The Oklahoma Sooners are traveling to Gainesville, Fla. for the first time in program history. The Sooners will take on the Florida Gators, coming off their worst defensive performance of the season.
The Sooners fell 42-25 to the South Carolina Gamecocks and gave up over 500 yards of offense. Florida comes into the game ranked No. 37 in total offense and No. 24 in scoring offense at 35.6 points per game. The Gators are well-balanced, averaging nearly 250 yards passing and 180 yards rushing this season.
Head coach Brent Venables revealed the challenges that Florida brings to his stout defense.
"They are playing really well, particularly on offense all year," Venables said. "They beat two top-10 teams in Texas and Ole Miss. They've put 50+ points
on several teams, four times this year. They've scored a whole bunch of points... first time going to Gainesville and looking forward to the opportunity."
Oklahoma will need a much sharper defensive performance to keep Florida's balanced attack in check. The Sooners cannot afford to focus solely on stopping the passing game or loading the box against the run. Florida's ability to attack in multiple ways will test the discipline of the defensive front and the secondary's communication, especially after Oklahoma struggled to contain South Carolina.
The trip to Gainesville also gives the Sooners a chance to respond after their worst defensive outing of the season. With a new offensive play caller taking over, Oklahoma needs its defense to provide stability while the offense adjusts. How the Sooners handle Florida's explosive offense could go a long way toward determining whether they can get their season back on track.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Brent Venables impressed by Florida's high-powered offense
