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Sugar Bowl 2013: Matt Elam believes Teddy Bridgewater is 'best QB' Florida has faced

Florida Gators safety Matt Elam believes Teddy Bridgewater is the best quarterback Florida has faced this season; a list that includes Heisman trophy winner Johnny Manziel.

By JP Starkey
Andy Lyons

Forget Heisman trophy winner Johnny Manziel.

According to Florida Gators safety Matt Elam, Louisville Cardinals quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is the best quarterback Florida has faced this season:

"I feel like, hands down, he's the best quarterback we will face this year."

Yes, you read that right. Elam and the Gators faced off against Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel in September, holding the Aggies offense to just 17 points in a 20-17 win.

Like Manziel, Bridgewater is an underclassman quarterback, though the Louisville signal caller is a sophomore. Bridgewater led the Cardinals to a 10-2 record, the Big East title, and a berth in the Sugar Bowl.

As a sophomore, Bridgewater completed 69% of his passes while throwing for 3,452 yards and 25 touchdowns.

Though Manziel's numbers are undoubtedly better, Bridgewater displayed amazing courage and leadership this season, as the Louisville quarterback played through numerous injuries this season, including a sprained ankle and broken left (non-throwing hand) wrist.

Bridgewater will need to be at his absolute best when his Cardinals take on Florida in the Sugar Bowl, as Louisville enters the game as 14 and 1/2 point underdogs, per OddsShark.

Photographs by cstreet.us, thelastminute, turtlemom nancy , fesek, kthypryn, justinwright, sue_elias, pointnshoot, and scrapstothefuture used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.