When LSU visited Ben Hill Griffin Stadium last season, the result was one of the grimiest, grittiest games Florida has played in recent years.
The Gators muscled out a 14-6 victory on the shoulders of tailback Mike Gillislee, who pounded his way to 146 yards and scored both of UF’s touchdowns.
But this year’s iteration of the annual matchup will have a different feel to it when the No. 17 Gators (4-1, 3-0 Southeastern Conference) play the No. 10 Tigers (5-1, 2-1 SEC) on Saturday in Tiger Stadium.
In 2012, LSU’s biggest threat was its defense. The Tigers finished No. 9 in the country in rush defense and ranked eighth nationally in total defense.
This year, LSU is banking on its offense to carry the team.
Tigers quarterback Zach Mettenberger has emerged after a disappointing 2012 campaign. The senior tossed only 12 touchdowns last year and seven interceptions. He has already eclipsed the first mark — Mettenberger has thrown 15 touchdowns through six games — while keeping turnovers to a minimum.
“He throwing that thing, man,” linebacker Antonio Morrison said. “[He’s] looking like a NFL quarterback.”
Mettenberger is averaging 89 more yards per game this season than he did in 2012. His completion percentage is up 9.4 points.
“He’s more mature,” defensive back Jaylen Watkins said. “He has a year under his belt at LSU with those receivers.
“He has a connection with all three of them. It’s a really good connection at that.”
The Tigers return their top receiving threat, Odell Beckham Jr. The junior wideout finished last season with 713 yards on 43 receptions and will likely surpass those numbers this season.
Beckham has already accumulated 686 yards on 35 receptions and has brought in six touchdowns. Last year, the biggest impact he had in the game against UF was fumbling a 56-yard pass from Mettenberger that Matt Elam punched out and De’Ante Saunders recovered.
Both Elam and Saunders are gone, but Beckham returns.
“He’s not a big guy, but he’s very fast,” Watkins said. “He plays great. That’s the same for all of [the receivers]. They’re not tall, but they can all go up and get the ball like they are 6-3, 6-4.”
Florida rattled Mettenberger when he visited The Swamp last year. The defense sacked him four times and held LSU’s running backs to 59 yards, making Tigers offensive coordinator Greg Studrawa put the ball in Mettenberger’s hands.
Mettenberger completed fewer than half of his passes in the absence of a running game, but now LSU has a more potent ground attack and a new offensive coordinator to go with it.
Tigers coach Les Miles brought in Cam Cameron in the offseason, and under Cameron, LSU is averaging 197.3 yards per game on the ground.
Halfback Jeremy Hill has been electric for the Tigers this year, averaging 7.5 yards per carry and 118.8 yards per game.
Against Florida last year, Hill had the best average of any LSU running back — rushing for 8 yards on two carries. The Gators return a rush defense just as strong as the one that stifled the Tigers last year.
“They’re very talented,” coach Will Muschamp said. “Jeremy Hill, (Terrence) Magee, (Alfred) Blue, (Kenny) Hilliard. All guys that are going to be physical and get the ball north and south.”
It is going to be a battle of strengths when Florida goes to Baton Rouge, La., on Saturday. Both teams will try to establish their identities and take control of the game.
The Tigers will try to neutralize the Gators’ elite defense with a combination of a deep passing game and explosive running attack.
Florida will attempt to replicate last season’s result with the same method — pound the ball on the ground and rock LSU with the defense.
But Muschamp said he did not care how Florida wins, as long as the Gators come back with a victory.
“I want to win.,” he said. “If it takes 51-50, let’s go.”
Follow Adam Lichtenstein on Twitter @alichtenstein24.
Jaylen Watkins (14) tackles Arkansas wide receiver Javontee Herndon (19) during Florida’s 30-10 win against the Razorbacks on Oct. 5, 2013, in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Watkins was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth round of the NFL Draft on Saturday.
