Florida is the defending SEC East champ, but that might not be the case if it weren’t for a late field goal when Vanderbilt came to The Swamp a year ago.

The Commodores gave the Gators all they could handle last November, as it took a late field goal for UF to secure a 9-7 win and clinch the division.

Last week, one SEC East coach got a signature win by beating Florida. For Derek Mason, avenging last year’s heartbreaker with a victory against the Gators would certainly qualify as a signature win, but Vanderbilt goes into the game a 10-point underdog at home.

Are the Commodores in position to pull the upset this time? Here’s a position-by-position look at how the two teams matchup:

When Florida has the ball

QB Austin Appleby vs. Vanderbilt pass defense: While Luke Del Rio practiced some this week, all signs point to the Gators going with Appleby as the starter in Nashville. In Appleby’s start last week against Tennessee, Florida coaches displayed a lot of trust in the Purdue transfer, despite his past interception numbers (19 in his career entering the game).

Appleby looked plenty comfortable in his first start, going 23-of-39 for 296 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Pass protection was a big issue for UF against the Volunteers, particularly in the second half, but it’s unlikely that will be an issue again Saturday.

The Commodores are last in the SEC in sacks, having only registered just three. VU is also No. 14 in pass defense, allowing 274.8 yards per game.

Edge: Florida

UF running back committee vs. Vanderbilt run defense: After three weeks of dominance, the Gators’ ground game ran into serious trouble against Tennessee. The four backs used in the committee totaled 24 carries for 82 yards. Jordan Scarlett had a solid average of 4.4 yards per carry (10 rushes, 44 yards), but that alone isn’t going to cut it.

The bigger issue for Florida was that the run game failed to get any second-half drives going. The Gators’ offense was going three-and-out as Tennessee took advantage of a tired defense to score 35 consecutive points.

Jim McElwain called Vanderbilt LB Zach Cunningham the most underrated player on either side of the ball, and he’ll be someone to watch as the Commodores try to stop the UF running backs. Through four weeks, Vanderbilt has been near the bottom of the SEC in rushing defense (No. 11), giving up 177.8 yards per game. Vandy had no answers in a decisive loss to run-oriented Georgia Tech.

Edge: Push

WR Antonio Callaway vs. Vanderbilt CB Torren McGaster: The Commodores had one of the best secondary units in the SEC last season, and McGaster led the way with 13 pass breakups. He’ll want to keep the ball out of Callaway’s hands, because once the sophomore has possession, he’s a real threat to take it to the house.

Callaway is the SEC’s top wideout in yards per game (111.7), so Vanderbilt will likely give McGaster or any other cornerback some extra help with covering the Gators’ go-to receiver. Callaway set a career high last weekend with 134 receiving yards against Tennessee, but it was all from the first half. Florida will have to find a way to get him the ball in both halves.

Edge: Florida

When Vanderbilt has the ball

QB Kyle Shurmur vs. Florida pass defense: Shurmur will be looking to carry momentum from his late-game heroics against Western Kentucky into the Florida game. He passed for a career-high 279 yards and led Vandy on a game-tying drive in the final minute.

Unfortunately, for him, he can expect to face a much more talented group when it comes to pass rushing and pass coverage.

Vanderbilt’s passing offense has been virtually non-existent much of the season, averaging only 163.8 yards per game. Even after a meltdown against Tennessee, Florida remains the top passing defense in the conference, allowing only 145.2 yards per game.

The Commodores do a decent job protecting Shurmur, as he’s only been sacked seven times. The Gators will be looking to add to their conference-leading 17 sacks on the year.

Edge: Florida

RB Ralph Webb vs. Florida run defense: By the box score alone, Webb’s homecoming performance looked impressive against Florida last season, as the Gainesville native logged 118 yards on 22 carries. When one realizes that 74 of those yards came on one run, the other 21 carries for 44 yards looks less impressive.

Nevertheless, McElwain has his eye on Webb this week.

“We’ve got to make sure we’re ready to go play against a team that obviously has some weapons, starting with their running back,” McElwain said. “A local guy that hit a big one on us last year. This guy, man, the way he plays. He plays with energy. The guy really makes them go.”

Webb’s coach, Derek Mason, had some high praise this week as well, making comparisons to Adrian Peterson on the weekly coaches teleconference.

“I would not trade him for any running back in the nation,” Mason said.

Webb, the conference’s top rusher in total yards (472), will be facing defense that gave up 190 combined rushing yards to Tennessee’s Joshua Dobbs and Jalen Hurd.

Edge: Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt receivers vs. Florida secondary: Without much going on in the passing game, there isn’t a whole lot to talk about when it comes to Vanderbilt’s receiving corps. Trent Sherfield was the standout in 2015 with 659 yards, but that was mostly due to a monster 240-yard in one game (Austin Peay). Freshman Kalija Lipscomb is VU’s leading pass-catcher in receptions (11), yards (146) and touchdowns (2) so far this season.

One of those receivers will likely be dealing with Quincy Wilson most of the day, and that will result in a quiet stat line.

And the one not dealing with Wilson will be matched up with CB Teez Tabor, a likely first-round draft pick. Tabor had a rough day against Tennessee, losing his footing on what turned out to be the Vols’ go-ahead touchdown, but he’ll be extra motivated to bounce back.

It’s also a homecoming of sorts for Tabor, as Vanderbilt Stadium is the site of one of the first highlights that got him noticed on the national stage.

Edge: Florida

Special Teams

Both teams are struggling to get their punt return games going with neither getting five yards per return.

Vanderbilt, however, is getting a lot more out of kick returns than Florida. The Commodores are No. 3 in the SEC, averaging 24.2 yards per return, while the Gators are No. 11 getting only 18.5 yards per return.

UF can somewhat even the field position battle when it comes to the punting game. Florida punter Johnny Townsend leads the SEC, averaging 49.5 yards per punt. Vanderbilt’s Sam Loy checks in at No. 8 with 41.2 yards per punt.

Loy’s average, however, is somewhat misleading as he’s often being asked to set opponents up inside their own 20-yard line. Vanderbilt has downed nine punts inside the 20, while Florida has only managed to do that four times.

Edge: Vanderbilt