Florida Gators at Alabama Crimson Tide Preview

By Darrell Laurant  |   Friday, September 30, 2005  |  Comments( 0 )

College Football
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So far, new Florida Gators coach Urban Meyer is already on the fast track to becoming an Urban legend in Gainesville. Not only has Meyer successfully plugged QB Chris Leak into his wide-open spread offense (71.1 percent passing for 1037 yards and 9 TDs, 120 passes without an interception), but the No. 5 Gators lead the SEC in total defense and pass defense.

The next four weeks, however, will probably decide where Florida winds up in a talented and contentious conference. After Saturday's game at unbeaten Alabama, the Gators play once-beaten LSU, take a week off, then face nationally ranked Georgia.

Mike Shula's 15th-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide, meanwhile, has started out 4-0 for the first time since 1996. A rushing attack that led the nation in 2004 is led by junior running back Kenneth Darby, and QB Brodie Croyle (whose father played for Bear Bryant) has picked up where he left off before missing half of last season to an ankle injury.

The game at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa (3:30 p.m. kickoff) will be the first meeting of the two perennial powers since 1999, and the first time that the Florida Gators and Alabama Crimson Tide has met as unbeatens since 1964. It will also be homecoming for star Gator WR Chad Jackson (6 TDs in 2005), who played his high school football in Hoover, AL before taking his Parade All-America talents out of state.

"Some people there probably hate me," Jackson admitted to ESPN.

Florida's defense is led by DE Jeremy Mincey and DB's Dee Webb and Vernell Brown, but will be missing leading pass rusher Ray McDonald, injured in the Tennessee game.
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