5 Reasons Florida Will Eat Louisville's Lunch in Sugar Bowl

The Allstate Sugar Bowl won't be too sweet to the Louisville Cardinals as Charlie Strong's squad will be taken to school by Will Muschamp's Florida Gators. 

Florida enters the one-sided affair as the No. 3 team in the BCS Top 25, and for good reason. 

The Gators' brand of aggressive defense, a smashmouth running game and clutch special teams play had them on the cusp of a spot in the national title game. 

While sophomore quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has been a great story for the Cardinals, the sophomore is in for a long day against Matt Elam, Sharrif Floyd and Co. 

Let's take a look at five reasons Florida will eat Lousiville's lunch in the Sugar Bowl. 

Unblockable Defensive Line

Florida Gators defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and defensive line coach Bryant Young have worked their magic this season in turning Florida's defensive line into one of the country's most formidable units. 

Led by defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd, the Gators' front four features a mix of veterans and underclassmen who can fill a variety of roles. 

Floyd, who checks in at a menacing 6'3" and 303 pounds, is nearly impossible to block one-on-one and provides a solid interior rushing presence. 

Fellow junior Dominique Easley has come on as of late and has the motor of an Energizer Bunny. 

Rounding out the group are steady seniors Omar Hunter and Lerentee McCray as well as freshmen Jonathan Bullard and Dante Fowler Jr. 

The Louisville Cardinals' offensive line surrendered 26 sacks on the season and simply hasn't faced a defensive line with a combination of strength, speed and technique like Florida's. 

Expect Floyd and Co. to send quarterback Teddy Bridgewater running for the hills. 

Premier Rushing Attack

In the course of a year, Mike Gillislee went from an unknown to a household name in college football. 

The former backup to speedsters Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps showed he's actually a more complete back than his predecessors, who could be bottled up easily by bigger defenses because of their lack of size. 

Tasked with being the Florida Gators' work horse, Gillislee responded to the call in 2012, carrying the rock 235 times for 1,104 yards and 10 touchdowns. 

Measuring in at 5'11" and 209 pounds with good speed and patience, the senior tailback often saved his best performances for Florida's biggest games. 

Against LSU he carried the ball a career-high 34 times for 146 yards and two scores and went off for 24/140/2 against FSU in the regular-season finale. 

With Hunter Joyer leading the way at fullback and freshman Matt Jones acting as a capable closer, the Gators' rushing attack is among the best in the country and should run roughshod over Louisville's defense. 

Superior Offensive Line

Will Muschamp always preaches that the SEC is a line of scrimmage league, so you can bet Louisville's defense is going to learn a tough lesson about what it's like to face NFL-caliber offensive linemen. 

Florida's front five used to be an easy target for criticism in 2011 and even the beginning of 2012, but the unit has rounded into form and is actually one of the strengths of this team. 

The Gators' starting five feature plenty of experience as four of the five starters have at least two years of starting experience. 

Left tackle Xavier Nixon is the largest of the group, checking in at 6'6" and 314 pounds. The rest of the offensive line features 6'4", 323-pound left guard James Wilson, 6'4", 299-pound Jonotthan Harrison at center, 6'3", 321-pound Jon Halapio at right guard and 6'5", 310-pound Chaz Green at right tackle. 

Louisville's front four is no slouch, but the unit severely lacks in size compared to the Gators' offensive line. 

Neither of the Louisville Cardinals' starting defensive tackles weighs more than 290 pounds, and defensive ends Marcus Smith and Lorenzo Mauldin check in at just 6'3" and 256 pounds and 6'4" and 240 pounds, respectively. 

Florida should dominate the Cardinals defensive line with its superior strength and technique. 

Lockdown Secondary

A year of experience has made all the difference for Florida's secondary. 

Last year, Josh Evans took inconsistent angles, Matt Elam often played banged up, Loucheiz Purifoy barely saw the field and Jaylen Watkins didn't make plays on the ball. 

In 2012, each player has evolved into an All-SEC type defensive back and in the case of Elam, an All-American. 

The 5'10", 202-pound strong safety is the heart and soul of Florida's third-ranked scoring defense, making ferocious hits and forcing timely turnovers. 

His tenacity trickles down to the rest of the defense, which includes a trio of starting-caliber corners in Purifoy, Watkins and perhaps the unit's best pure cover corner Marcus Roberson. 

While Teddy Bridgewater racked up 3,452 yards and 25 touchdowns playing in the Big East, he'll be facing a total different beast in the Sugar Bowl. 

Florida's secondary allowed just 186 yards per game and recorded 13 picks and forced five fumbles during the regular season, so expect Elam and Co. to eat Bridgewater's lunch on game day. 

Setting the Tone for 2013

The Florida Gators can't be too happy about seeing rival Alabama playing Notre Dame in the BCS National Championship. 

Based on their resume, the Gators can rightfully make the case they deserve a shot at a national title. 

However, an awful performance in Jacksonville against SEC runner-up Georgia left the Gators just short of their ultimate goal. 

After a thrilling comeback win against FSU in the regular-season finale, the Sugar Bowl is technically the final game of the 2012 season for Florida. 

But if the Gators want to remind everyone they're a true national championship contender, this game should be treated like the first game of the 2013 season. 

Louisville is a good team, but they're not on the Gators' level. 

Although the circumstances are beyond their control, Florida should and will go out and take care of business in New Orleans in what should amount to the first game of the 2013 season. 

With a business-like approach and the 2013 season in mind, Florida will eat Louisville's lunch in the Sugar Bowl.