Three biggest keys to the Florida-Alabama matchup
While No. 2 Alabama is an 18-point favorite going into the SEC championship game, No. 18 Florida can still win by capitalizing on the three major keys of this matchup.
Here are the biggest questions going into the SEC Championship matchup.
1. Which offense will come to win? There’s no way around it. The Gators offense is on the verge of utter collapse. Gators QB Treon Harris was just 19 of 38 for 134 yards against Florida State last week, and the ground game only added 128 yards to the total. This isn’t a new trend for Florida, and it needs to turn things around to have a chance against the No. 2 defense in the country this week.
Alabama struggled in rivalry week, too. Other than Tide RB Derrick Henry’s monster game, the offense didn’t produce a great deal. More than half of Alabama’s points were scored by PK Adam Griffith. It was an unimpressive performance against a less-than-stellar defense, and this week the Tide will be facing a much tougher defense in the Gators.
With RB Kenyan Drake’s injury and the relative greenness of backups Damien Harris and Bo Scarbrough, Henry will again be the main source of offense for the Tide, but Florida doesn’t believe Henry will be enough to get Alabama the win. Tide QB Jake Coker will have to step up and make some big plays to help his offense walk away as SEC champs.
2. Can Florida recover from the humiliating fall to Florida State? Florida’s 27-2 loss to Florida State was downright embarrassing. The Gators avoided a shutout, but their only points came on a safety in the fourth quarter. They were schooled by Florida State for the fifth time in six years.
Much like Alabama, Florida struggled in the red zone, turning the ball over on a failed fourth down and having a field goal blocked. Those were the only two trips Florida made to the red zone in a game many in Gainesville would rather forget.
Then again, the loss to the Seminoles took away any playoff hopes the Gators had, and it left them with nothing to lose. A team with nothing to lose is a dangerous team to play.
3. How will Tide players perform amidst the Kirby Smart drama? Following the release of Mark Richt, numerous reports indicated that Georgia wanted Tide defensive coordinator Kirby Smart to be the new Bulldogs head coach. Drama ensued, and we can’t help but wonder how much effect it will have on the mentality of the Crimson Tide this weekend.
We already know Tide head coach Nick Saban is sick of being asked about it, but what about the players? They may not be allowed to talk to the media, but their friends and family also have questions, and these kids will undoubtedly be feeling the emotional side effects of the uncertainty.
While we don’t know for sure yet if Smart will take the job in Athens, we do know he will be leading Alabama through the postseason, and this week he faces off against former Tide offensive coordinator and current Gators head coach Jim McElwain. Smart and McElwain had their squads going up against each other in practice for four years. They know each other well, and the familiarity will likely play a large role in how this championship game goes.
There are a lot of questions as we head into the 2015 SEC Championship, but these three seem to be the most pressing.