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Johnston column: Intimidating Setting Is Perfect For Gators

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Joey Johnston/The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 5, 2007

BATON ROUGE, La. - For the Florida Gators, the setting couldn't be more intimidating.

Imagine an electrified Death Valley, with 93,000 fans releasing their daylong pent-up energy and creating an unmatched night-game atmosphere.

Visualize the fervor of LSU carrying its first No. 1 ranking into a regular-season game since 1959.

Now picture yourself on the receiving end of LSU's defensive muscle, feeling the crunch of a shutdown crew that already has been compared to some of the finest units in recent college-football history.

'We have a challenge ahead of us,' Florida coach Urban Meyer said.

For the Gators, shaken by last week's home defeat against Auburn, the setting couldn't be more intimidating.

For the Gators, hanging on by a thread, the setting couldn't be more ... perfect.

Really.

If you're expecting an early obituary on Florida's season, look elsewhere. If you're anticipating a no-chance outlook on the Gators, sorry to disappoint.

Even while Florida tries to manipulate its offensive weapons (Tebow left? Tebow right?) and waits for its young defense to mature, the loss to Auburn provided a needed ingredient.

Perspective.

SEC East Up For Grabs

Pressure?

It's not on the Gators.

It's on LSU.

The Tigers are incredibly talented, but they still haven't won a championship (of any sort) under Coach Les Miles. Now they have something to protect. The path has been cleared to the BCS Championship Game - in New Orleans, no doubt - and the expectations have officially gone into overdrive.

Let's be honest.

Florida remains a year away from national championship contention. The smashing of Tennessee made some folks slightly delusional, and those thoughts were quickly zapped by Auburn.

Yet the Gators remain on track for their most realistic goal - winning the SEC East - and even a loss to LSU wouldn't cripple those chances. You can easily see a two-loss team capturing the SEC East (where South Carolina's win against Kentucky gave every team a defeat). Just as easily, you can see Florida at South Carolina on Nov. 10 becoming a winner-take-all game for a trip to Atlanta.

Florida should be loose, carrying an us-against-the-world mentality into LSU.

Remember what happened the last time that happened against a top-ranked team?

Florida 41, Ohio State 14.

Gators Need Good Start

Miles already took pre-emptive measures to keep his players grounded.

'No newspapers, television or radio,' he said. 'Don't talk to your girlfriend about football. Come into our building and see where we're at. That's where we derive the accountability and the identity of this team. Not from the newspaper, television or girlfriends.'

Miles quickly added: 'Not that girlfriends are bad.'

You get the picture.

The pace has quickened at LSU. Everything is a bit more breathless.

Is anyone talking that way about Florida? No, the Gators have been dismissed.

'Every human being is measured when they get hit,' Meyer said. 'It's about how you react when you get hit square in the face and we got hit hard. That was a frontal shot.'

But it was exactly what Florida needed.

'We were heartbroken and agonizing over losing against Auburn, but it just shows how much our guys care,' Gators quarterback Tim Tebow said.

'There is still something good that can come out of it. We still see the hope.'

It can't happen by simply wishing away the flat effort against Auburn. The Gators must perform, particularly offensively. They must find a way to neutralize two of the nation's better defensive players, LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey and linebacker Ali Highsmith. They must get off to a good start.

The Gators lost to Auburn, but they didn't lose much ground. There's still an excellent opportunity to control the SEC East - and even a return engagement against LSU in the league's title game.

But that's getting ahead of ourselves.

Come to think of it, that's also LSU's biggest obstacle. Letting the ranking take over. Assuming before winning. There are psychological forces at play here.

And that's why we give Florida a chance in this setting.

A good chance.

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