College Football Game of the Week – Florida Gators at LSU Tigers

Florida Gators at LSU Tigers

Saturday, October 10th – 8:10 PM ET
Line: Florida -7.5, O/U: Closed 

Florida: The Week That Was 
 
Tebow, Tebow, Tebow… Brantley? Even after a week of rest, the Florida Gators, who have been battling the flu since the start of the season, now have one more thing to worry about: the threat of no Tim Tebow against a strong SEC opponent. On Sept. 26 at Kentucky, Tebow rushed for 123 yards and two touchdowns, while passing for another 103 yards and a touchdown. The Gators secured a 31-7 lead in the third quarter against UK, but coach Urban Meyer kept a flu-ridden Tebow in the game; sure enough, the superstar suffered a concussion that warranted a trip to a Lexington hospital.

The Gators went on to win 41-7 with sophomore quarterback John Brantley playing the final 20 minutes. Florida’s bye week (on Oct. 3) enabled the Gators to rest Tebow and prepare Brantley for what could be his first career start against the Tigers. 
 
LSU: The Week That Was 
 
Last week LSU Tigers came away with a thrilling 20-13 victory on the road against 18th-ranked SEC rival Georgia. In a game where neither team scored a touchdown until the fourth quarter, the Tigers played strong and resolute football in a close-shave victory over the Bulldogs. The LSU offense line was less than stellar on third down conversions, and was stuffed on a key fourth-and-inches in the Georgia red zone.

Tiger quarterback Jordan Jefferson was sacked six times by the hard-hitting Georgia defense, a worrying sign for head coach Les Miles. Jefferson accumulated a total of 212 yards while throwing one interception in last week’s game. He was helped out by senior running back Charles Scott, who had 19 carries for 95 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning score – a 33-yard scamper – with just 46 seconds left to play. 

The Week That Is
 
The Florida Gators are on a 14-game winning streak and have a strong claim to the number one national ranking. The big question for the Gators is obviously the condition of Tim Tebow, whose status has been reported to be a game-time decision. If Tebow does not get the start Saturday, the ball will be placed in the hands of sophomore backup John Brantley. If he starts in Baton Rouge, La., Brantley will be sorely tested, one year before replacing the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner on a full-time basis in 2010.  

As for the Tigers, their big issue is a leaky offense line; an inability to protect Jefferson won’t fly against a Florida defense loaded with NFL-ready playmakers. If their line holds up, the Tigers will still need to find a way to get the offense moving against the Gators’ defense, which has allowed just two touchdowns – one rushing and one passing – all season long. One can’t expect Florida to romp, but LSU’s offensive deficiencies will make it hard for the home team to prevail. 20-16, Gators, is the pick here.  

Pick: LSU +7.5