#7 Florida at #5 LSU
When: Saturday, October 12 at 8:00 p.m. ET
Where: Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, LA
TV: ESPN
Florida heads to the Bayou following a big home win over Auburn last weekend. LSU hosts the Gators to kick off a tough stretch that includes Alabama and Auburn following Saturday’s meeting with Florida.
The two undefeated powers hope to keep their perfect seasons alive as they shoot for the College Football Playoff. This is the game of the week.
Florida
I featured Florida a bit last week, so I do not want to repeat myself. However, they pulled off a big win over the Auburn Tigers thanks to a stingy defense and a big run from Lamical Perine. They shut down Auburn freshman quarterback Bo Nix and hung on to a hard-fought victory at home. You can read about the Gators in-depth here.
The Gator defense will have to keep up the hard work this week. LSU comes in with a red-hot offense. The Tigers have not scored fewer than 42 points all season and are averaging 54.6 points per game. Can Florida tame some Tigers in back-to-back weeks or will a tough stretch get the best of them?
LSU
LSU is known for its defensive prowess, but the 2019 team wants to change that. Quarterback Joe Burrow has emerged as a potential first-round talent out of nowhere. The Ohio State transfer has grown and improved drastically during his time at LSU and is having himself a season.
He is zipping the ball and spreading it nicely. The senior signal-caller is second in the nation with 1,864 passing yards and 22 touchdowns. His completion percentage – 78.4 percent – leads the nation.
Junior wide receiver Justin Jefferson is a big-play stud on the outside, averaging 18.2 yards per catch. Sophomore phenom Ja’Marr Chase is breaking out lately, already recording 451 yards and six touchdowns this season. For you Vikings fans, Thaddeus Moss is the starting tight end for the Tigers. Thaddeus is the son of Randy Moss.
The Tigers are battling injuries defensively. First-round talent Grant Delpit, the team’s starting safety, is questionable with a head injury. Defensive tackle Rashard Lawrence is also questionable with an ankle injury. If they are unable to suit up, LSU is still in good hands.
Middle linebacker Jacob Phillips is as physically gifted as you can hope for from a linebacker and his 40 tackles lead the team. He is one of the most athletic players on the field at all times.
Cornerback Kristian Fulton is another first-round prospect at the moment and he can state his claim as the top cornerback in the class. Freshman cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. continues to impress me as a name to watch in the future. LSU knows how to produce solid defensive backs.