The top-ranked Florida Gators welcome the FIU Panthers to Gainesville this weekend for a non-conference contest from Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
The defending national champions are a perfect 10-0 on the season and bring the nation's longest win streak (20 games) into this week's action. The team closed out a flawless SEC slate with last weekend's 24-14 win over South Carolina. It marked the first time Florida has gone undefeated in SEC play since 1996.
Mario Cristobal's Panthers are in way over their heads in this one, as the team has struggled to a 3-7 record thus far, including a 3-4 mark in Sun Belt Conference play. However, the team has played well of late, posting two wins in the last three outings, including a 35-28 decision over North Texas this past weekend.
Florida has won 13 of the 14 meetings between these two teams,
The Panthers have posted mediocre offensive numbers this season, averaging 25.1 ppg, on a pedestrian 322.6 yards per game. Senior signal-caller Paul McCall is clearly the catalyst for FIU, as he has completed 56.5 percent of his passes, for 1,969 yards on the year, with 13 TDs. McCall has spread the ball around, but his favorite two targets are T.Y. Hilton (50 receptions, for 529 yards, five TDs) and Greg Ellingson (31 receptions, for 479 yards, four TDs). Protecting McCall in the pocket is a different story entirely, as the offensive line has given up 32 sacks in the first 10 games.
While the FIU offense has been adequate at times, the defense has been porous at best, allowing an alarming 490.9 yards per contest, getting torched by both the run (238.5 ypg) and the pass (252.4 ypg). The result is an unforgiving 33.4 ppg for the opposition.
Scott Bryant has clearly been the top performer on this side of the football, pacing the team with 89 total tackles, with 4.5 TFLs, 2.0 sacks, one interception and two forced fumbles. Jonathan Cyprien is a distant second on the squad with 59 tackles.
FIU's defense has struggled with average offensive teams, but is in real trouble with Florida's prolific offense this week. The Gators, led by All- American Tim Tebow, are as balanced as any team in the country, churning out 428.7 yards per game, getting 230.6 on the ground and 198.1 through the air.
Tebow leads the way in both categories, rushing for a team-high 604 yards and 10 TDs, while completing 64.6 percent of his passes, for 1,730 yards with 12 TDs and just four interceptions. Tebow gets help on the ground from tailbacks Jeff Demps (7.3 ypc, six TDs) and Chris Rainey (6.2 ypc, three TDs). The vertical game is headlined by tight end Aaron Hernandez (46 receptions, for 571 yards, two TDs) and wideout Riley Cooper (35 receptions, for 593 yards, six TDs).
The offense is made that much more dangerous by the fact that the Gators have one of the best defenses in the country, ranking first in scoring defense (10.5 ppg) and second in pass defense (139.6 ypg) and total defense (233.9 ypg).
All-American candidates Joe Haden (55 tackles, 5.0 TFLs, 3.0 sacks, three INTs) and Ahmad Black (51 tackles, one INT) headline perhaps the nation's top secondaries. Haden was masterful in the win over South Carolina last week, earning SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors, after recording 11 tackles (10 solo), one QB sack and two forced fumbles.
The linebacking corps is led by stars Ryan Stamper (team-high 61 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, two INTs) and Brandon Spikes (45 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, 3.0 sacks, one INT). The defensive line has paced a pass rush that has amassed 29 sacks in the first 10 games. Defensive ends Jermaine Cunningham (11.5 TFLs, 7.0 sacks) and Carlos Dunlap (7.5 TFLs, 6.0 sacks) are difference-makers coming off the edges.
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