The scheduling gods must have a sense of humor as the Gators travel to Baton Rouge to face LSU on Mardi Gras Day. As if Louisiana wasn't crazy enough, and LSU wasn't good enough, Florida trying to get out of the bayou tonight will be like the British leaving Dunkirk.
No. 18 LSU (23-4, 11-1) is easily the surprise of the season. But the Tigers are simply a solid team in a weakened league. Their most notable stat, beyond an 18-1 home record, is that they are one of two teams with two of the top eight scorers in the SEC (Marcus Thornton, Tasmin Mitchell; only Kentucky can match that). In SEC play, LSU is second in offense (78.6 ppg, behind UF) and second in defense (67.3, behind UK).
The Gators (21-6, 8-4) need to think twice before they start chucking threes as LSU leads the league in three-point defense. Not only that, LSU has the ability to dominate the boards and we know Florida always struggles with a physical team.
But Florida needs to steal this game. The Gators are 3-5 this season on the road, with games left at LSU and Mississippi State. Would the committee take a team two games under .500 in road games? (Our poll question addresses this.) Not just that, if UF needs double digit wins in the league, the last four games will be a struggle. UF's last two home games are the annual closer against UK and Sunday against Tennessee. Neither of those games is a lock. Florida can sink or swim in the last two weeks. A win against LSU would keep them above water.