Could a Hobbled Percy Harvin Be The Difference in the Alabama vs. Florida Game?

At the very best, Percy Harvin, the talented multi-dimensional running back for Florida will be watching most of this week's practices in street clothes.  At the worst, he'll be watching the game from the Florida sidelines.

This week I expect Percy Harvin's ankle injury to remain a tighter secret than the Iranian uranium enrichment program.  Urban Meyer would be foolish to leak that information and you can expect to hear phrases like, "day to day" to quiet reporters questions on the subject.

Why not make Alabama spend time preparing for him when he might not play?

But in the end, if Harvin does not play the ramifications could and will have national championship implications.  Florida needs him to beat Alabama and have a chance at the National Championship Game.

When Florida is held to around 100 rushing yards by it's backs, they've had trouble as they did against Ole Miss when Harvin rushed for 82 yards and Moody only 16.  Tebow is at his very best when he has a running game to fuel the passing game.

Alabama has shown that they can not not only cover the pass, but pick them as well, with many of them returned for touchdowns.  They would relish the thought of only having to stop one dimension of the Gators fast paced offense.

Sure Gator fans will howl when they read this.  They will say that Chris Rainey actually has more rushing yardage and Jeffery Demps has almost as much, so they're as deep as can be and will do just fine without Harvin.

But nobody else except Tebow himself accounts for more big plays and more touchdowns.  16 times has Harvin found the endzone on offense, nine rushing and seven recieving.  And let's not forget what he can do on punt and kickoff returns either.

Harvin also sometimes lines up at QB in the fabled "Wild Hog" formation made famous by Houston Nutt.  If Harvin is on the field he is a threat.

Another aspect of the injury situation that better not be overlooked is the injuries of Matt Patchan, who has a torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee.  He's gone for the rest of the season.  Defensive tackle Brandon Antwine sprained a knee in the second half Saturday at Florida State. Coach Urban Meyer said Antwine is "probably doubtful" against the Crimson Tide as well.

This does not bode well for a team that has to go against one of the nation's best offensive lines and running backs that can burn you four deep.

Florida will argue once again that they have depth at that position.  Lawrence Marsh, the player the player that had been filling in for Antwine while he was out earlier in the year, is expected to be close to 100% after recovering from his own injury.  Either way, it's still a very dinged up defensive line.

If Alabama can pound on the weakened Florida defensive line and make the backs creep up to help, then Alabama may have a field day passing in one on one coverages.

Alabama on the other hand is going into the game as healthy as a team could expect to be in this late in the season.  Saban attributes much of it to the off season conditioning the Tide went through.

The only injury that Nick Saban spoke of after the Auburn game was a game ball that Terrance Cody fell on and recovered after a fumble.  "That ball may never be the same after Terrance fell on it." joked Saban.

Both teams come in with heavy momentum on their side after easy victories against in state rivals.  Therefore with both coming in with a hot hand, it may be the team that grabs the early momentum and runs with it that wins the day.

Every old ball coach I've ever talked to agreed with the old saying, "You fill seats with offense and win with defense."  With the Alabama defense firing on all cylinders following an Auburn shut out and the possible hobbling of Harvin combined with the patchwork defensive line of Florida it would be hard to write off the Tide as many journalists and broadcasters have done.

In the end I personally see a hard fought close game that a healthy Alabama eventually wins by wearing down a hobbled Gator.  Either way, it'll be a great game to watch.