The University of Florida won the national championship last season, but did not go unbeaten. And don't think the Gators haven't forgotten who gave them their one loss.
On Saturday night in Gainesville, the No. 4 Gators (4-0, 2-0 SEC) host Auburn (2-2, 0-1 SEC), which upset then-No. 2 Florida last season, 27-16.
Florida has since won 11 in a row, including that national crown, and goes for a school-record-tying 12th on Saturday night. UF is tied with LSU for second-best winning streak in the nation behind Wisconsin (13).
Last season, Auburn held the Gators to 279 total yards and forced three turnovers, but this year's UF offense is much better with Tim Tebow now the starting QB. Florida ranks sixth nationally with a 49.3 scoring average and has had at least 500 total yards of offense in every game.
"We know what type of team they have. We are going to have to be ready to go after them and fly to the football on every snap," Tigers defensive tackle Pat Sims said.
Let's get to the good news for Auburn: The Tigers have won four straight and eight of nine against Top 10 opponents, and they have won 12 of 13 SEC road games, including six in a row. In addition, Florida is coming off a struggle at Ole Miss and could be looking ahead to next week's showdown with No. 2 LSU.Tebow says that won't be the case: "They are still one of the top teams in the SEC. "Everybody is pretty focused on Auburn. It is a huge game."
Now for reality: Auburn can't match up offensively with Tebow's Gators.
Tigers senior QB Brandon Cox was expected to be one of the top quarterbacks in the SEC this season, but he has been inconsistent, completing only 53.2 percent of his passes for 571 yards with three touchdowns and six interceptions. Cox actually was benched last week against New Mexico State for freshman Kodi Burns, but Cox relieved Burns and led the Tigers to a 55-20 victory. Cox will start Saturday.
The Gators offense, meanwhile, has no issues, scoring on 24 of its 26 possessions inside the red zone, including 21 touchdowns. Tebow has jumped into the Heisman race despite being only a sophomore, as he ranks third nationally with a 198.0 passer rating and is fifth in total offense with 363.5 yards per game.
Florida is averaging 517.8 total ypg, with Tebow leading the team in rushing with 358 yards and seven scores, while throwing for 1,096 yards and 10 touchdowns while completing 68.4 percent of his passes.
Florida is -17.5 on WagerWeb.com, and there is no doubt the Gators will improve to 14-0 in September under Coach Urban Meyer. If UF is caught looking to LSU, this could be close for a half.
NCAA betting lines at WagerWeb Online Sportsbook
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