Major contenders suffering from the injury bug

Alabama and Florida seem to still be on a collision course for a rematch for the SEC Championship in December but both suffered some major blows in the injury department over the weekend. While both teams have looked the real deal in every game so far this year, Injuries can derail dreams of a title quickly. Just ask the Georgia Bulldogs who were succumb to there own last year.

The Gator nation is in somewhat of a frenzy due to the injury of quarterback Tim Tebow. As he fell backward, his helmet struck teammate Marcus Gilbert's leg, violently bending his neck forward.Teammates and trainers rushed to Tebow's side, but several minutes passed before the quarterback sat up with help and then slowly made his way off the field. He eventually was carted off. My question for this is why was he playing anyways? They were up 31-7 midway through the 3rd quarter. Jeff Brantley is the future anyway so he might as well be getting in some work. Also, middle linebacker Brandon Spikes has been bothered by a Achilles problem and wide receiver Deonte Thompson missed his second game with a hamstring pull. Florida will have a much needed week off to get rested up for probably their toughest game of the year at LSU.

Alabama was not also safe from the bug as head coach Nick Saban confirmed the injury of sophomore linebacker Dont'a Hightower, he will undergo knee surgery to repair ligament damage, and Hightower is expected to miss the remainder of the season. It's a big loss for the Crimson Tide, as Hightower had been extremely versatile. He was one of their best pass-rushers and was lining up at the hybrid jack linebacker spot on passing downs. After he was injured last Saturday in the Arkansas game, he was replaced in the lineup by sophomore Courtney Upshaw. Here is Saban's statement on Hightower's injury:
“Dont’a Hightower’s MRI confirmed that he has ligament damage in his knee that will require surgery. Dont’a is a fine young man, has been an outstanding player for us, and we are confident he will make a full recovery.”(How weird is it that I could find a picture of both Hightower and Tebow in the same game)

Anyways, the lesson here is if the Tide and Gators can hold on to the top spots in the division. These teams are extremely talented and well coached, so it will be a great challenge for both coaches. As usual, a championship never comes without adversity and so far it has arrived for both squads.

Lets see what there made of...