Scouts, Inc. Alabama vs Florida

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Florida Offense vs. Alabama Defense

? QB John Brantley is coming off his most complete performance of the season against Kentucky and will need to continue that success for the Gators to move the chains in this game. Offensive coordinator Steve Addazio must utilize play-action on first and second down early in the game because Alabama likes to drop a safety near the box on run-heavy downs. Adding that extra defender to a stout front seven anchored by DT Marcell Dareus and instinctive MLB Don't'a Hightower will make it tough for Florida to get a consistent ground attack going right away, so Brantley and his receiving corps must hit a few big-gainers through the air on early downs. That will eventually force Crimson Tide defensive coordinator Kirby Smart to back off a little and go a long way toward creating some room for Florida RBs Jeffery Demps and Emmanuel Moody.

? The Alabama secondary has made strides through the first four games of the season, and despite the 357 passing yards allowed to Arkansas last week it's clear this unit is gaining confidence. Don't forget, the Crimson Tide did limit big plays in the second half against the Razorbacks and also came up with two big interceptions. Inexperience still shows through at times, but SS Mark Barron is a tremendous leader and is getting help from budding stars in FS Robert Lester and DC Dre Kirkpatrick. Lester has excellent fluidity and playmaking ability, while the 6-foot-3 Kirkpatrick is long and rangy on the outside and his instincts and awareness continue to improve with experience. Smart is able to utilize more complex looks as a result. On the other side, Florida's perimeter receivers have struggled a bit and WRs Carl Moore, Deonte Thompson and Andre Debose will have to read coverages and create separation extremely well because the Crimson Tide do a great job of disguising coverages and rotations.

? The Gators have added a nice wrinkle to the offense in QB/WR Trey Burton, who used his versatility to score a school-record six touchdowns last week against Kentucky. Burton will line up at quarterback in Florida's version of the Wildcat package, where his blend of power and speed allowed him to score five rushing touchdowns on as many carries last week. With Burton taking the direct snap the Gators have an extra blocker available and that could make it hard for Alabama to maintain gap control. Smart will have to align both Lester and Barron near the box in an effort to counter that numbers advantage up front, but the Crimson Tide cannot get overzealous when filling downhill because Burton throws the ball well and Florida could very well utilize the jump pass this week.

Alabama Offense vs. Florida Defense

? Florida's top priority on defense will be limiting the running game, especially on first and second down. Reigning Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram is back to full strength after early-season knee surgery, and he combines with impressive backup Trent Richardson to give Alabama the best 1-2 punch college football has seen since Cadillac Williams and Ronnie Brown lined up together in the Auburn backfield in 2004. Florida has the depth and talent along the defensive line to hold its own against the Tide's zone blocking scheme but the Gators could have a problem at the second level. Injuries have shuffled the linebacker corps and WLB A.J. Jones, MLB Jonathan Bostic and SLB Duke Lemmens (a converted defensive end) are an inexperienced group. They will have their instincts and point-of-attack skills tested and all three must show discipline with their run fits in order to maintain gap control. Ingram is the most instinctive runner in college football in terms of setting up blocks and has the ability to exploit any crease that is left uncovered. Look for co-defensive coordinators Teryl Austin and Chuck Heater to align SS Ahmad Black, who is undersized but takes good angles and gets into good position against the run, near the box on early downs to try to slow Tide on the ground.

? Our preseason film study of the Alabama offense showed the Tide's willingness to work from the shotgun on early downs. Offensive coordinator Jim McElwain looks to run from the gun but also does a great job mixing in quick-hitting, three-step throws as well as screens out of the backfield and to the perimeter. QB Greg McElroy often looks for standout WR Julio Jones, whose combination of size, strength and speed make him a dangerous weapon after the catch. The Gators are going crowd the box to slow the ground game and that will open the field for McElroy to hit a few underneath throws, and if McElwain can mix the run and pass effectively and put his offense in a second-and-short or second-and-medium situations he can open up the playbook and keep the Florida defense on its toes.

? McElroy is a cerebral quarterback known for taking care of the ball, but he has made some uncharacteristically bad decisions over the last two games and his three interceptions this season are only one less than he threw in all of 2009. He must get back to his old ways this week against a Gators defense that leads the nation with 12 interceptions. Black and CBs Janoris Jenkins and Jeremy Brown have combined for eight of those picks. Jenkins is one of the top cover corners in the nation thanks to outstanding anticipation, closing burst and ball skills in man coverage. McElroy must take what the defense gives him and look for his checkdowns if nothing is available downfield. If he gets greedy the result could be a costly momentum-changing turnover that gives the Gators favorable field position.

Scouts' Edge

Look for quarterback play to be the difference. Brantley built momentum last week but the complexity of the Tide defense and the big stage will be too much for the relatively inexperienced quarterback to overcome. Alabama's front seven could slow the Gators' ground attack and force the game onto Brantley's shoulders, which will likely result in some costly mistakes against an improving Tide secondary. On the flip side, look for McElroy to make sound decisions and the duo of Ingram and Richardson to churn out yards and set up a few big plays in the passing game. The Tide defend their home turf and extend their winning streak to 19 games.

Prediction: Crimson Tide 23, Gators 17

 

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Sporting News Key Matchups

Sporting News Key Matchups

The enormity of it all isn't lost on anyone involved.

Florida and Alabama have won three of the last four national championships. The SEC championship game between the Tide and Gators was the sport's most prominent game?more than the BCS national title game?the past two years. This weekend, because of the SEC's rotating schedule, the sport's heavyweights meet in the regular season for the first time since 2006. Yeah, it's a big deal.

"This is a matchup," said Alabama tailback Mark Ingram, "that I have the utmost respect for." The matchups inside the matchup, however, likely will dictate the outcome?and the early leader for one of two spots in the BCS national championship game.

1. Alabama RBs Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson vs. Florida LBs Jon Bostic, Jelani Jenkins and A.J. Jones

The trio of Florida linebackers has struggled at times. Jenkins, a redshirt freshman, and Bostic, a sophomore, are young, fast and athletic but haven't played much until this season. When linebackers think instead of react, it takes away their aggressive ability. Ingram and Richardson, both hard runners, thrive on tentative defenders, which sets up perfectly for Alabama's run-oriented offense.

"Have you seen Trent? He's built like a tank," Alabama guard Barrett Jones said. "We all know what Mark does with the ball in his hands. Those are two guys I wouldn't want to try to bring down by myself."

2. Florida WRs Deonte Thompson, Omarius Hines and Andre Debose vs. the Alabama secondary

If there's one area of the Alabama defense that can be exposed, it's the secondary?specifically first-year starting CBs DeQuan Menzie and Dre Kirkpatrick. So far, though, the group has been helped by a strong pass rush.

Florida's offensive line can protect quarterback John Brantley, but Thompson, Hines and Debose must win individual battles to get open. And then?more important?make plays when the ball is thrown their way.

"We've got complete confidence in our receivers," Brantley said. "Those guys thrive off people doubting them. When you've got a group of guys who can run, you can put pressure on defenses to make choices."

3. Florida OT Xavier Nixon vs. Alabama DE Marcell Dareus

This is a big game for Dareus, whose return from suspension has energized the Tide line. At 306 pounds, his move from tackle to end was impressive in spring drills and fall camp but hasn't materialized this season. Still, he's a serious matchup problem for tackles and the key to Alabama's pass rush.

A starter at left tackle late last season as a freshman, Nixon is Florida's best technical lineman?but hasn't consistently competed physically with strong rush ends. It hasn't helped that Nixon (sprained knee) missed the first two games and is completely healthy for the first time since early in camp.

"He's got skills," center Mike Pouncey said. "He's the future here. You're talking about a freshman who played the toughest position on the line. He's so far ahead of where a lot of guys are, and when he's healthy, he can dominate."

http://link.cinesport.com/services/player/bcpid260821017001?bctid=620233552001

 

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USA Today: Florida's Brantley Faces Biggest Test

USA Today: Florida's Brantley Faces Biggest Test

GAINESVILLE, Fla. ? How good is John Brantley? We find out Saturday night.

Florida's rookie starting quarterback leads the seventh-ranked Gators to Tuscaloosa to face top-ranked Alabama (8 p.m. ET, CBS).

"I think he has played very well," Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said. "I think he's played better in each game. And I think some of the issues that they had may not have been totally on him. When you play quarterback, as I did in high school, you usually get more of the credit than you deserve and you usually get more of the blame than you deserve. He's a very capable guy. He's got a good arm, and they have made consistent improvement in the passing game."

While Saban isn't selling Brantley short, the jury is still out in Gainesville.

The redshirt junior had his best game this season in a 48-14 win last week against Kentucky, completing 24 of 35 passes for 248 yards and one touchdown. He ranks eighth in the Southeastern Conference with an average of 175 yards a game but has just one interception.

Alabama replaced virtually its entire secondary from last year's national title team and ranks sixth in the SEC, allowing 188.8 yards per outing.

"I think we made a lot mistakes in the first few games that maybe the other team didn't take advantage of, but when you play a guy like we played last week, especially in the passing game, they?re going to take advantage of it," Saban said.

Ryan Mallett threw for 357 yards, completing 25 of 38 passes, but had two key interceptions last week that cost Arkansas in a 24-20 home loss to the Tide.

Is opportunity knocking for Brantley? "You know they are going to have them prepared," he said. "They are a great team, very disciplined. So you can?t really think that?s a weakness. You've got to go out there, take what the defense gives you and try to execute your plays."

With Florida star tailback Jeff Demps nursing a foot injury, it's definitely time for Brantley to step forward.

"I feel a lot more comfortable, I'm starting to get the hang of it, how the game works," Brantley said. "So it's definitely helped me out these last four games getting ready for this one.

"We just want to go out there and just do as much as we can to win. It's a team game, and it's just not about one person. We've got to bring all 11 guys to Tuscaloosa, we've all got to show up, and we've all got to concentrate on that play that we're about to run, and just execute the play."

Florida had 466 yards of offense against Kentucky and was 7-for-11 on third-down conversions. It could be a young team showing signs of maturity. But that question can only be answered Saturday.

"They are a great team," Brantley said of 'Bama. "Their defense is great every year. I guess we're going to have to spend a little bit more time in the film room to be ready for them."

Alabama's Robert Lester had a pair of interceptions against Arkansas, including one he returned to the Hogs' 11-yard line to set up the game-winning score late in the contest. "I think we learned that instead of waiting to execute in the second half that we need to start from the first play of the game to the end," he said.

Brantley got a taste of what Tuscaloosa will be like by getting his first road start two weeks ago, a 31-17 win against Tennessee. It was the third consecutive game in which Florida fell behind early.

"You have to prepare mentally and know what you're getting into," Brantley said. "You try not to let the crowd affect you too much, hopefully prepare well enough this week where the crowd isn't a factor and where you can just concentrate on what you have to do every play.

"(Tennessee) helped me learn how to act in the huddle, how loud I have to be. So I think with the taste of that, this week we've got to take it up a notch further."

Brantley, an Ocala, Fla., native, actually made a recruiting visit to Alabama. But his family roots kept him in Gainesville. An uncle and his father both played for the Gators.

Saturday is a rematch of the Tide's 32-13 drilling of Florida in last year's SEC title game.

"It doesn't really have to be brought up too much, it's always in the back of your head," Brantley said. "We?re just, we know what happened in the past, and we?re going to prepare like it's any other game, really. We're going to prepare really hard and just probably concentrate a little bit harder this week on what we have to do."

 

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USA Today: Alabama QB McElroy's (Big) Time Has Arrived

USA Today: Alabama QB McElroy's (Big) Time Has Arrived

Greg McElroy's football history has been one of patience and perseverance. First at Southlake Carroll High in Texas and then at Alabama, he bided his time and stood tall when opportunity knocked.
McElroy will be one of the central figures Saturday night (CBS, 8 ET) when the defending champion and No. 1 Crimson Tide host unbeaten and seventh-ranked Florida. In an offense that includes Heisman Trophy running back Mark Ingram and All-America wide receiver Julio Jones, McElroy has become the Crimson Tide's most indispensable part.

"He doesn't get as much recognition as he should because Alabama has so many great offensive players," Florida quarterback John Brantley said. "He knows how to win, and that's how you judge quarterbacks."

Saturday's showdown is a rematch of last year's Southeastern Conference championship game. Unbeaten Florida was led by Heisman Trophy quarterback Tim Tebow while undefeated Alabama banked on Ingram. But McElroy was named the game's most valuable player after throwing for 239 yards and a touchdown in the Crimson Tide's 32-13 victory.

"He's obviously the best quarterback in the business right now," Florida coach Urban Meyer said. "People will probably pick apart his throwing motion or something like that, but he's a guy we would evaluate very high ? his competitiveness, his leadership, his toughness, and his intelligence far above anything else."

McElroy did not start at Southlake Carroll ? a perennial Texas power ? until his senior year. He was stuck behind Chase Daniel, who went on to star at Missouri and is now with the New Orleans Saints.

In his one season as a starter McElroy set a state record by throwing for 56 touchdowns. He passed for 4,687 yards and led Southlake Carroll to the Texas Class 5A title.

McElroy redshirted his first year at Alabama and played in a total of eight games his next two seasons. He earned the starting job last year and threw for 2,508 yards and 17 touchdowns while completing 61% of his passes to help the Crimson Tide go 14-0.

"I signed here to play for national championships. I wanted to be a part of that and win games," McElroy said. "I can't say I necessarily envisioned my career going this way, but I had high hopes."

Last week Alabama trailed then-No. 11 Arkansas by 13 in Fayetteville in the third quarter. The Crimson Tide rallied for a 24-20 victory, a comeback coach Nick Saban savored.

"We were able to keep grinding, and some guys came back and made very good plays when it counted," Saban said.

McElroy was in that group. He was intercepted twice in the second quarter but came back to throw for a score and lead the Tide to the winning touchdown with 1:22 to play.

"Last year I might have gone in the tank after that first-half showing, but I was able to rip off the rearview mirror and keep looking forward," McElroy said.

"I think it was a sign of how my confidence has grown from my first year to my second. There are times I feel like I'm on fire, and that nothing can stop this offense."

There are 42 Bowl Subdivision quarterbacks ahead of McElroy in passing yards a game this season, but he ranks seventh in passing efficiency.

Florida figures to make McElroy prove his mettle Saturday. Alabama ranks 13th nationally in rushing (244.8 yards a game) behind Ingram and Trent Richardson, but the Gators' defense is 13th against the run at 94 yards a game.

McElroy welcomes the challenge.

"I'm never going to be the guy who throws for 500 yards or six touchdowns," he said. "I'm a guy who makes the right checks, gets the ball in his playmakers' hands and moves the chains down the field. That's my plan for Saturday."

 

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ESPN: Gators Hope To Stop Tide Rush

ESPN: Gators Hope To Stop Tide Rush

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Not long after Alabama gouged Florida on the ground in last year's Southeastern Conference championship game, the Gators starting working on ways to better stop the run.

They came up with the "Heavy Package," a 5-2 defensive scheme that puts an extra defensive lineman on the field and stacks the line of scrimmage.

It worked to perfection two weeks ago at Tennessee, as Florida held Tauren Poole to 23 yards on 10 carries. The real test comes Saturday night when the seventh-ranked Gators travel to top-ranked Alabama and face Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram and more-than-capable backup Trent Richardson.

"This will be a completely different challenge," Florida coach Urban Meyer said. "This is going to be a grind-it-out outfit that we have to tackle. (Ingram) breaks tackles at an alarming pace. Both those backs do."

The Gators saw that firsthand in Atlanta last December.

Ingram ran 28 times for 113 yards and three touchdowns, helping the Tide secure a spot in the Bowl Championship Series title game and essentially wrapping up the Heisman race. Richardson added 80 yards on 11 carries.

Heck, even third-stinger Roy Upchurch embarrassed Florida. He got in the game late, broke off a 29-yard run and finished with 57 yards on just eight touches.

When it was over, Alabama ran 53 times for 251 yards and averaged nearly 5 yards a carry in the 32-13 victory. Maybe even more telling: The Crimson Tide's three running backs lost just 2 yards on their 46 carries.

"It was ugly," cornerback Jeremy Brown said.

Ingram and Richardson beat defenders to holes, broke tackles and made guys miss in the open field.

"It was a nasty taste last year with the loss," defensive tackle Jaye Howard said. "And this offseason was dedicated to beating Alabama."

It started in spring practice, when new defensive coordinator Teryl Austin and defensive line coach Dan McCarney unveiled the "Heavy Package." A more fitting name might have been the 'Bama Bundle. After all, it was tailor made to stem the Tide.

The scheme essentially moves 250-pound defensive end Duke Lemmens to strong-side linebacker and 295-pound defensive tackle to end. Lemmens then lines up as a fifth lineman, staying away from bigger tight ends and offensive linemen but remaining in position to help stop runs between the tackles.

The downside is it takes one of Florida's speedy linebackers off the field, leaving the Gators vulnerable to perimeter rushes and passes.

Meyer has another concern with the package.

"How do you stop a great running back? You load the box, plus-one them and you don't miss a tackle," Meyer said. "Unfortunately, when you do that, you're now leaving your corner on an island with probably the first receiver going to be picked in the NFL draft. That's the issue."

Julio Jones could be a problem, especially since the 6-foot-4 receiver will be matched up against Florida's much smaller cornerbacks. But the Gators have spent the last 10 months mostly thinking about what Ingram and Richardson did to them.

Ingram has looked sharp since returning from arthroscopic knee surgery, averaging 9.3 yards a carry against Duke and Arkansas. He missed the first two games, but ran for 151 yards and two touchdowns against the Blue Devils and then had 157 yards and two more scores against the Razorbacks.

"My main focusing coming back into the first game was not to have any hesitation in my step whatsoever," Ingram said. "I wanted to have 100-percent confidence in my ability of what I could do out there on the field, and that's the way I practice. I just push it to the limit, so I wouldn't have any hesitation. I haven't had any so far. I'm really happy with how things have gone since the surgery."

Richardson leads the Tide with 356 yards and four touchdowns. He also has 10 receptions for 126 yards and a score.

Making Florida's preparations even more difficult is the wildcat formation, which Alabama has used so effectively the last two seasons.

"We're fortunate to have a couple of really good runners," coach Nick Saban said. "I think you're adding a gap to the defense when you do this because somebody has to cover the quarterback. Even though he's not going to get the ball, somebody has to cover him. Therefore you create a little bit of a running advantage for yourself, even though they know what's coming.

"That's been a very effective tool for us in the last two years. Hopefully we'll be able to continue to execute it and get the kind of production that is helpful to our offense."

The Gators believe they're better prepared for the wildcat and anything else Alabama brings to the game Saturday night.

"We're focusing our whole preparation time on tackling and the fundamentals," linebacker Brandon Hicks said. "Our plan is to come out on top and be the tougher out of the two."

 

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ESPN Insider: Meyer vs Saban Part 3

ESPN Insider: Meyer vs Saban Part 3

Can the Florida Gators get revenge?

Last year, Florida wore the weight of having the bull's-eye on its back for the season as the returning BCS champs and eventually got thumped by the Alabama Crimson Tide -- and convincingly -- in the SEC title game. Now, it's the Gators who are in more of the upstart role. UF is a 9-point underdog. In the past five years, the Gators have never been that big of an underdog. Twice, they've been a 7-point dog: at LSU in 2007 (a game the Gators lost) and in the BCS title game in Arizona against Ohio State (whom the Gators destroyed).

Urban Meyer is downplaying any revenge angle: "A lot of people are asking, 'Is there payback?'" Meyer said. "A good majority of our team wasn't even with us last year during that game."

Top-ranked Bama displayed a bruising ground attack last week in rallying to win at Arkansas. No doubt, it brought back some memories of the Tide's 251 rushing yards in the SEC title game. Expect to see plenty of the Gators' 5-2 defense; this scheme features three DTs with Jaye Howard shifting over to DE. Howard riled up some Tide fans when he was quoted as saying Ingram is "no different than any other running back."

As Joe Goodman reports, to Howard and his teammates, that Bama loss still resonates with the Gators:

"It was a nasty taste last year with the loss and this offseason was dedicated to beating Alabama," Howard said. "We're just going to go out there and let it all hang out. To me it's like the biggest game of the year. Whoever wins out of this game is set on a smooth sailing path."

Ingram has been superb in his two games this season. He is averaging an astounding 15.3 yards per carry on runs out of the Pistol formation, according to ESPN Stats & Information's Ben Lerner. Containing Ingram and Trent Richardson, while also controlling the Bama passing game, is going to be quite a challenge.

Speaking of mind-boggling stats, this Meyer stat may be the best indicator of just how well he's done at UF: He is 21-4 since coming to Florida in games against coaches with a national title on their r?sum?s. 21-4. He's 5-0 against Bobby Bowden, 4-0 against Phil Fulmer, 4-1 against Les Miles, etc.

The only national champion coach with a winning record against Meyer is Lloyd Carr; he beat Meyer in the Capital One Bowl a few years ago. Meyer is 1-1 against Saban.

One of the key points in this game will be the performance of UF QB John Brantley, who a lot of people figured would shine once he took over for Tim Tebow in a revamped Gators offense. That has not happened so far. The Gators not only miss Tebow (as expected) but also Aaron Hernandez and Riley Cooper. UF simply hasn't had a big-time receiver step up yet. We did see freshman Trey Burton bring a spark and a needed power dimension to the Gators' offense as the change-of-pace QB, though. Burton's six-TD performance against Kentucky was impressive. He also completed a 42-yard pass play. The bad news: That was UF's longest pass play of the season, through four games. Brantley, the guy who was touted to make the Gators a better passing team, has a long of just 30 yards. Last year, UF had pass plays in seven games that were each longer than that.

To update something I reported on Sunday, Marcell Dareus, the Tide's best defender, is nursing an ankle injury, but Saban expects him back in practice by Wednesday. Dareus hurt his left ankle in the second quarter against Arkansas but played in the second half and was one of the guys who set the tempo for the Tide's rally with an impassioned halftime speech. Dareus is a major impact guy. He lines up all over the line and sparks what has been a suspect pass rush without him in action.

 

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ESPN: Florida vs Alabama Preview

ESPN: Florida vs Alabama Preview

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) -- This Florida-Alabama game is not all or nothing, title shot or title shutout.

None of the possibilities or dreams really go away if the top-ranked Crimson Tide or seventh-ranked Gators lose Saturday in the rematch from the last two Southeastern Conference championship games. Just a midseason setback, especially since they don't even play in the same division.

Ah, who are we kidding? This is a rivalry game not because of long history but because of the recent variety. It matches the SEC's two dominant teams over the last few years, so does it really matter if the calendar is just creeping into October?

"It's definitely one of the most anticipated games of my career," Florida defensive end Justin Trattou said on Monday. "It's definitely one of the most anticipated games in the country. I'm real excited to get into it."

Still, the loser won't be left in tears this time, unlike the December meetings. Florida won the SEC in 2008 and Alabama won it last season. Both went on to win the national championship.

"Ever since that game, it's unexplainable. I wanted it back so bad," Florida linebacker Brandon Hicks said of last December's meeting. "That game hurt so bad because we felt we were good enough, we had the team to win. But we didn't execute everything that we were supposed to and we took it on ourselves that our preparation wasn't right."

Added center Mike Pouncey: "Any loss hurts, but when you lose for a championship, it's more devastating."

This time there could very well be Florida-Alabama II in a couple of months at the Georgia Dome.

"I just remember the year they beat us," Tide tailback Mark Ingram said. "All we could think about for an entire year was getting back to that game and playing them again. I'm sure they have the same type of attitude since we beat them. They don't have to wait until the SEC championship. We have them halfway through the season. It's going to be a real intense game."

Gators coach Urban Meyer said his staff even discussed having a week in training camp devoted to Alabama "until I looked on the film and I saw how poor we were. To start worrying about Alabama, we better just figure out a way to catch the ball, put it away and not fumble."

Both teams are 4-0. Florida has played two league games and Alabama one, last weekend at No. 15 Arkansas.

Recent history suggests a one-loss SEC champion can still play for a national championship. The Gators have done it twice under Meyer. This is a league with five teams ranked in the top 15, after all.

And the loser would still control its own destiny in the race to Atlanta's league title game.

It's the fifth rematch of an SEC championship game in the subsequent regular season. The first four have been splits.

Alabama and Florida also played twice in 1999. The Tide beat the Gators both times, 40-39 in overtime during the regular season and 34-7 in the title game.

But Florida has won two of the last four national titles and Alabama one. Maybe this one's about playing catch-up and/or sustaining supremacy.

"They probably have a record of dominance more than any other team in the league over what they've done the last few years," Alabama coach Nick Saban said.

Alabama has won 28 consecutive regular season games, Florida 24.

"I definitely don't want to lose," Tide safety Robert Lester said, "don't want to experience it."

In the SEC title games, Florida dominated the fourth quarter in 2008 for a 31-20 win. Last season, Alabama rolled 32-13.

Meyer and the Gators watched film from that game Monday morning. What he couldn't review was the "rock-star" atmosphere that surrounded the team outside the cloistered practices.

"We would walk out to practice and it would take us a half-hour to get to practice and a half-hour back because we were signing and because of this and we would go on the road and it would be a Ringling Bros. three-ring circus," Meyer said. "If it distracts a 46-year-old guy, I'd imagine it distracts 20-, 18-, 19-year-olds. I know it did. It was just rock-star status. It happens when you have success. We learned a lot of lessons; I learned a lot of lessons.

"I'm not sure the answers, but I hope it happens again. It means you're pretty good."

This game hardly has the history of Alabama-Auburn or Florida-Tennessee. This is the 36th meeting, but seven of those have come in the SEC championship game.

"You have to get up for them," Gators quarterback John Brantley said. "You always want to prepare much harder, much better for rivals and that's what you have to do against Alabama, so I definitely consider them becoming a rival."

Saban isn't veering from his normal approach before a game, any game. It's Alabama's second straight top-10 clash after all, following a 24-20 survival game at Arkansas.

"We want to get ready to play our best football every game that we play," Saban said. "It's a standard that we want to play to here. It doesn't really matter -- the numbers on the back of the jerseys change and the numbers change, but the standard never does. That's a very challenging thing to get from a consistency standpoint but it's certainly what we want for our team."

 

[RollTide72]

College Football News Prediction

College Football News Prediction

GAME OF THE WEEK

Florida (4-0) at Alabama (4-0) Oct. 2 8:00 pm, CBS

Here?s The Deal ? Uhhhh, hello? Over here. Kind of a big game happening. This isn?t Vanderbilt vs. Kentucky, yet it?s being treated nationally like it?s just another really good SEC showdown. GameDay is going to Oregon (the game being on CBS had a wee bit to do with that), Texas vs. Oklahoma is still a happening, and the opening of the Big Ten season is generating some big headlines. Whatever.

This is Florida vs. Alabama. For all intents and purposes, these two played for the national championship in the last two SEC Championship showdowns, and they appear destined for a threematch (sorry about that) no matter what happens this week. How dominant have they been? Remembering that they play in the almighty SEC, not counting when the two conference title games, they have combined to go 60-2 since the end of the 2007 season. Alabama hasn?t lost a regular season game since November 24th of 2007, and Florida has won 33 of its last 37 games by double digits. While this is a special showdown and it should go a long way to determining the national title pecking order over the next few months, each is carrying some baggage.

Alabama is coming off a tough win at Arkansas, and while any SEC road win is worth being praised, the No. 1 team in the land showed a few chinks in the armor. QB Greg McElroy wasn?t totally sharp, the secondary had a few missed assignments and gave up too many yards, and it took some big plays late to pull out the win. Meanwhile, Florida is just starting to look like Florida again after sputtering a bit offensively over the first three games. This might not be the smoothest Gator team, but it?s young, fast, and talented.

As is these are two of the best teams in America and they?re both worthy of playing for the BCS Championship, but they?re still just scratching the surface. Florida is going to be night-and-day better once all the young stars figure out what they?re doing, while Alabama?s defense is going to go from great to jaw-dropping with a little more experience. So enjoy Part One of what might be an epic two-game series this season. It?s still the biggest game of the weekend, and possibly the regular season.

Why Florida Might Win: ?Nobody believes in us.? It?s a tired and worn clich? that gets thrown out way too often, but it also tends to work on young, talented college football players looking for something to focus on. In the 2009 SEC Championship, the weight of the world, and the burden of college football history, was on the Gators? shoulders while Alabama was the loose, confident, and fired up team. From the head coach on down, Florida was really, really tight, and it showed as the Tide was more physical, faster, and far sharper. This year, it?s all on Alabama to not only win, but do it convincingly. A nine-point underdog, yeah, no one believes in the Gators. Ohio State was sent home from the 2007 BCS Championship with a 41-14 loss the last time Florida was considered overmatched.

The key for the Gators will be to be very, very, very patient. Alabama doesn?t bring much of a pass rush, and the Gator line doesn?t give up sacks in bunches, so the hope has to be to keep the game moving along, stay close, and hope to come up with the one big home run and the two big turnovers needed to change the game. Florida has lived on the big play all year long with someone, usually Jeff Demps, bailing the struggling offense out of the doldrums with a big dash. Alabama, despite the two key Greg McElroy interceptions against Arkansas, doesn?t give the ball away, but Florida?s defense has been phenomenal at forcing mistakes with 12 interceptions and two forced fumbles in the first four games. Florida has to be +2 in turnover margin and it needs to win all the little battles, like special teams. The Alabama return game has been mediocre so far, while the Gators have been terrific at coming up with great field position. However ?

Why Alabama Might Win: ? the Florida offense doesn?t quite know what to do with the ball. This could be an extremely frustrating day if the Gators are going three-and-out, three-and-out, three-and-out, while waiting for a breakdown so one of its speedsters can take off. Florida can?t win this game straight and it?s going to need to be ultra-creative, while Alabama can simply line up and punch the Gators in the mouth. There isn?t any one thing the Florida offense can rely on right now on a consistent basis, while Alabama can always fall back on (or start with) Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson against a young Gator front seven that hasn?t faced anyone who?s nearly as tough or as physical as the Tide front five. If Kentucky?s Derrick Locke could run for 103 yards, Ingram and Richardson should go ballistic.

Alabama has everything working offensively right now with a ground game averaging 245 yards per game and the passing attack averaging 267. Efficient through the air and tough and explosive on the ground, the Tide can do it all. The potential is there to come back if down, or grind out the clock with a big lead. On the other side, Florida might be balanced, but it?s at a much less efficient clip averaging 170 yards on the ground and 186 through the air. The Gators might be able to hit the home run, but they have yet to prove they can keep up in any sort of a shootout.

What To Watch Out For: Is Florida really going to go with a five man defensive front? Looking to stack up against the run and keep Ingram and the Bama ground game from controlling the clock, the Gators might go heavy, or at least mess around with the formation a bit, to force Greg McElroy to be the star. The senior was fantastic in last year?s SEC title game, completing 12-of-18 passes for 239 yards and a score, and he?s smart enough and efficient enough to keep the mistakes to a minimum, unlike last week against Arkansas, and hit on the big plays to his devastating receiving corps. For the Gators, the hope is to get Jeff Demps back and productive after suffering a foot injury, but he?ll likely be limited at best. Needing to come up with playmakers, the coaching staff put one of its most dynamic options, quarterback Trey Burton, in a do-it-all role. The 6-3, 214 pounder let it rip in practices this offseason and showed the potential to become another Gator great under center, but against Kentucky he was used as a runner, scoring five touchdowns on all five of his carries, and as a receiver catching five passes for 37 yards and a score. At the very least, the Tide defense is going to have to prepare for him.

What Will Happen: Alabama spent an entire year stewing and preparing for the chance at a rematch with the Gators, and it showed in last year?s stunning 32-13 blowout. Florida has too many new players in key spots to have the revenge thing going its way, but Urban Meyer and the coaching staff has a lot to prove and will use every trick and will pull out every stop to erase what happened on December 5th. Florida might not be playing all that well, at least compared to the last few seasons, but it?s still Florida, there are still plenty of athletes, and there?s still more than enough talent to win. However, the inexperience and the offensive ineffectiveness will shine through in the second half, while Bama will be flex its muscle over its final two crushing drives to come away with a second straight hard-fought, gut-check win.

CFN Prediction: Alabama 24 ? Florida 16

 

[nickmdet]

soooo bet Florida?? :shrug:
I'm confused, can you give me more info?