Colorado State @ Florida preview

It's back to business for Florida after its shocking 27-16 home loss to Kentucky that ended the Gators' 31-game winning streak over the Wildcats and knocked Dan Mullen's team out of the top 25. Next up at home Saturday is their first-ever meeting with a Colorado State team coming off its first victory of the season, 34-27 over Arkansas thanks to scoring 25 unanswered points in the final 18 minutes with the winning touchdown coming with eight seconds left.

"I want to see, now that we got punched in the face with a little bit of adversity, how we handle that aspect," Mullen told reporters. "Are we still taking the steps forward necessary to be successful?" The Gators expected to suffer some growing pains in Mullen's first year in Gainesville but it's the way they have been struggling that has been a surprise as their talented offensive and defensive lines have been pushed around, even by undersized Charleston Southern in the opener. In the loss to Kentucky on Saturday, Florida was outrushed 303-128 - the first time the Gators allowed more than 300 yards rushing since 2014 - and the Wildcats averaged 7.4 yards per carry, while their own ground game spent the first half completely bottled up with just 51 yards on 17 carries (3.0 yards per carry). The story is much the same for Mike Bobo's Rams up front, where they too have been manhandled on both sides of the line of scrimmage, and outgained 800-317 on the ground in three games, including 299-40 in Saturday's comeback shocker against Arkansas.

TV: 4 p.m. ET, SEC Network. LINE: Florida -20.

ABOUT COLORADO STATE (1-2): The Rams really struggled their first two games so Saturday's comeback win gives them hope, beginning with the performance of quarterback K.J. Carta-Samuels, a grad transfer who rebounded from a poor first half to complete 22 of 27 passes for 287 yards and two touchdowns in the final two quarters against Arkansas. "It shows that we fight, no matter what," Carta-Samuels told reporters. "No matter if we're down by 40. Whatever, we're gonna fight and we're gonna try to score. We think we can be in any game." The Rams' defense surrendered over 40 points in each of the first two games and they looked like it was on its way to a repeat midway through the third quarter Saturday with 34 points allowed, but the unit completely shut down Arkansas when it counted, particularly in the fourth quarter, when the Razorbacks were held to just 16 yards.

ABOUT FLORIDA (1-1): The surprising lack of a ground game is putting pressure on quarterback Feleipe Franks, and while the sophomore is maturing -- he threw for 232 yards with two TDs and one interception vs. Kentucky -- he isn't ready to shoulder the full burden just yet. The Gators' running woes are worrisome since the line was expected to be a strength, led by preseason All-SEC left tackle Martez Ivey, but the unit is hoping to get back on track with more physicality against Colorado State in preparation for the tough SEC defensive fronts that are ahead. The defense also needs to work on its toughness after the Wildcats overpowered the front line but the lapses were everywhere as they missed 20 tackles against Kentucky that led to 168 yards in gains.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Gators have won 17 consecutive games against first-time opponents.

2. Colorado State's victory over Arkansas last week was just its third ever against current SEC members.

3. In his final four seasons at Mississippi State, Mullen went 10-5 in games following a loss.

PREDICTION: Florida 34, Colorado State 17