GAINESVILLE -- In the locker room, in the weight room, in the film room, everywhere the Florida Gators turned this week there were reminders of last season's 28-24 loss to the Louisiana State Tigers.

The replay of last's season loss at Tigers Stadium played on televisions throughout the Gators' football complex this week -- constant reminders that Florida's defense simply wasn't tough enough last season to stop LSU's grind-it-out running game.

''That game is constantly running,'' Florida defensive coordinator Charlie Strong said earlier this week. ``It's over with, but we know we can't play that way Saturday.''

No. 11 Florida (4-1, 2-1 in the Southeastern Conference) hosts No. 4 LSU (4-0, 2-0) at 8 p.m. on Saturday. For the Gators, national prestige and, perhaps, a spot in the national championship game will be at stake.

''It's huge,'' quarterback Tim Tebow said. ``Just for momentum, just for confidence, just for defending The Swamp again, I think it's huge.''

A loss to Florida's annual SEC West rival would put the Gators' national title hopes on life support. Moreover, a second-straight defeat in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium would certainly decrease the Gators' national mystique. Florida, one of the team's picked to win the conference this season, opened SEC play three weeks ago with a rare home loss and embarrassing performance against Ole Miss.

Coach Urban Meyer won a national championship in 2006 in just his second year on the job, but Meyer and his Gators are in need of a signature win. They haven't had one in a while. Dating back to last season's home loss to Auburn, the Gators have lost two of their last three conference games at home.

''Probably other games might be more important as far as losing in the SEC East or something, but this game is huge just based on everything else, on us losing last time we were in The Swamp, on us losing to LSU last time we played them, on so many things like that,'' Tebow said.

The Gators' comeback attempt against Ole Miss ended when the Rebels stuffed Tebow and the Gators' offense on fourth down late in fourth quarter. It was a sour reminder of the short-yardage struggles that allowed LSU to come from behind and beat Florida in 2007.

In that memorable game, LSU converted 5 of 5 fourth-down attempts, including three fourth-down conversions in the fourth quarter.

''It really did challenge our manhood,'' linebacker Brandon Hicks said. ``It's one of those games you get frustrated because everything is going their way, nothing feels like it's going your way. They had the momentum.''

Florida led 24-14 entering the fourth quarter, but the Tigers outscored the Gators 14-0 in the final period. The season-defining drive for the Gators' weak 2007 defense came late in the game, when LSU pieced together a 15-play drive that took up much of the fourth quarter (eight minutes and 11 seconds).

In that drive, former LSU fullback Jacob Hester twice rushed for first downs on fourth-and-1. Hester's second conversion gave LSU a first-and-goal opportunity at the UF 5.

Limiting the Tigers' running game will once again be a key theme for the Gators' defense on Saturday. Hester graduated last season, but he was replaced by Charles Scott, who leads the SEC with 133.8 yards per game (7.5 yards per carry).

''We've got to do all we can to slow them down,'' defensive line coach Dan McCarney said. ``We're not going to stop them. Who are we kidding? That stuff sounds good, but we're not going to stop them. Hopefully slow them and be good on third down and get some turnovers.''

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