The LSU Tigers are rolling, but will have a tough test this weekend in Gainesville when they take on the Florida Gators. Dan Mullen has had Ed Orgeron’s number in the past and that’s what makes this a little bit more interesting of a ballgame.
On with the preview!
Last Time Out:
The last time these two teams took the field, LSU looked phenomenal in all phases en route to a 45-16 win. Meanwhile, Mullen and the Gators are coming back from Starkville with a 13-6 win over the Bulldogs to improve to 4-1.
Last Meeting:
The last time these two faced off, the Tigers got in front early and held on for dear life to come away with a 17-16 win in Gainesville. While Florida holds the overall series lead 32-29-3, LSU is making it a lot more competitive, winning six of their last eight matchups.
Storylines to Watch:
Franks vs DBU
Feleipe Franks at one point could have been an LSU Tiger, but instead flipped his commitment to Florida and has become more of a threat at the position thanks to Dan Mullen. We all know how well the Gators head coach has done with quarterbacks in the past (see: Prescott, Dak) and he will have a tall task with the talent that LSU has at secondary.
Don’t be surprised if Grant Delpit shows up huge in the Swamp on Saturday with an interception early on. They’ve been dominating throughout the regular season in the turnover margin and that will be a crucial point in the ballgame because Florida has shown the propensity to get at the football on defense as well.
Trap Game?
When the 2018 season approached, this was marked as a trap game for many because of what you don’t know about this team. After five weeks of football are in the books, the Gators have answered a lot of questions and their one loss doesn’t look so bad considering how well the Kentucky Wildcats have played at this point.
With that in mind, LSU isn’t going to let this be a trap game thanks to what Ed Orgeron has done with their regimen and what he calls “blocking out the noise”.
Offensive Line Getting Bruisers Back
This offensive line has gotten the job done even without some of the bruisers like Saahdiq Charles and Garrett Brumfield. Now Brumfield won’t be playing until possibly next week against Georgia, but the talent that is returning will be huge towards not only in keeping Burrow upright but in terms of establishing the run game against a Gators defense that has been susceptible to the run.
LSU Will Win If:
The Tigers will remain unbeaten if they can establish that run game. The numbers may be a little more skewed due to their loss against Kentucky, but a two-headed monster in Nick Brossette and Clyde Edwards-Helaire can make it a long day for the Gators front seven.
Florida Will Win If:
If the Gators win the turnover battle, they’ll pull off the upset
-Clint Domingue
