CFB - Florida at LSU (8:00E – CBS)

A bit of shine has been taken off of the LSU-Florida showdown due to the Gators’ loss to Auburn.


2007-10-05

A bit of shine has been taken off of the LSU-Florida showdown due to the Gators’ loss to Auburn. Remembering that HC Urban Meyer’s team won the national title in ‘06 while losing its only game to that same team, the circumstances somehow seem different now.

Youthful Florida is in jeopardy of losing its first back-to-back games since ‘04. With a point differential of +33.4 PPG, LSU is playing as good as anyone and will be hungry to avenge last year’s 23-10 loss at the Swamp. Trends side with the Gators though, as the Tigers are just 1-8 ATS in their L9 home SEC games & Florida is 7-1-1 ATS in its L9 as a road dog.

It’s been bandied about for weeks and now its here in a rare primetime showcase on CBS. Last year’s defending champs Florida travel to Baton Rouge to play under the lights against LSU. Florida is young, fast and fearless, while the Tigers are big, speedy and hungry. Urban Meyer’s offensive prowess as a schemer and a play caller will receiver a stern test against what can easily be described as the best defense in college football. The Tigers have soundly beaten two ranked teams Virginia Tech and South Carolina, thou it should be noted neither has a quarterback and receiver close to Tim Tebow or Percy Harvin. The offense is so diversified, only Gators miscues seem to undermine it.

This is the kind of pressure Les Miles likes his team to feel. Miles is developing a penchant for making off-beat remarks and to this juncture nobody can call him wrong being able to back up his quotes with what might be the most talented team in the land. These Tigers might not all the weapons on offense that have been featured the last couple of seasons, yet with Matt Flynn and Ryan Perrilloux calling signals, they are far less prone to make mistakes. Glenn Dorsey and the rest of the Tigers defense have not disappointed anyone other than a position coach, with ability to take away everything opposing teams have put before them.

Mistakes doomed the Tigers at Gainesville in 2006 in 23-10 defeat as one point dogs. Cleaning up mistakes places LSU in more favorable spot, though the home team is 4-11 ATS in last 15 meetings. LSU always plays better at night in Bayou country as the locals have extra time to get lubricated. Before writing off the Gators, know they are 10-0-1 ATS as SEC dogs.

Prediction – LSU by 10

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