The Pinkie Previews: #1 Florida Gators at Kentucky Wildcats

Defending National Champions.  Consensus Preseason No. 1. Current No. 1 team in the country. Tim Tebow. 22-game winning streak against Kentucky.

Enough said.

Urban Meyer and company come to town with a 3-0 record and a 13-game winning streak, which is the longest in the country and the best in school history. They hold a 42-17 advantage over Kentucky in the series and have not lost since November 15, 1986, when the ‘Cats downed the Gators, 10-3.

They are coming off of a disappointing 23-13 win at home against Tennessee. In the win, the Vols limited the Gators’ passing attack by putting pressure on Tim Tebow and forcing him to make quick decisions. Still, their rushing game was solid as they finished with 208 yards on the ground. Tebow finished with a team-high 76 yards and a touchdown.

Jeff Demps carried the ball four times for 31 yards and a touchdown.

In the first three weeks of the season, the Gator offense has racked up 1,610 (536.7 per game) yards from scrimmage, which is second best in the country to Kansas, and have scored 18 touchdowns from scrimmage, which is also second best.

The Gators do it on the ground. They do it through the air. They are balanced and this is what makes it so tough to defend them.

The key to the offense (surprise, surprise) is Superman, himself, Tim Tebow. Tebow exemplifies the Gators’ offense, because he can also do it on the ground and through the air.

In 2007, he became the first sophomore to collect the Heisman trophy. He owns two Maxwell Awards, which recognizes the top quarterback in the country, and he entered the season, owning four NCAA, nine SEC and 23 school records.

Needless to say, the kid is good. He’s real good. In order to have success against a beast like Tebow, you have to pressure him, much like Tennessee did. Do not let him look downfield and pick you apart. But, when he is pressured out of the pocket, you have to wrap him up. Tackling will be a key in this game and the ‘Cats struggled in that department against Louisville. If Kentucky doesn’t tackle well, look out, because nobody turns nothing into something like Tim Tebow.

The key for Kentucky could be containing the Gators’ rushing attack. They are led by sophomores Demps and Chris Rainey in the backfield. Since 2008, Demps (8.7) and Rainey (8.4) are ranked No. 1 and 2 in the SEC in yards-per-touch and are both ranked in the top five nationally.

Demps leads the Gators in rushing touchdowns with four and is averaging 12.9 yards-per-carry, which is second in the nation. He is a beast in the open field, but he has been struggling with illness. If he is healthy, Florida will be that much tougher to beat. 

Rainey has rushed for 225 yards so far this season, which leads the Gators.

If you are looking for a weakness from the Florida offense, it could be their play at wide receiver. They lost both Percy Harvin and Louis Murphy from a year ago and are really struggling to find that deep threat. Sophomore Deonte Thompson, who missed the Tennessee game with a hamstring injury, is being looked at as the guy to fill that void. Still, he has only made two catches this season, both in the opener against Troy. Both went for touchdowns.

Twelve players have received a pass for the Gators already this season but look for senior Riley Cooper and junior tight end Aaron Hernandez to be the primary targets for Tebow. Cooper leads the team in catches and receiving yards with 13 and 212 while Hernandez has caught 12 balls for 144 yards.

However, like Thompson, Riley has been struggling with injury. He has a pinched nerve in his neck that could limit his productivity.

With the injuries and the limited depth, look for a freshman like Omarius Hines to possibly have a big day for the Gators.

On the defensive side of things it doesn’t get any easier for the Wildcats. Florida’s defense gave up their first touchdown last week and they are the only team in the country to allow only one touchdown this season. Since Urban Meyer took over in 2005, no SEC defense has forced more turnovers than the Gators (121).

This season they held both Troy and Tennessee to under 100 yards passing.

The strength of this Florida defense is their secondary.  The Gators have intercepted at least one pass in 15 strait games, which leads the nation, and since 2005 have recorded 78 picks, which ranks third in the country.

Junior Joe Haden leads the attack in the secondary for the Gators. He has started in every game for Florida since becoming the first true freshman to start on opening day in school history. Many publications list him as the best corner in the country and he has five interceptions in his career, including one last week against the Vols.

Coming off a career-high 11 tackle performance against Tennessee, look for junior safety Ahmad Black to contribute as well. Last season, after converting from corner to safety, he finished the year with 87 tackles and three picks.

After allowing only 95 yards on the ground to Charleston Southern in the season opener, the defensive front struggled a bit last week against Tennessee.

Their attack is led by junior defensive end Carlos Dunlap, who paced the Gators and the SEC with 9.5 sacks a year ago, despite starting only two games. He was also named the defensive MVP of the 2008 BCS National Championship Game.

Senior Jermaine Cunningham will rush from the other end and the ’Cats know all too well about his abilities, as he finished with 2.5 sacks the last time the two squared off at Commonwealth Stadium. In his career he has 118 tackles and 12.5 sacks, but like Demps, has been struggling with the swine flu.

Their linebacking core is led by senior co-captains Brandon Spikes and Ryan Stamper. Stamper is tied for the team lead in tackles with 18 and leads the Gators in tackles for loss with 3.0. Spikes has been bothered by an achillies problem and should be limited on Saturday.

With Spikes seeing limited action, expect True freshman Jonathan Bostic, who has nine tackles on the young season, to step up and see plenty of action.

So the question remains, can Kentucky pull off the upset on Saturday? Yes, but there isn’t any room for error. They can’t turn the ball over, instead they must force turnovers, they can’t make mistakes that Florida turns into easy points, and they have to find a way to put pressure on the quarterback.

Trevard Lindley needs to have a huge game. He has to find a way to turnover the Florida offense and prove to the naysayers that he is a better corner than Joe Haden.

Last year the Gators scored 21 easy points on blocked field goals. Unreal. This can’t happen. Special teams will play a huge role, but this year I think it could come in the return game.

Despite the fact that Florida is one of nine teams to not allow a single punt return yard this season, Meyer is weary of Kentucky’s return game. Derrick Locke and Randall Cobb have the ability to break big returns at any time and completely alter the landscape of the game. The Gators have one of the best returners in the country in Brandon James. A big return from either team could be pivotal.

In the first two games of the year, Kentucky’s front four has had a tough time putting pressure on the quarterback. This has to change if Kentucky wants to have a chance. On paper it looks like Florida’s o-line has a pretty big advantage over the Kentucky d-line. But, they have to find a way to pressure Tebow and force him into making quick decisions.

Through the first two games of the season, Kentucky has only ran the wildcat offense a handful of times. I look for them to mix it up a little more against the Gators. Put the ball in your best offensive player’s (Cobb) hands as much as possible and try to confuse the aggresive Florida defense.

Everything has to bounce Kentucky’s way for them to pull off the upset victory and unfortunately I don’t see that happening. It won’t be a blowout like last year but the Gators will leave Lexington with their undefeated record and winning streak in tact.

Florida 38, Kentucky 20