Florida vs. Florida State: Complete Game Preview

If Florida has any shot at making it to the national title game, it begins and ends in Tallahassee this Saturday. 

The No. 4 Gators need some help from USC and Alabama to jump in the rankings, but they first have to handle business against an always dangerous FSU squad that checks in at No. 10 in the BCS rankings.

Although the Gators boast an impressive 10-1 record, Will Muschamp's team is far from flawless. 

A stifling defense has bailed out an inconsistent offense too often, and the Seminoles could be the team that finally exploits the Gators' shortcomings. 

Let's take a complete look at this matchup of bitter in-state rivals.

Game-Day Information

Who: Florida at Florida State

When: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET

Where: Tallahassee, Fla. 

Stadium: Doak Campbell Stadium at Bobby Bowden Field (82,300)

TV: ABC

Radio: Gator Radio Network, Sirius 85, XM 85

Depth Chart for FSU

OFFENSE

QB	3 EJ Manuel	6-5	238	r-Sr.
	9 Clint Trickett	6-3	180	r-So.
TB	8 Devonta Freeman	5-8	209	So.
or	32 James Wilder Jr.	6-2	226	So.
FB	24 Lonnie Pryor	6-0	229	Sr.
	41 Chad Abram	6-0	235	Jr.
Z-WR	84 Rodney Smith	6-6	219	Sr.
	15 Greg Dent	5-11	195	Jr.
	1 Kelvin Benjamin	6-5	242	r-Fr.
LT	75 Cameron Erving	6-6	310	r-So.
	67 Daniel Glauser	6-5	305	Sr.
LG	70 Josue Matias	6-6	326	So.
	60 Jacob Fahrenkrug	6-4	322	Sr.
C	52 Bryan Stork	6-4	312	r-Jr.
	62 Austin Barron	6-3	295	So.
	53 Sterling Lovelady	6-3	291	So.
RG	54 Tre' Jackson	6-4	327	So.
	51 Bobby Hart	6-4	316	So.
RT	71 Menelik Watson	6-6	320	Jr.
	67 Daniel Glauser	6-5	305	Sr.
TE	35 Nick O'Leary	6-3	238	So.
	33 Kevin Haplea	6-4	247	Jr.
	83 Christo Kourtzidis	6-4	246	Fr.
	44 Will Tye	6-2	256	r-So.
Y-WR	15 Greg Dent	5-11	198	Jr.
	81 Kenny Shaw	6-0	170	Jr.
	12 Jarred Haggins	6-0	190	Fr.
	89 Christian Green	6-2	205	r-So.
X-WR	80 Rashad Greene	6-0	170	So.
	81 Kenny Shaw	6-0	170	Jr.
	82 Willie Haulstead	6-2	227	r-Jr.

DEFENSE 

LE	95 Bjoern Werner	6-4	255	Jr.
	96 Toshmon Stevens	6-5	245	r-Sr.
DT	93 Everett Dawkins	6-3	300	r-Sr.
	97 Demonte McAllister	6-2	285	r-Jr.
	81 Eddie Goldman	6-4	320	Fr.
DT	92 Anthony McCloud	6-2	310	r-Sr.
	8 Timmy Jernigan	6-2	298	So.
	99 Nile Lawrence-Stample	6-1	314	r-Fr.
RE	91 Cornellius Carradine	6-5	265	Sr.
	51 Giorgio Newberry	6-6	273	r-Fr.
	15 Mario Edwards, Jr.	6-3	288	Fr.
SLB	10 Nick Moody	6-2	237	r-Sr.
	24 Terrance Smith	6-4	212	r-Fr.
MLB	11 Vince Williams	6-1	247	r-Sr.
or	22 Telvin Smith	6-3	212	Jr.
WLB	7 Christian Jones	6-4	232	Jr.
	29 Reggie Northrup	6-1	220	Fr.
CB	27 Xavier Rhodes	6-2	217	r-Jr.
	37 Keelin Smith	6-3	185	r-Fr.
	1 Tyler Hunter	5-11	190	So.
SS	20 Lamarcus Joyner	5-8	195	Jr.
	1 Tyler Hunter	5-11	190	So.
FS	31 Terrence Brooks	5-11	197	Jr.
	9 Karlos Williams	6-1	230	So.
CB	6 Nick Waisome	5-10	170	So.
	13 Ronald Darby	5-11	189	Fr.

Depth Chart according to official FSU football website. 

Depth Chart for Florida

OFFENSE

LT:   73—Xavier Nixon, SR (6'6", 314) 

        70—D.J. Humphries, FR (6'6", 275)

LG:  66—James Wilson, RSR (6'4", 323)

       50—Sam Robey, RSR (6'3, 305) 

C:   72—Jonotthan Harrison, RJR (6'4", 299)

      50—Sam Robey, RSR (6'3, 305)

RG:  67—Jon Halapio, RJR (6'3, 321)

        64—Kyle Koehne, RJR (6'5", 311)

RT:   75—Chaz Green, RSO (6'5", 310)

        70—D.J. Humphries, FR (6'6", 275)        

TE:   11—Jordan Reed, RJR (6'3, 243)

        88—Clay Burton, SO (6'4", 253)

RB:   23—Mike Gillislee, SR (5'11", 209)

        33—Mack Brown, RSO (5'11", 214)

QB:    6—Jeff Driskel, SO (6'4", 237)

        12—Jacoby Brissett SO (6'4", 229)

FB:   41—Hunter Joyer, SO (5'10, 249)

        16—Scott Peek, RSR (6'2", 231)

X:  85—Frankie Hammond Jr., RSR (6'0", 187)

     13—Latroy Pittman, FR (5'11", 209)

       4—Andre Debose, RJR (5'11", 189)

Z:    1—Quinton Dunbar, RSO (6'1", 189)

     86—Raphael Andrades, FR (6'0", 191)

F:    8—Trey Burton, JR (6'3", 228)

     20—Omarius Hines, RSR (6'2", 217)

DEFENSE 

End:     2—Dominique Easley, JR (6'2", 280)

          90—Jonathan Bullard, FR (6'3", 271)

Nose: 99—Omar Hunter, RSR (6'0", 313)

            2—Dominique Easley, JR (6'2", 280) 

Tackle:  73—Sharrif Floyd, JR (6'3", 303) 

               4—Damien Jacobs, JR (6'3", 284) 

Buck:  34—Lerentee McCray, RSR (6'3", 249)

            6—Dante Fowler, Jr., FR (6'3", 277) 

Sam:  11—Neiron Ball, RSO (6'3", 231) 

          49—Darrin Kitchens, JR (6'1", 229) 

Mike:   1—Jonathan Bostic, SR (6'1", 246) 

          51—Michael Taylor, SO (6'0", 226) 

Will:   3—Jelani Jenkins, RJR (6'0", 237) 

         12—Antonio Morrison, FR (6'1", 218) 

CB: 15—Loucheiz Purifoy, SO (6'1", 189)

24—Brian Poole, FR (5'10", 206)

         8—Jeremy Brown, RJR (5'10", 184) 

SS:  22—Matt Elam, JR (5'10", 202) 

       14—Jaylen Watkins, JR (6'0", 187)  

FS:   9—Josh Evans, SR (6'2", 201)

       21—Jabari Gorman, SO (5'10", 188)  

CB:  14—Jaylen Watkins, JR (6'0", 187) 

         5—Marcus Roberson, SO (6'0", 178) 

What Happened to Florida State Last Week

Florida State rolled into College Park and stomped Maryland, 41-14, improving to 10-1 on the season. 

Sophomore Devonta Freeman dominated the action with 148 yards on 16 carries, including two touchdowns. James Wilder Jr. added another 52 yards on the ground and found the end zone for the ninth time this season, as the Seminoles racked up 237 rushing yards. 

Although quarterback E.J. Manuel threw for just 144 yards, the redshirt senior tossed two touchdowns in the offensive onslaught. 

Defensively, it was another impressive day for FSU's pair of dynamic defensive ends, as Bjoern Werner and Cornellius "Tank" Carradine combined for nine tackles and three sacks. 

What Happened to Florida Last Week

Making the start for an injured Jeff Driskel, sophomore Jacoby Brissett led the Gators to a 23-0 win at the Swamp to seal a perfect home record for the Gators this season. 

The 6'4" signal-caller completed nearly 64 percent of his passes but didn't make many big plays in the passing game. 

Instead of relying on Brissett, the Gators put the ball in the hands of Mike Gillislee, and the senior responded with his first 100-yard rushing performance since the first week of October. 

The senior tailback carried the rock 20 times for 122 yards and a score, putting himself in prime position to break the 1,000-yard mark for the season. 

UF got another great performance from its defense, including a seven-yard interception return for a touchdown by senior linebacker Jon Bostic. 

What It Means for Both Teams

While the Seminoles are all but out of the national championship hunt, the same can't be said about their in-state rival. 

The Gators need a road win against No. 10 FSU to put the finishing touch on a fantastic second season behind Will Muschamp. 

A win for FSU would mark a third consecutive win for Jimbo Fisher's squad against UF and would probably put the Seminoles close to a top-five finish. 

Although it'll be difficult for the Gators offense to get much going against the Seminoles' stout defense, a win would mean a legitimate shot at a national title, provided they get a little help from USC and Alabama. 

Key Player for Seminoles

From Jadeveon Clowney to Barkevious Mingo to Sam Montgomery, the Gators have faced a who's who of defensive ends in 2012. 

While hybrid pass-rusher Jarvis Jones of Georgia managed to single-handedly destroy the Gators' offensive line, UF's front five has otherwise done a pretty solid job handling some elite defensive linemen. 

However, in Bjoern Werner, the Gators might be facing the most well-rounded defensive end in the country. 

The 6'4", 255-pound German has fantastic athleticism for a man his size and leads the Seminoles with 14.5 tackles for loss. 

With Cornellius Carradine dominating on the other side, Werner has re-emerged as a viable first-round pick and should add to his total of 9.5 sacks on the season. 

If the Gators have any hope of putting points on the board, they'll have to account for Werner. 

Key Player for the Gators

Last week, Florida managed to win without its starting quarterback, but if the Gators hope to beat a dangerous Florida State team, they need Jeff Driskel. 

According to Hays Carlyon of Jacksonville.com, the Gators will have Driskel back for Saturday, which should go a long way toward securing a tough road win. 

While the Gators have won 10 games this season, most of those wins came as a result of some stellar defense. 

Facing a terrific defensive front, Driskel will have to use his legs to buy time in the pocket and must avoid turning the ball over. 

Though he hasn't wowed fans with his decision-making or overall passing ability, Driskel has done just enough to win and has used his excellent running ability to create big plays out of nothing. 

As long as he can avoid sacks and turnovers, the second-year signal-caller has a chance to etch his name in history. 

The Seminoles Will Win If...

For FSU, it all comes down to its defensive line. 

Between Cornellius Carradine and Bjoern Werner, the Seminoles boast the nation's finest defensive end duo, and the two workhorses could cause major headaches for Florida offensive coordinator Brent Pease. 

Carradine leads the team in total tackles (69), sacks (10.5) and quarterback hurries (eight) and has emerged as a possible first-round pick in 2013. 

Werner was already a known commodity heading into this season but has continued to refine his play. 

Along with defensive tackles Timmy Jernigan and Demonte McAllister and freshman defensive end Mario Edwards Jr., the Seminoles have a tremendous rotation along the defensive front. 

The Gators Will Win If...

In order to keep their national championship hopes alive, the Gators' defense needs to hold FSU to single digits. 

Florida's offense simply isn't good enough to put up major points on Florida State, so it'll once again come down to the Gators' sensational defense to put the team on its back. 

Led by Sharrif Floyd, the Gators feature a ton of playmakers on defense, including a potential All-American in safety Matt Elam. 

Along with linebackers Jon Bostic and Jelani Jenkins and free safety Josh Evans, UF has no shortage of experienced stars to combat FSU's high-powered attack. 

Hold the Seminoles to fewer than 10 points and chalk up win No. 11 for Florida. 

Prediction

With so much on the line, there's no way the Gators won't be firing on all cylinders Saturday. 

Will Muschamp is a master of motivation and is a fierce competitor. 

He'll have his team ready to go by the time kickoff rolls around, and with a strong coaching staff behind him, expect the Gators to be well-prepared for the Seminoles' attack. 

As long as the Gators continue to play lights-out defense, expect Florida to pull off the road win and put themselves in position to be in the national title game. 

Prediction: Florida 14, Florida State 9