College Game of The Week: #8 Florida at #6 LSU
To say #8 Florida at #6 LSU is an interesting matchup is like saying “Bear” Bryant was a decent football coach: it’s a bit of an understatement.
This game is likely to set the tone for the rest of Florida’s season, which isn’t looking as bright as it was just last week. The Gators' starting quarterback, Will Grier, has been suspended for a calendar year – yeah, not just the rest of the season – for testing positive for performance enhancing drugs. The Gators are currently riding an undefeated wave, as are the Tigers.
With Grier out, the Gators will look to sophomore Treon Harris to lead them to victory. Harris, who was suspended earlier this year for an unspecified violation of team rules, started the last 6 games of the 2014 season. He finished with a 4-2 record with 1,019 yards, 9 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. He was suspended last year during the LSU game for accusations of sexual battery but was allowed back after the claims were taken back.
Basically, the Gators aren’t destined to drown… yet. There’s still a pretty good chance they protect their undefeated record and come home with a W.
Regardless of the QB situation, to win this game Florida is going to have to find a way to stop running back Leonard Fournette. The sophomore, who you can find on the current cover of Sports Illustrated, has been called a better talent than Herschel Walker – arguably the best running back to ever play college ball – by Walker himself.
Fournette averages 200 yards a game, has scored 12 of 22 LSU touchdowns so far this season, and is a favorite to win the Heisman this year. Plus, he seems to be a really good guy, for whatever that’s worth in college football. (Answer: nothing)
I say it every week, but I’ll say it again: This season seems like one where “anything can happen,” but it’s probably a pretty safe bet LSU is going to protect their house on Saturday.
Watch #8 Florida at #6 LSU at 7pm ET Saturday on ESPN.
Other games on Sling TV this weekend (all times Eastern):
Friday
Cincinnati at BYU, 8pm Friday, ESPN
#24 University of Houston at Tulane, 9pm Friday, ESPNU
UNLV at Fresno State, 10:30pm Friday, ESPN2
Saturday
South Florida at Connecticut, 12pm Saturday, ESPNU
Tulsa at East Carolina 12pm Saturday, ESPNews
#17 Iowa at #20 Northwestern, 12pm Saturday, ESPN2
#13 Ole Miss at Memphis, 12pm Saturday, ESPN2
Louisiana Tech at Mississippi State 12pm Saturday, SEC Network
Louisville at #11 Florida State, 12pm Saturday, ESPN
Virginia Tech at Miami, 3:30pm Saturday, ESPNU
#7 Michigan State at #12 Michigan, 3:30pm Saturday, ESPN
Nebraska at Minnesota, 3:30pm Saturday, ESPN2
Vanderbilt at South Carolina, 4pm Saturday, SEC Network
#8 Florida at #6 LSU, 7pm Saturday, ESPN
Boston College at #5 Clemson, 7pm Saturday, ESPNU
#3 TCU at Iowa State, 7pm Saturday, ESPN2
Missouri at Georgia, 7:30pm Saturday, SEC Network
Arizona State at #4 Utah, 8pm Saturday, ESPN
Oregon at Washington, 10:30pm Saturday, ESPN2
San Diego State at San Jose State, 10:30pm Saturday, ESPNU