#1 Alabama hosts #7 Florida Saturday night at Bryant-Denny Stadium
All eyes will be on Tuscaloosa, AL, this Saturday night when #7 Florida takes on #1 Alabama. There will be no shortage of storylines as these two schools’ bitter rivalry has become renewed over the past five seasons. The last time these two teams met was on December 5, 2009, in Atlanta, GA, for the SEC Championship game and a chance to play in the BCS National Championship. Alabama (#2) handily beat Florida (#1), 32-13, in route to their 13th National Championship trophy. That game did nothing more but add to the hatred the two schools share for each other.
Heading into Saturday night’s game, Alabama currently holds the series edge with a 21-14 record. In games at Bryant-Denny Stadium, Bama is 6-5 against the Gators. Florida however, over the past 5 years, has gone 3-2 against the Tide.
Both Florida and Alabama are coming off SEC conference wins last week. Alabama traveled to #10 Arkansas and narrowly escaped defeat by relying on its well-known brand of pesky defense, forcing two fourth quarter Arkansas turnovers. While Bama QB Greg McElroy uncharacteristically struggled by throwing two interceptions, the reliable Tide backfield duo of Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson did enough to ensure the victory. Ingram rushed for 160 yards and 2 touchdowns on 24 carries; Richardson rushed for 87 yards on 8 carries. While not dominating, Bama’s victory was impressive, showing that they were able to come from behind on the road in the SEC and get the win.
Florida dominated the Kentucky Wildcats and seemed to find the identity on offense they were searching for. True freshman, Trey Burton, set school and SEC records by accounting for 6 touchdowns. Florida’s offense was no match for the Wildcat defense as Florida scored touchdowns on all four of their second-half possessions. The Gator defense showed up as usual, limiting Kentucky to only 14 points in the contest, forcing two interceptions, returning one for a touchdown. Kentucky had come into Saturday’s contest averaging 44.3 points per game. For a team that searched to find themselves in the first three games of the year, Florida played extremely well last Saturday night, making the upcoming game against Alabama much more interesting.
The defending national champion, Crimson Tide, enters Saturday night carrying a 16-game home win streak, having not lost at home since November 17, 2007. The Tide also boasts a 28 game regular season win streak, since last losing to Auburn on November 24, 2007. Bama head coach, Nick Saban (128-50-1), has established himself to be among the college football coaching elite, if not, the best coach in college football. Saban undoubtedly knows the importance of this Saturday’s game, as the Tide have more to lose than Florida.
With Florida’s win last weekend over Kentucky, Gator head coach Urban Meyer (100-18) became a member of college football’s fastest to 100-win club, an exclusive group that includes coaching greats such as Gil Dobey (100-5-3), Knute Rockne (100-12-5), Bob Neyland (100-12-8), and Fielding Yost (100-10-4). While Meyer has proved to be a truly good coach, this Saturday’s game may be his toughest regular season test since arriving in Gainesville. After sitting at the head of the college football table for the past four seasons, the Gators and Meyer are rebuilding, and find themselves in a position unknown in recent years. The Gators are 9 point underdogs to Alabama.
SEC football will be at its finest this Saturday evening. Arguably the best conference in the nation, the SEC, will showcase two football powerhouses fighting for supremacy in the SEC arms race. The game could also be a preview of the SEC Championship game that will be played in Atlanta this December. Nick Saban and Urban Meyer have become college football’s Gorbachev and Reagan. The two can be interchanged when talking about college football’s best coach, and both have a passion and drive to produce and command greatness. No matter what the outcome is in Tuscaloosa, what is guaranteed is another great episode in the Florida vs. Alabama rivalry.
