This isn’t a game many people expected to be a top-10 matchup, but Tiger Stadium is getting one of the weekend’s biggest games Saturday night when No. 8 Florida travels to Baton Rouge to take on No. 6 LSU.
How to watch Florida vs. LSU on TV or online, plus 3 things to know
The Gators are undefeated but will be without starting quarterback Will Grier, who was suspended this week for the rest of the season. That leaves sophomore Treon Harris likely starting under center for Florida. Harris played significant time during the second half of last season with modest success. He had one 200-yard passing game (against Vanderbilt) and one 100-yard rushing game (against South Carolina).
However, the talented Florida defense is still intact, and they will do their best against LSU's Heisman front-runner Leonard Fournette, who has toyed with college football so far this season. He already has more than 1,000 yards running through just five games, averaging 8.6 yards per carry. Is Florida's defense good enough to slow him down and remain the SEC East favorite?
How to watch, stream and listen
TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN, Brad Nessler, Todd Blackledge, Holly Rowe
Online streaming: WatchESPN
Spread: LSU favored by 9.5 points.
Make friends: Get to SB Nation’s team blog chats for this game at And The Valley Shook (for LSU fans) and Alligator Army (for Florida fans).
Three big things to know
1. SEC Divisional Races: Whichever team wins the game will have a solid lead in its respective division. Florida would be a clear favorite for the East, as they would have a two-game lead over the rest of the division, and would have already beaten LSU and Ole Miss -- arguably the two toughest games in their SEC schedule. LSU would still have a tough road, with Alabama, Texas A&M and Ole Miss still on deck, but they would control their own destiny with a victory over Florida.
2. Talkin’ Bout Fournette: Florida defensive lineman Jon Bullard is looking forward to the challenge of defending Fournette, saying, “He’s nothing we can’t stop.” At least that’s what many headlines read. The full quote is actually, “He’s the best back in the league. We’re just gonna have to rally to the ball and tackle him. He’s nothing that we can’t stop, but we do have to rally to the ball because he’s an excellent athlete.” Bullard did give him proper respect, but will that be enough?
You might recall Auburn safety Ruby Ford making a similar statement last month, to which Fournette responded with a 228-yard performance including a 71-yard burst on the first play of the game. Fournette said afterward he was fueled by a comment made by an Auburn player before the game. Florida's defense is much better than Auburn's so it should be fun to see if Fournette feels similarly fueled.
3. Still a Defensive Battle: Fournette and Grier will dominate the headlines, but these two teams are still built on great defenses. The Gators rank ninth nationally in defensive S&P+ and give up only 14.3 points per game. LSU’s numbers aren’t quite that good, but still only allow a respectable 22 points per game. Fournette’s explosiveness has made up for it, but the Tigers still hit as hard as ever.
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