Florida @ Louisiana State preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 11, 2014 ) Louisiana State 30, Florida 27

A daunting challenge already awaited Florida when the 11th-ranked Gators visit No. 5 LSU on Saturday in a showdown of SEC division leaders, but the task got much tougher when freshman quarterback Will Grier was suspended for the remainder of the season Monday. Not having Grier, who tested positive for performance enhancing drugs, is a blow to the Florida offense, and the Gators’ defense will have its hands full trying to slow down sophomore Leonard Fournette -- the nation’s leading rusher.

Fournette has rushed for 1,022 yards and 12 touchdowns while averaging 8.6 yards per carry, leading a LSU rushing attack that sits third in the nation with 346.4 yards per contest. But the Tigers showed more diversity on offense in last week’s 45-24 victory over South Carolina, getting a career day from quarterback Brandon Harris while Derrius Guice and Darrel Williams combined to rush for 222 yards and three scores. The Gators will present the strongest challenge the Tigers have faced to date, giving up just 14.3 points per game (second in the SEC) and smothering Missouri in last week’s 21-3 victory. Sophomore Treon Harris, who started Florida’s final six games in 2014 along with this year’s opener, takes over for Grier, who had passed for 10 touchdowns while completing 65.8 percent of his passes.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: LSU --9.5

ABOUT FLORIDA (6-0, 4-0 SEC): Grier averaged 200.7 passing yards per game while helping launch the Gators to the top of the SEC East, and there figures to be a significant drop-off to Harris, who completed 49.6 percent of his attempts in 2014. Running back Kelvin Taylor has recovered from a slow start, averaging 94.7 yards per contest in his past three games with four touchdowns. Defensive linemen Jonathan Bullard (4.5 sacks), Alex McCalister (four) and Joey Ivie (3.45) lead a defense that has held four opponents to 13 points or less.

ABOUT LSU (5-0, 3-0 SEC): Guice earned SEC freshman of the week honors while rushing for 161 yards against South Carolina, but Fournette is the focal point as he continues to put together an epic season. Fournette is the fastest player in SEC history to top 1,000 rushing yards after finishing with 158 on 20 carries a week ago, and Brandon Harris comes in after completing 18-of-28 passes for a career-best 228 passing yards. Linebackers Kendell Beckwith and Deion Jones have combined for 64 tackles, but the Tigers have given up 20 points in each of their past four contests.

EXTRA POINTS

1. LSU finished with 624 yards of total offense last week, its third-highest total against a SEC opponent since 1960.

2. Florida's Harris is 19-of-27 passing for 269 yards and two touchdowns in four games this season.

3. The Gators lead the SEC and rank tied for eighth nationally in turnover margin (plus-8) while the Tigers are second in the league and tied for 11th in the country (plus-6).

PREDICTION: LSU 17, Florida 13