There are a ton of story lines heading into this ball game. Urban Meyer and long time assistant Dan Mullen will meet as opponents for the first time. Mullen has done a great job making Miss. St. more athletic than usual, but he still doesn't quite have the players necessary to run the offense that he wants. Tyson Lee is definitely not fooling anyone into thinking he's a great QB.
The Gators have historically struggled in the state of Mississippi. Even when S.O.S. roamed the sidelines, Florida had trouble with the cow bells of Starkville. We all know what took place under the Zooker in the Magnolia State. I guess as Gator fans, we all owe a debt of gratitude to the Maroon and White. Even Urb has struggled in David Banner country. He barely snuck out a victory against a very bad Ole Miss team back in 2006 in Oxford.
One thing I do like about this Mississippi St. is Anthony Dixon. Going back to last year, Dixon has been my favorite non-Gator in the nation. His hard running style is finally starting to gain him the attention that he deserves. His defender-destroying touchdown run two weeks ago was a thing of beauty. I hope he continues his success. Just not this week....
5 Keys to the Game
1. Give Moody the ball! - I know this has become a running joke on this blog. I state that the
Gators need to get Manny more touches. It's usually the last key I mention every week. However, this week I really man it. We have got to get Emmanuel Moody more touches! This is even more important due to the fact that Chris Rainey couldn't run his way out of a paper bag with a lead blocker right now. Give 21 the rock!2. Make the most of Red Zone opportunities - One thing that was lost in last week's close call vs. Arkansas was the fact that Florida basically moved the ball at will. Even though Tebow found his way under a defensive linemen more times than Paris Hilton, he was still able to move his team up and down the field. That is, until they reached the end zone. Then, per usual, the Gators would proceed so shit all over themselves as they fumbled the ball away. They have got to get that problem fixed if they want to remain unblemished.
3. Avoid Turnovers - This is the area that almost did in the Gators last week. If you look back to all of the Gators' losses and close calls under Urb the common thread is turnovers. Avoid turnovers and Florida will win. It's as simple as that.
4. Tackle - Seems pretty straightforward. Last Saturday was the first time I've seen the Gators' D miss that many tackles since 2007. Dennis Johnson looked like the reincarnation of Earl Campbell the way he was shedding Florida defenders. If the D thought they had their hands full with Johnson, just wait until they meet Mr. Dixon running the football. Speaking of...
5. Contain Anthony Dixon - If the Gators tackle the way they did against Arkansas, Dixon could go for 200 yards Saturday Night. If Florida can hold Dixon to an average performance, the Bulldogs will not be able to rely on Tyson Lee and the passing game. It would be a long day for Mississippi St.
5 Players That Need to Step Up.
1. Emmanuel Moody - I've already discussed why Manny deserves to get more carries. If, by some miracle, the Gator coaching staff does get Moody more touches, he'll have to prove that he won't screw up like earlier in the season.
2. Chris Rainey - To this point in the season, Chris Rainey has done little to warrant his role as a feature back on this team. This could be sour grapes on my part because he's keeping Moody on the bench, but it seems like everytime Rainey touches the ball it's a 2 yard gain at best. His stats don't prove my theory, but we have to take in the fact that his numbers are bloated by some big runs against Charleston Southern and Troy.
3.Brandon James - I'm calling for James to step up both in the return game as well as within the offense. Outside of Riley Cooper and Aaron Hernandez, the Gators have nothing in the form of a
receiving threat. I'm letting Deonte Thompson off the hook this week and focusing on the Gators' third and fourth receiving options. By the way, whatever happened to the world's most dangerous kick-off return man? He's gone missing for the last 8 months.4. Major Wright - Since I've been focusing on tackling on the defensive side of the ball, it's only fitting that the worst tackler of all, Major Wright, represents the defense on this list. Don't get me wrong, I love me some Major Wright. If he could get this whole tackling thing down, he could be something special. Wright's presence will be crucial in helping the Gators' D stop the run.
5. David Nelson - You can pretty much apply everything I said about B. James in thepassing game to David Nelson. Except the fact that Nelson actually is a wide receiver. We're just pass the halfway point, time for Nelson to make his usual late season surge.
What Florida should worry about....
This is actually a pretty funny thread poking fun at the Gators over at Six Pack Speak. I encourage you to check it out.
My Prediction:
Florida - 34
Mississippi St. - 6
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