Alabama vs. Florida Gators: Kickoff Time, Weather, Where To Watch And More
By Tony Breland
Florida Gators (2-0) vs. No. 3 Alabama Crimson Tide (3-0)
Date: September 20, 2014
Time: 2:30 PM CDT
Location: Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Local Weather at Kickoff: Clear and 70 degrees with humidity at 87%.
Stadium Capacity: 101,821
Television Information: CBS
Broadcast Crew: Verne Lundquist as Play-by-Play announcer, Gary Danielson as color analyst, and Tracy Wolfson as sideline reporter.
Radio Info: Crimson Tide Sports Network. Eli Gold as Play-by-Play announcer, Phil Savage as color analyst, and Chris Stewart as sideline reporter.
Vegas Odds: (via Bovada) Alabama (-15)
Next up for Alabama: October 4 vs. Ole Miss at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
Game Notes
Last meeting between these two teams: 2011 (Alabama won 38-10). Alabama leads series 22-14, and has won their last three meetings. The Tide and Gators have faced each other seven times in the SEC Championship game, where Florida leads the series 4-3.
Week Three Recap
The Crimson Tide
Alabama dominated their game with the Golden Eagles last weekend by a final of 52-12. The Tide were against exemplary on offense behind quarterback Blake Sims, who went 12 of 17 for 16 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for another touchdown.
Sims continued to assert himself as Alabama’s first option at quarterback, and led the Tide to 547 yards of total offense. His leading receiver was once again wide receiver Amari Cooper, who padded his season stats with eight receptions for 135 yards and a score.
Derrick Henry was Alabama’s leading rusher against Southern Miss, carrying 11 times for 73 yards. It was third option Kenyan Drake that was the star of the Tide rushing attack, however. Drake carried the ball 9 times for 59 yards and three touchdowns, earning Player of the Week honors.
Defensively Alabama continues to struggle in the backfield, and freshman Tony Brown will play “a lot” against the Gators, according to Nick Saban. Alabama has used three different starting cornerback combinations in its first three games.
The Florida Gators
Florida’s season might have been derailed if they had lost last weekend in their three-overtime shootout with the Kentucky Wildcats. Quarterback Jeff Driskel was 25 of 43 for 295 yards with three touchdowns, hitting top receiver Demarcus Robinson 15 times for 216 yards.
Running back Matt Jones carried the ball 29 times fro 156 yards and a score, with Kelvin Taylor adding 64 yards.
Florida had three interceptions against the Wildcats, with Keanu Neal snagging two and Brian Poole tacking on another. All-American cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III hopes to force Alabama to mix up their passing game by forcing the ball away from Amari Cooper.
Key Injuries
Alabama
Defensive back Jarrick Williams remains out with a fractured foot. Defensive back Nick Perry should miss the first half. Receiver DeAndrew White is probable.
Florida
Cornerback J.C. Jackson is out for the season, as are tight end Jake McGee, and defensive lineman Thomas Holley. Offensive lineman D.J. Humphries and linebacker Jeremi Powell are out indefinitely.
Conclusion
Florida has to make a statement early on defense by keeping Blake Sims from finding favored target Amari Cooper. The Gators defensive line needs to put pressure on Sims and force him into bad decisions and checkdowns. Offensively Florida has to put pressure on the Tide secondary, who have been criticized for looking lost and out of place.
Alabama needs a solid performance from their offensive line to give Sims time to find his receivers, and open holes for the Tide’s punishing run game. Sims needs to spread the field, getting other receivers – and the tight end, please – into the game, while also going downfield to keep the defense honest.
Defensively, Alabama must find a cornerback combination that works. Tony Brown may not be the answer, but his was a five-star recruit who brings great speed and athleticism. The backfield needs to be allowed to read and react, instead of looking to the sidelines for direction.
Be sure to check back with Bama Hammer and The Houndztooth for all of your game day coverage.