Top Sportsbooks
Gators Favored by Three Touchdowns Over Kentucky
9/26/09
The thing that has stuck out the most this college football year is that there is no such thing as a sure win. The GAp between the big programs and smaller programs is slowly decreasing. Just last weekend we saw a Washington Huskies team pull a shocker upsetting the Pac 10 golden child USC. It is becoming iNCreasingly important for teams to come ready to play every single week, and I promise you after the USC loss that is exactly what Coach Urban Meyer is preaching to his team.
Florida is coming into the Game off a very uninspiring performance against the Tennessee Volunteers. With the media building up the Meyer vs. Kiffin war of words everyone was expecting Florida to come out and hand it to the Volunteers, but Tennessees defense GAve Florida fits all day and Florida escaped with a hard fought 23-13 win.
Urban Meyer has since came out and said several of his players were battling the flu, and since he said Kiffin wasnt playing to win so his team had a play it safe Game plan. After their surprising Game against Tennessee many people are questioning just how good Florida really is, so expect Florida to come out and play inspired football this Saturday.
Kentucky is coming into the Game 2-0 with wins over Miami (OH) and Louisville. Kentucky surprisingly finds itself in the Top half of most offensive and defensive stats in the SEC. They have a very well rounded team both offensively and defensively. Kentucky has always been a below average team in the SEC and this Florida Game will be their biggest Game of the year.
FLORIDAS KEY TO VICTORY
Lets face it this Florida team is better then Kentucky in every aspect of the Game. They have a better offense, defense, and special teams. If Florida comes out and plays like Florida is supposed to this one will be over early, but as we saw last week with Tennessee, or even last year against Ole Miss, Florida isnt perfect. Florida needs to let Kentucky know early and often that this GAtor defense isnt going to let up and that they are going to sMACk Kentucky in the mouth. Kentucky is averaging over 400 yards of total offense this year, so they are capable of putting up points with their QB Mike Hartline and QB turned WR Randall Cobb, but if the Gators defense plays like they can Kentucky wont get near that 400 yard average.
KENTUCKYS KEY TO VICTORY
As we saw last week in the Tennessee Game the best way to throw this GAtor team off is playing physical defense. Tim Tebow and his offense looked lost at times and if Kentucky is going to have any shot in this Game they need to get after Tebow early and often. Kentucky is 4th in the SEC in rush defense allowing just 98 yards per Game so expect Kentucky to commit to stacking the box and trying to limit the Gators big plays on the ground and make Tebow beat them with his arm. Tebow is more than capable of winning the Game with his arm, but its a situation where this GAtor team is a lot more dangerous with the ball in their running backs and quarterbacks hands especially since the Gators lost WRs Percy Harvin and Louis Murphy to the NFL. If Kentucky can limit Floridas big plays and frustrate Tebow early they will have a chance to pull a shocker.
THE FINAL VERDICT
There is a reason why Florida has won 2 national championships in 4 years. This team is full of speed and playmakers on either side of the ball. We’re normally not comfortable laying big numbers. It would be a bit easier to swallow if this one were under 3 touchdowns, but it’s -21.5. In this instaNCe, we’ll lay it. Coming off last weeks Tennessee Game Florida needs a big win to impress the pollsters. If it’s possible to run up the score, the Gators will do it. That’s the politics of the current system at work. Florida -21.5