UL Lafayette
2nd Sun Belt8-4
Florida
2nd SEC11-1
UL Lafayette @ Florida preview
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
After eight straight weeks of pounding against SEC opponents, No. 7 Florida will play its last three regular-season games out of conference as it waits to find out if there will be a spot for it in the BCS. The Gators get their first non-conference test against Sun Belt foe Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday afternoon. Florida overcame several offensive mistakes to drop Missouri last week and close out its SEC slate 7-1, the lone loss coming to Georgia. The Gators now need to sit back and hope the Bulldogs fall at Auburn, which would send Florida to the SEC championship game. The Ragin’ Cajuns need a win on Saturday to become bowl eligible and have an offense that can put up points with quarterback Terrance Broadway. Louisiana-Lafayette has never faced a defense like Florida’s, which ranks fourth in the nation in points allowed.
TV: 12:21 p.m., ET, SEC Network. LINE: Florida -26.5.
ABOUT LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE (5-3): Broadway has improved steadily in his sophomore season and has thrown for over 370 yards in each of the past two weeks. The Baton Rouge native put together his best game at Louisiana-Monroe last week, throwing for 373 yards and four touchdowns and rushing for a season-high 87 yards and a score. Broadway has yet to take on a defense with the speed of Florida and has struggled with turnovers, throwing six interceptions in the last four contests. The bigger issue for the Ragin’ Cajuns could be on the defensive side, where they allow an average of 433.3 yards. The pass defense is among the worst in the FBS, surrendering 294.6 yards.
ABOUT FLORIDA (8-1): Jeff Driskel will take aim at that suspect pass defense while trying to bounce back from a rough couple of weeks. The sophomore threw a pair of interceptions in the loss to Georgia and was just 12-of-23 for 106 yards and a score in the 14-7 home win over Missouri last week. The Gators survived the Tigers only by forcing four interceptions, including one in the end zone that sealed the win with five seconds left. The offensive line has had trouble protecting Driskel and opening holes for running back Mike Gillislee, who has not reached 80 yards rushing in any of the last four games. Florida has to fight through Louisiana-Lafayette and Jacksonville State before ending the regular season with a rivalry game at Florida State.
EXTRA POINTS
1. The Gators are 4-0 all-time against Louisiana-Lafayette and have won those contests by an average of 42.8 points.
2. The Ragin’ Cajuns are strong in the kicking game with senior Brett Baer, who was named to several mid-season All-American teams. Baer handles both the punting and placekicking.
3. Florida will be without RB Mack Brown (ankle), WR Andre Debose (knee) and DL Leon Orr (illness).
PREDICTION: Florida 40, Louisiana-Lafayette 13
TV: 12:21 p.m., ET, SEC Network. LINE: Florida -26.5.
ABOUT LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE (5-3): Broadway has improved steadily in his sophomore season and has thrown for over 370 yards in each of the past two weeks. The Baton Rouge native put together his best game at Louisiana-Monroe last week, throwing for 373 yards and four touchdowns and rushing for a season-high 87 yards and a score. Broadway has yet to take on a defense with the speed of Florida and has struggled with turnovers, throwing six interceptions in the last four contests. The bigger issue for the Ragin’ Cajuns could be on the defensive side, where they allow an average of 433.3 yards. The pass defense is among the worst in the FBS, surrendering 294.6 yards.
ABOUT FLORIDA (8-1): Jeff Driskel will take aim at that suspect pass defense while trying to bounce back from a rough couple of weeks. The sophomore threw a pair of interceptions in the loss to Georgia and was just 12-of-23 for 106 yards and a score in the 14-7 home win over Missouri last week. The Gators survived the Tigers only by forcing four interceptions, including one in the end zone that sealed the win with five seconds left. The offensive line has had trouble protecting Driskel and opening holes for running back Mike Gillislee, who has not reached 80 yards rushing in any of the last four games. Florida has to fight through Louisiana-Lafayette and Jacksonville State before ending the regular season with a rivalry game at Florida State.
EXTRA POINTS
1. The Gators are 4-0 all-time against Louisiana-Lafayette and have won those contests by an average of 42.8 points.
2. The Ragin’ Cajuns are strong in the kicking game with senior Brett Baer, who was named to several mid-season All-American teams. Baer handles both the punting and placekicking.
3. Florida will be without RB Mack Brown (ankle), WR Andre Debose (knee) and DL Leon Orr (illness).
PREDICTION: Florida 40, Louisiana-Lafayette 13