Alabama Football: Florida Not Scared of What It Saw When Bama Trampled Arkansas

Larry Burton (Syndicated Writer) Last week Alabama thoroughly trampled a top SEC team into the turf at Bryant-Denny Stadium and it didn't send a shiver through the team in Gainesville, Florida.

The Tide may have bowled over a team that was ranked higher last week than Florida is today, but they don't see themselves suffering the same deficiencies that caused the Razorbacks so many problems.

First of all, while Arkansas was a one-dimensional team on offense—gaining just 17 net yards of rushing offense all day against the stalwart Alabama defense—Florida was running roughshod over the Kentucky Wildcats for 405 yards on the ground.

This while Brantley showed that he could complete passes with an efficient 8-of-14 with one touchdown for 115 yards total.

That was 525 yards of offense for the Gators, who limited the Wildcats, a team with a multi-year streak of bowl games under their belt, to just under 300 yards of offense of their own.

In fact, the Gators confidence is not based on the belief that they field one of the best rushing attacks in the SEC while also having a good air attack, but on the faith that their defense can stop the bread and butter of Alabama's offense—the running game.

They held Tennessee to negative nine yards rushing for the entire game and though they did allow Kentucky 134 total rushing yards, no one running back was able to get more than 50 yards.

This combination of the 15th-best scoring offense in the country and the fourth-best defense in holding down the opponent's ability to score could be a winning formula for overcoming the Crimson Tide and vaulting their own aspirations into national prominence.

Conversely, Alabama has the 21st-best scoring offense, but holds the lofty rank of No. 2 in the country in holding opponents to the fewest points.

But the Gators feel confident that Alabama hasn't seen an offense with the speed of their two running backs, Rainey and Demps. With these two, one missed tackle could mean no second chance of catching them before they hit their stride and zip to the end zone.

This will be a test for this year's Crimson Tide and fans should not expect a repeat of the shellacking that Alabama put on the Gators last year in a 31-6 game.

In fact, that game embarrassed the Gators and they have had this re-match with Alabama circled on their calenders for a whole year. They want to pay back the Tide for that much publicized beat down.

So, it won't be fear in the eyes and hearts of the Florida Gator players this weekend, it will be revenge and a sense that they are ready this year.

The fans can hardly wait to see how it will all play out.