Florida's ground game versus Texas A&M's run defense
The Gators' best ability lies in its ground game, where they combine one of the biggest and strongest offensive lines in the nation to go with one of the most talented runners of the football. Each starting member of this offensive line is above 300 pounds, and the right side of their line averages out at 350 pounds. Tackle Austin Barber and center Jake Slaughter are considered to be some of the best players at their respective positions, and they're coming off their best performance of the season against a stout Texas defensive front.
Don't let his numbers on the season fool you: Jadan Baugh is one of the more electric runners with the football in his hands. He's coming off a strong freshman season where he found 708 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns, and had a 107-yard performance against the Longhorns. While he's sitting at just 48th in the country this season in terms of rushing yards, he's had just two games where he's carried the football more than 12 times.
Few teams have improved more against the run over the last three weeks than Mike Elko's crew. Its 92 yards allowed per game over that span ranks 18th in the nation, and on the year they have the 29th best run defense in college football. The Auburn and Mississippi State offensive lines may not impose the same fear that Florida's will, but it's significant development regardless of who the Aggies are facing.
I think a lot of Florida's underwhelming numbers in this category has to do with the fact they hadn't been able to play complementary football through the air until this last week against Texas. When defenses could hone in on stuffing the run they had nowhere to go, but when they had to respect Florida through the air then the run game far more resembled the group it's supposed to be. This isn't an overwhelming mismatch in favor of the Florida offense, but it's the one I trust most out of all the four we're dissecting here today.
The edge goes to ... Florida (slightly)