Know Your Enemy

The Bulldogs did what was expected of them last Saturday with a solid win over a depleted Houston team. That win gave MSU it's first 3-game win streak since 2007... Meanwhile the upcoming Gators are experiencing some history of their own, but not the good kind, like you want. It seems Florida has lost back-to-back games for the first time since... 2007. So this match-up has some big-time implications for both schools.

Much has been made of the fact that Dan Mullen was the offensive coordinator for Florida during the 06 and 08 National Championship seasons. Mullen knows Urban Meyer and the much maligned Steve Addazio, who has replaced Mullen as OC for the Gators. Now obviously that works both ways, as the Florida staff is familiar with Mullen as well, but the bottom line is this knowledge could provide advantages to whomever makes the most of it... and so I give you:

Know Your Enemy

Hey yo, and get with this...uggh!
Word is born
Fight the war, fuck the norm
Now I got no patience
So sick of complacence
With the D the E the F the I the A the N the C the E
Mind of a revolutionary
So clear the lane
The finger to the land of the chains
What?
The land of the free?
Whoever told you that is your enemy

Now something must be done
About vengeance, a badge and a gun
So rip the mike, rip the stage, rip the system
I was born to rage against 'em

Now action must be taken!
We don't need the key,
We'll break in!

I've got no patience now,
So sick of complacence now.
I've got no patience now,
So sick of complacence now.
Sick of sick of sick of sick of you...
Time has come to pay...
Know your enemy!

Somewhere Zach de la Rocha's skin is crawling as I redefine his lyrics to describe college football instead of political revolution. So be it.

The Bulldogs enter this game in good position to keep their hopes of a bowl game alive, sitting at 4-2 on the season with 6 games left to play. Of those six, three are widely considered winnable, namely UAB, Kentucky and The Ole Miss Rebel Black Bears Jamboree and Petting Zoo.

That leaves games against Florida, Alabama and Arkansas, three perennial powerhouses of recent history in the SEC. Of these three, Florida looks to be the most winnable, and even beating a "bad" Florida team will improve post-season bowl stock for the Bulldogs.

KEYS TO THE GAME -
OFFENSE - The MSU offense appears to be firing on all cylinders after a rough start to the season. Chris Relf has improved his passing, leading to fewer INT's, and appears to have rediscovered his ability to run the ball when plays and pockets collapse. The key here is to continue the accuracy in the passing game. Florida's secondary is very talented and highly athletic, and sloppy passing is an open invitation to the pick-6 party.
Vick Ballard and the O-line will try to establish the running game, and have done so quite well in recent weeks, albeit against non-SEC competition. They must continue to refine their ground game and bust Florida in the chops in order to open up enough room for the passing game.

DEFENSE - Manny Diaz has the defense performing admirably, but that won't be enough to keep the Gators off the scoreboard this weekend. Even a Florida team sans Tebow and Harvin is still a legitimate scoring threat, and they are very fast at every position. It will be up to Diaz and the D to keep their heads on straight and focus on every play... go to sleep on one play and you'll wake up with a Gator in the end-zone.
John Brantley has been serviceable as a QB, however during the LSU game last week I noticed he spent an inordinant amount of time in the pocket on several plays, many of which resulted in lost yardage, lost downs or lost footballs. MSU will be blitzing from all sides, trying to get to Brantley and pressure him into making poor decisions with the ball.

BOTTOM LINE -
QB PRESSURE - Getting to Brantley is the key to winning this game. In the seconds or even milliseconds it takes for Brantley to recognize where the pressure is coming from, make a decision and move the ball the MSU secondary must lock down his options down the field. Show him a wall of Maroon and the Bulldogs have a fighting chance to saunter out of the Swamp winners. Show him swiss cheese and watch him shred it all day long.

WILD AND WOOLLY PREDICTION -
MSU 27 UF 21

REALISTIC PREDICITON -
MSU 17 UF 27