Advertisement
football Edit

LSU-Florida pre-game notebook

Saturday's matchup will pit the two highest-rated teams in a game at Tiger Stadium in 50 years when No. 1 LSU beat No. 3 Ole Miss 7-3.
The Tigers have a 2-8-1 record against teams ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press poll. One of those victories came against Florida in Tiger Stadium in 1997 (28-21). The other victory came against Ohio State in the 2007 BCS title game in the Superdome (38-24).
Advertisement
LSU has won 21 straight night games at home and 32 consecutive Saturday night games at home. The Tigers have a losing record (13-15) at home against the Gators.
LSU has won four of the past seven meetings with Florida. That stretch is the Tigers' best since they beat the Gators four consecutive times from 1977-1980.
Since the Southeastern Conference expanded in 1992, LSU has shut out 14 opponents. Alabama and Auburn also have 14 shutouts during that stretch which are the most for any conference team.
The Tigers are last in the SEC in total offense (321.6 yards), sacks (five), sacks allowed (13) and third-down defense (41.9 percent conversion rate). LSU is the only conference team without a fourth-down conversion (0-for-5).
Since becoming Tigers coach, Les Miles has an 8-5 record against teams ranked in the top ten. Under Miles, the LSU has a 10-6 record against SEC East teams. LSU has a 12-5 record at Tiger Stadium in conference games with Miles as coach.
Miles is now fourth on LSU's all-time coaching victories list with 47. With his next victory, Miles will tie Nick Saban for third place on the school rankings.
In his coaching career, Miles has a 1-2 record against top-ranked teams. His 2003 Oklahoma State team lost to No. 1 Oklahoma 52-9. At LSU, Miles' teams beat No. 1 Ohio State in the 2007 BCS title game and lost to No. 1 Alabama last year.
LSU's fourth-quarter comeback victory at Georgia was its 12th since Miles became coach. Two of those victories came against Florida (21-17 in 2005 and 28-24 in 2007).
ESPN College GameDay will be in Baton Rouge for the eighth time. The Tigers have won five of the previous seven games. The only losses came against Alabama in 1996 (26-0) and 2008 (27-21).
Brandon LaFell is the active SEC leader in receptions (141), receiving yards (2,007) and touchdown catches (19). LaFell needs one catch to break a tie with Craig Davis and move into sole possession of eighth place on LSU's all-time list.
LaFell needs 40 receiving yards to pass early Early Doucet for eighth place on the school's all-time rankings. He needs one touchdown catch to tie Doucet for third place on LSU's all-time list.
Richard Dickson needs one touchdown catch to set the school record for a tight end. Dickson and Brad Boyd have ten touchdown receptions.
Charles Scott needs one touchdown to break a tie with Rondell Mealey and Juan Betanzos and move into sole possession of seventh place on the school's all-time scoring list. Scott has scored 198 points.
Scott needs two rushing touchdowns to pass Terry Robiskie for fourth place on LSU's all-time rankings. Scott is the Tigers' top rusher this season with 274 yards on 62 carries.
Jordan Jefferson has completed 63 percent of his passes (80-of-128) for 920 yards and seven touchdowns with two interceptions. Both Terrance Toliver and LaFell have caught 23 passes. LaFell has grabbed five scoring passes.
Trindon Holliday is averaging 25.8 yards on kickoff returns and 8.5 yards on punt returns. Josh Jasper is 8-of-9 on field goals and 13-of-13 on extra points. Jasper's average kickoff has reached the opponent's 8. Derek Helton is averaging 40 yards on 20 punts.
Linebacker Harry Coleman leads the Tigers in tackles with 34. End Rahim Alem has 4½ tackles-for-loss, including two sacks. Cornerback Patrick Peterson has six pass breakups. Safeties Brandon Taylor and Chad Jones have intercepted two passes.
LSU offensive line coach Greg Studrawa coached the same position when Urban Meyer was head coach at Bowling Green in 2001-02. Florida running back coach Kenny Carter handled the outside linebackers for the Tigers under Gerry DiNardo in 1999.
Since the beginning of the 2004 season, LSU and Florida have the best records among the SEC teams. The Tigers are 56-14 (.800), while the Gators are 55-14 (.797).
Saturday's game will be the 11th time the previous two national champions have met. The defending champion has a 4-5-1 record, including four straight losses. In a similar matchup last year, defending champion LSU lost to Florida 51-21.
Among SEC teams, LSU, Alabama and Ole Miss have played the most overtime games - 11. The Tigers and Rebels have six overtime victories, while the Crimson Tide has won four overtime games.
Florida has the longest winning streak in the nation at 14 in a row. That winning streak is the longest in school history. Since Meyer became Gators coach, his team has a 6-1 record against top-five teams.
Meyer's teams at Florida have committed 71 turnovers - the fewest number in the country during that time. His teams have also allowed 231 punt return yards - the fewest number in the nation in that span.
The Gators have not been shut out in 261 games, which is the second longest streak in the country. Michigan has not been held scoreless in 316 games. The last team to blank Florida was Auburn in 1988.
Since the conference expanded in 1992, the Gators have the best record in regular season road league games at 58-18 (.763).
Florida has scored a touchdown or kicked a field goal on 54 percent of their offensive series, which is the highest mark in the SEC. On their 50 possessions, the Gators have scored 22 touchdowns and kicked five field goals.
Opposing offenses have gone three-and-out on 52 percent of their series against Florida, which is the highest mark for SEC defenses. The Gators have forced a three-and-out on 27 of 52 possessions. Florida has allowed two touchdowns, the fewest in the league.
The Gators lead the SEC in points (45.5), points allowed (7.2), total yards (526.2), total yards allowed (212.8), rushing yards (307.5), passing yards allowed (120.0), pass efficiency (174.0 rating) and pass defense efficiency (75.3 rating).
Florida leads the SEC in first downs allowed (12.5) and third-down conversions (59.2 percent). The Gators are first in the SEC in kickoff returns (34.5 average) and kickoff coverage (48.2 net average). LSU is second in kickoff coverage (46.0 net average).
Florida has not thrown an interception in its last 16 games. Meanwhile, the Gators have picked off at least one pass in the past 16 games.
Of all 12 SEC coaches, Meyer has the best overall collegiate record at 87-17 (.837). Excluding Auburn's Gene Chizik, Meyer also has the best record as a SEC coach at 48-9 (.842) and in games against other league teams at 28-8 (.778).
Tim Tebow needs just two touchdowns passing and/or rushing to become the all-time SEC leader. Tebow trails former Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel who accounted for 122 touchdowns in his career.
Tebow is the active SEC leader in total yards (9,341), pass completions (492), passing yards (7,033), touchdown passes (73), rushing touchdowns (47) and rushing yards by a quarterback (2,308).
Brandon James is the all-time SEC leader in return yardage with 3,381 yards. James is the active SEC leader in all-purpose rushing yards (3,861). James needs 26 kickoff return yards to pass Vanderbilt's Mark Johnson for third place on the all-time SEC list.
James leads the SEC in kickoff returns this season with a 34.5 average. James has returned eight kickoffs for 276 yards and one touchdown.
John Brantley has the highest pass efficiency rating in the SEC at 182.3. Brantley has completed 22 of 30 passes for 232 yards and four touchdowns. Tebow is second with an efficiency rating of 170.3.
Jeff Demps is averaging 10.9 yards per carry - the best mark in the country. Chris Rainey is tied for third in the nation with an 8.4 average per attempt. Demps has rushed for 304 yards on 28 carries, while Rainey has gained 261 yards on 31 attempts.
Riley Cooper and Aaron Hernandez are Florida's top pass receivers with 15 catches apiece. Both Cooper and Hernandez have caught two touchdown passes. Cooper is averaging 16.1 yards per reception.
Safety Ahmad Black leads the Gators in tackles with 22. Linebacker Ryan Stamper and end Carlos Dunlap have three tackles-for-loss. Dunlap has two sacks.
Cornerback Janoris Jenkins and safety Major Wright have two pass interceptions. Safety Will Hill has two quarterback-hurries.
Caleb Sturgis has made all five of his field goal attempts and all nine of his extra-point attempts. Sturgis' average kickoff has reached the opponent's 6. Chas Henry is averaging 38.4 yards on ten punts.
Advertisement