Florida Gators Game Preview: Uncertainty Looms Large

Photo credit: Brad McClenny - The Gainesville Sun (Imagn syndicate)

Uncertainty is the name of the game.

Given the current standing the world is in given the COVID-19 pandemic, the what-if scenarios surrounding college football had continuously circulated since even before week one kicked off.

Now, those what if’s of positive tests and has become a reality at the University of Florida before the Gators were scheduled to rekindle its storied rivalry with LSU this upcoming Saturday in The Swamp.

Having to halt football activities yesterday due to 19 positive COVID tests per AlligatorSports’ Payton Titus, the matchup is now in limbo awaiting further tests and consideration.

"These circumstances will be re-evaluated by UF Health and the athletic department’s sports medicine staff Wednesday," Florida Athletic Director Scott Stricklin stated. "Today, the university reported five new cases of COVID-19 positive test results among the football program, an increase from last week's report of just one positive result."

However, despite the fluidity of the contests standing at this point, the game is currently still a-go for 4 o’clock this Saturday. As a result—in the case the Gators continue with the regularly scheduled programming—a preview for the LSU Tigers is in order.

Fresh off a year in which Ed Orgeron and company fielded one of the greatest collegiate squads to ever line up inside the hashes, LSU has faced its fair share of trials to start the 2020 season.

The 15-0 National Championship run was one for the ages, and what many beloved to be the Bayou Bengals return to national prominence.

However, after losing a whopping 13 players to the NFL draft—including Heisman winner Joe Burrow and an additional four first-rounders—the expected significant turnover has proved to be larger than previously imagined.

The turnover saw an increase when their NFL-caliber wideout Ja’Marr Chase opted out of the 2020 season in mid-September to prepare himself for the 2021 draft.

Nevertheless, LSU lines the field with young faces across the board and its shows in their record.

This Tigers team nearly mirrors the Gators in that the offense has been the bright spot, and the defense has been the low point going into week four.

Offensively, LSU has continued to find success through the air but in a more reserved way with Myles Brennan taking over the reins and Terrace Marshall arriving as the teams leading receiver.

Posting 1,112 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, and three interceptions—with 427 yards and seven touchdowns coming by way of Marshall—Brennan has presumably put to rest the speculation that LSUs offensive attack would be the teams' demise.

Meanwhile, despite the successes in the passing game, the run game has been rather stagnant to start the year.

With a multitude of viable backs to choose from, including John Emery, Chris Curry, and Tyrion Davis-Price, a combined 290 rushing yards total on 90 carries is concerning in situational football.

Defensively, the Tigers have struggled mightily to stay afloat. Like Florida, LSU hasn’t nearly as much success in limiting opposing offenses as in years past.

After losing defensive coordinator Dave Aranda to Baylor following their national championship season, Bo Pelini entered the building as his successor.

Moving to Pelini’s patent 4-3 scheme following years of 3-4, the adaptation period has been difficult without adequate preparation time in the offseason and has struggled in return.

As a talented unit that contains Derek Stingley and Jacoby Stevens, excuses for the defensive play thus far are thin, especially for a unit that shouldn’t be experiencing the extent of growing pains it currently is.

The problem? The Tigers have seemingly restricted the full range of talent their defensive personnel carries and have paid for it.

Does all of this sound familiar? If so, that’s because Florida is in a very similar boat.

Despite less turnover all around, the Gators have been among the elite in college football in the passing game, struggled as a whole in the rushing game, and produced piss poor performances defensively.

This upcoming Saturday, the clash of reeling programs look to use the yearly matchup as a turning point for the rest of the season.

Obviously, defensive efforts are the universal important piece for both squads throughout the remainder of the season. The change of their performances defensively takes them from the middle of the pack to the nation's top, given the talent each team rosters. But, this game likely comes down to: “Who can score more points?”

As a result, if the game is to occur this Saturday at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, expect a high-powered offensive shootout—Big 12 style—that could reach well into the upper forties to lower fifties.

Will it be the Kyle-to-Kyle connection or the Brennan to Marshall pipeline that leads their squad to victory?