling is needed.  This Tiger defensive unit has done a good job of that this season.  When quarterback Tim Tebow gets out and runs, the same sentiment applies.  Harry Coleman, Chris Hawkins, Curtis Taylor and the crew have done a good job of open-field tackling in the defensive backfield thus far. 

3. Sound, Fundamental Play - LSU is a disciplined football team and that mindset comes from the head coach Les Miles.  The Tigers need to make sure their staple is on full display in The Swamp.  That means reducing mistakes and being crisp on special teams.  Limiting turnovers will be especially key for the Tigers, as LSU doesn’t want to give that Florida offense any more chances than they have to.  The Tigers currently have a negative turnover margin, something which has not cost them a football game yet.  The Gators are third in the nation in turnover margin and the UF defense has proved to be quite opportunistic.  The fast and aggressive LSU defense will have chances to force turnovers against the Gators as the Florida offense is based off of various pitches, tosses and short passes.  The coverage team must also slow down Brandon James on returns.  The Tigers have done a superb job on kickoff coverage.  LSU currently ranks second in the nation, allowing just 15.2 yards per kick return.  Just as getting James loose is key for UF, big returns from track star Trindon Holliday would give the Tigers a major boost. 

Position Advantages
Quarterback; Florida - Big advantage Florida here.  The Gators boast the defending Heisman Trophy winner in Tim Tebow, one of the most dynamic signal callers the game has seen in quite some time.  LSU sophomore Jarrett Lee is progressing nicely and is an impressive talent. 

Running back; LSU - Tiger running back Charles Scott is emerging as a darkhorse Heisman Trophy candidate.  The SEC’s leading rusher is big, fast and strong and has been incredibly productive so far this season.  The Gators have good depth, versatility and loads of speed.  Percy Harvin sees a lot of time here. 

Receiver; Even - Both teams have tremendous talent at wideout.  LSU’s tandem of Brandon LaFell and Demetrius Byrd is one of the nation’s best.  Gator Percy Harvin is as dangerous a player as you will find in college football.  Louis Murphy is a proven veteran. 

Offensive Line; LSU - Few units nationally boast the experience and talent of this Tiger unit.  Senior Herman Johnson is just one of the linemen who may contend for All-American honors.  The Gators also have one of the better groups in the SEC.  This bunch excels at blocking, not only at the line of scrimmage, but off the ball as well.

Defensive Line; LSU - So much talent, so much depth for the Tigers.  Tyson Jackson, Kirston Pittman and company (Ricky Jean-Francois is injured) lead a deep unit.  End Jermaine Cunningham is off to a tremendous start for the Gators.  http://sports.espn.go.com/photo/2007/1004/ncf_a_miles_195.jpg

Linebacker; Florida - Junior Brandon Spikes is one of the premier linebackers in all of college football.  He is averaging a league-high 10.25 tackles per game.  Darry Beckwith, who has been out since the North Texas game due to injury, leads an attacking, talented LSU unit.

Secondary; LSU - Both teams have tremendous talent here.  Jai Eugene and Chris Hawkins are a solid one-two cornerback rotation.  Curtis Taylor, Harry Colemen and Chad Jones are playmakers at safety.  Safety Major Wright is having a stellar season for the Gators. 

Special Teams; Florida - Two of the units around. The Gators are off to a tremendous start with their special teams play.  Kicker Jonathan Phillips is perfect on the year.  Brandon James is a big play waiting to happen in the return game.  He and electric Trindon Holliday cancel out.  Colt David is a steady, veteran kicker for the Tigers.  Florida gets a slight edge here because they have blocked two kicks this season and punter Chas Henry leads the SEC and is 7th in the nation in punting.   

Coaching; Even - You have the last two national champions, which direction do you lean?  Both staffs are among the nation’s best, no question about it. 

Intangibles; Florida - The Gators are playing at home, on national television and have revenge on their mind after last season.  Also, some of the talk from the LSU players has probably added a little more fun to this rivalry.  Expect the home crowd to be rocking. 

Players to Watch
Florida: Tim Tebow, QB - Yes, we took the easy answer.  Okay, okay.  But this offense is fueled by Tebow.  Last season, Tebow scored three touchdowns in Death Valley.  How he plays in his first start against the Tigers in The Swamp will help determine the victor in this one. 

LSU: Tyson Jackson, DE - The Tigers will need to get a push at the line of scrimmage to pressure Tebow and disrupt the timing of the Florida offense.  Jackson is a dynamic edge defender and a player capable of single-handidly forcing an opposing coordinator into massive halftime adjustments.  At 6’5’‘, he is a threat to bat down passes at the line of scrimmage.

Predictions
B.J. Bennett: Florida - 27, LSU - 24
Kevin Thomas: Florida - 24, LSU - 21
Charlie K.: LSU 33, Florida - 30
J.T. Bennett: LSU - 27, Florida - 21

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