The Gators will take on an unfamiliar role Saturday œ underdog.
No. 9 UF will travel to Baton Rouge to take on No. 1 LSU in one of the most anticipated matchups of the college football season.
The game will also be a chance for the Gators (4-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) to rebound from last week?s loss to Auburn.
BThis is a great opportunity to come out here and shock the world because I know nobody believes in us,C wide receiver Andre Caldwell said. BLike I tell some of my teammates, I?d hate to be the team that?s got to play us this week because we?re hungry. Auburn broke our hearts, and we?re looking for a little revenge on whoever?s next.C
Getting that revenge won?t be too easy for UF, as it marches into one of the game?s most hostile environments and faces the nation?s best defense.
The Tigers (5-0, 2-0 SEC) are allowing less than 175 yards per game and have only given up two touchdowns in a game once.
BThey?re definitely a challenge,C UF center Drew Miller said. BI?m not going to say they are the same as anybody else, because they are one of the best defenses. It?s nothing we can?t handle, though.C
The Gators are averaging more than 476 yards per game, but their production has dropped off in the last two contests.
BThey?ve been taking away a lot of our weapons,C Caldwell said. BThey haven?t been giving a lot of deep balls like we had earlier in the year. Teams are just doing a great job against us, getting around the other weapons we?ve got on offense and limiting us to two players.C
Those two players have been Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin, who accounted for more than 75 percent of the Gators? rushing yards in the last two games.
The offense could get a boost this week with the probable return of Caldwell, who missed the Tennessee and Mississippi games with a knee injury before playing sparingly against Auburn.
UF coach Urban Meyer has yet to announce that Caldwell will start, but the senior has already made up his mind.
BIt?s written in stone,C he said. BIt?s a done deal. I wouldn?t let them sit me out this game. I?m going regardless. This is one of them games, whatever?s wrong with you, you?re going to get over it, do whatever it takes to get on that field, and I?m going to do that.C
LSU is also dealing with some injury problems.
Wide receiver Early Doucet will most likely not suit up for the game because of a groin injury.
Meanwhile, Meyer has yet to determine whether UF safety Tony Joiner will play after he was charged with a felony for entering a tow lot to retrieve his girlfriend?s car.
The key to the game may be turnovers.
The Tigers have turned the ball over five times in each of the last two meetings, including a 23-10 win by UF last year.
Facing the nation?s top-ranked team seems to be serving as a little extra motivation for the Gators.
BThat makes it a little more sweet if we beat them,C Caldwell said. BI was happy Sunday morning when I woke up and saw they jumped USC to No. 1. You want to beat the No. 1 team. They would have gotten my vote this week (at No. 1) just to play us.C
