» Florida Gators defensive coordinator Charlie Strong coached his last game in the Orange and Blue Friday before heading to the Louisville Cardinals as the team’s new head coach. UF cornerbacks coach Vance Bedford, who was expected to join Strong as his defensive coordinator, has yet to say one way or another though Strong said on Thursday and Friday that an agreement was in place. Bedford continues to claim he will be recruiting for Florida next week but at least one recruit (four-star CB Demar Dorsey) says Bedford is gone. “I’m open to working with Coach Strong,” Bedford told the Miami Herald. “He’s one of the reasons I’m here. My opportunity to stay is also good, and I’ve talked with Coach Addazio about that.” Strong told the Gainesville Sun after the game that Bedford is joining his staff.

» Running backs coach Kenny Carter is another staff member who is rumored to be joining Strong in Louisville. Even though Strong has already hired an offensive coordinator, Carter could be given an expanded role on the offensive staff. When asked after the Sugar Bowl about his future, Carter said “I’m not talking about anything but this game. I’m not talking about any of that crap. It doesn’t mean anything to me.” When asked about Carter joining his staff, Strong told the Sun, “He hasn’t told me that.”

» Quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler told reporters he will be returning next season. Loeffler’s name was thrown around for a few head coaching jobs in recent weeks.

» As OGGOA reported yesterday, three Gators experienced major health issues on Friday. Junior center Maurkice Pouncey spent five hours in Tulane Hospital before the game with kidney stones, played in the game but left after the half to pass another stone. Sophomore running back Jeff Demps dislocated his elbow in the first quarter on his third carry of the game and redshirt junior left guard Carl Johnson injured his right shoulder during the second quarter – both did not return.

» After the Sugar Bowl, Johnson announced that he will be returning for his senior season. However, juniors cornerback Joe Haden, defensive end Carlos Dunlap, tight end Aaron Hernandez and center Maurkice Pouncey are all expected to declare for the 2010 NFL Draft. OGGOA believes that junior safety Ahmad Black will also declare while junior S Major Wright, junior right guard Mike Pouncey and redshirt junior right tackle Marcus Gilbert have yet to decide.

» Senior quarterback Tim Tebow was followed around with a “Tebow Cam” during FOX’s Sugar Bowl broadcast. The camera shot, available via FOXSports.com during the game, was on Tebow the whole time – from focusing on him while on the field to every single thing he did on the sidelines. OGGOA believes this will be included in the Sugar Bowl DVD to be released by FOX.

University of Florida president Bernie Machen spoke with Andy Staples of Sports Illustrated after the Florida Gators‘ 51-24 victory over the Cincinnati Bearcats in the 2010 Sugar Bowl on Friday. When asked about head coach Urban Meyer‘s leave of absence, Machen was forthcoming with his answer. “It could be six months, it could be a year, or it could be never,” Machen said. “But this is all about Urban and helping him get well and get himself right. [The media has] been on a bit of a wild-goose chase looking for some illness or something that’s wrong with him. He just gave all of himself to his job, and he’s exhausted mentally and physically. He doesn’t, as far as I know, have any serious medical problem. There’s no heart deal.”

Machen also revealed details about the first conversations Meyer had with him about stepping down. “He was thinking what was best for the university was for him to leave,” Machen said. “It was typical Urban. He always puts himself last in the conversation. At that time, I said, ‘Urban, think about yourself. If you coach again, wouldn’t you like to do it at Florida?’ He really wasn’t thinking about that.” With the new plan – to give Meyer a leave of absence and appoint offensive coordinator Steve Addazio as interim coach – the administration knows they are taking a chance. “It is a gamble. But what the hell? I’ll take that bet anytime,” Machen said. “He’s the best coach in America. He loves this program. He built this program. It’s his program. I would hate for him to wake up a year from now and decide he wants to coach again and we’ve moved on.”

Meyer, who said during the trophy presentation that he “plan[s] on being the coach of the Gators,” reiterated that stance in the press conference. “In my gut, I feel like I’ll be back,” Meyer said. “I just want to make sure my family and health are No. 1. And I’ve just got to get that right.” Addazio feels the same way. “It’s real simple,” Addazio said. “Florida’s Florida. Coach will be back.”

In the end, the decision to offer Meyer a leave of absence was really about one simple concept. “If there’s any chance that Urban Meyer is going to coach again,” Machen said, “I want it to be at Florida.” For more details about this story, please check out Staples’ SI.com article.

- Florida Gators became the first program in FBS college football history to notch 13 wins in consecutive seasons. The Gators finished 13-1 for the third time in four seasons, also the first time in FBS history that this has been accomplished.

- 13 victories for Florida this season ties a school record for single-season wins (2006, 2008, 2009) and puts them, along with the Nebraska Cornhuskers, as the only teams to post 13 victories in three different seasons (1971, 1994, 1997).

- The Gators’ dominating win Friday was its 100th of the decade. They have posted a 100-30 (.769) record since 2000; by comparison, the Orange and Blue was 102-22-1 (.820) during the 1990s.

- Florida improved to 5-1 in BCS bowls, second all-time to the USC Trojans (six wins).

- The 2009 senior class is the winningest in Southeastern Conference history, posting a record of 48-7 (.873) over four years. The group was 3-1 in bowl games, won two National Championships, two SEC Championships, three SEC Eastern Division titles and posted a 15-4 (.789) record against ranked opponents.

- Head coach Urban Meyer remains an undefeated 4-0 in BCS bowl games with a 6-1 career record in bowl games of any type.

- The Gators made their 19th-straight bowl appearance, the second-longest active streak in the nation.

- Florida is now 6-1 against teams from the state of Ohio (2-1 in bowl games) and 8-3-2 all-time against the Big East.

- Senior Tim Tebow finished his storied Gators career with a 35-6 (.854) record as a starting quarterback.

- UF scored on its first five possessions of the game (TD, FG, TD, TD, TD) before missing a field goal near the end of the half.

- Tebow set a Sugar Bowl record by completing his first 12 passes of the evening for 142 yards and a touchdown.

- Tebow’s 80-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Riley Cooper was the Gators’ longest pass play since 2005 and the second-longest pass play in any BCS bowl.

- Tebow was announced as the winner of the Lowe’s Senior CLASS award for football before the game. Third Florida athlete to receive this honor.

- Tebow set Sugar Bowl and BCS bowl records with 533 yards of total offense. His 482 passing yards were also Sugar Bowl and BCS bowl game records, while his 31 completions set a new Sugar Bowl record. His 88.6 completion percentage set a BCS bowl game record and his four total touchdowns tied a Sugar Bowl high.

- Cincinnati Bearcats WR Mardy Gilyard set a Sugar Bowl record with 207 yards on eight kickoff returns; it was also the second-highest kickoff return mark in BCS bowl history. He added 41 receiving yards to finish with 248 all-purpose yards, the third-highest total in Sugar Bowl history and the fifth-best in BCS bowl history.

Coming of a week filled with seemingly endless questions and distractions, the No. 5 Florida Gators (13-1) eased tensions and erased any doubts (at least temporarily) with a dominating 51-24 victory over the No. 3 Cincinnati Bearcats (12-1) in the 2010 Sugar Bowl at the Louisiana Superdome.

In the final game of his college career, Gators senior quarterback Tim Tebow went 31-of-35 for a career-high 482 yards passing and three touchdowns through the air. He also carried the ball 14 times for 51 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Completing his first twelve passes in what was arguably the best performance of his entire career, Tebow finished with 533 total yards – more than anyone in both BCS and Sugar Bowl history. Tebow’s three touchdown passes went to senior wide receiver Riley Cooper, junior tight end Aaron Hernandez and redshirt sophomore WR Deonte Thompson.

“It was incredible,” Tebow said of his third BCS bowl game victory. “Just a great game. It was exactly how you want to go out with these seniors and these coaches in your last game and your last time together. It just really doesn’t get any better than this.”

Cooper caught seven passes for a career-high 181 yards, Hernandez brought in nine balls for 111 yards and Thompson snagged five for 63 yards. Redshirt sophomore running back Chris Rainey caught four passes for 71 yards; he also rushed four times for 27 yards and a touchdown. Redshirt junior transfer RB Emmanuel Moody had the first two touchdown game of his career though freshman RB Mike Gillislee ended up as the team’s leading rusher (79 yards) after taking a hand-off for 52 yards in the fourth quarter.

Defensively, junior cornerback Joe Haden once again shut down his assignment, allowing Bearcats senior wide receiver Mardy Gilyard to gain only 41 yards. Florida’s pass rush and blitzing was on-point all night, holding Cincinnati senior QB Tony Pike to 27-of-45 passing for 170 yards. Pike, however, completed three touchdown passes after the game was out of hand. Junior defensive end Carlos Dunlap earned two of the team’s three sacks on Pike, the secondary had numerous interception opportunities and senior linebacker Brandon Spikes was flying around the ball all evening.

The Gators outgained the Bearcats 660-to-246 in total yardage, though the time of possession battle was close to even because Florida scored quickly. The Gators’ 660 yards was also a Sugar Bowl record. With the win, Florida became the first school in Football Bowl Subdivision history to win 13 games in consecutive seasons.

Going into the game, the Gators were without senior kick returner Brandon James (foot), redshirt junior LB A.J. Jones (knee) and redshirt junior defensive tackle Terron Sanders (hip), though additional injuries piled up before and during the game. Junior center Maurkice Pouncey spent five hours in the hospital earlier in the day passing a kidney stone and left the game in the second half to pass another. Sophomore RB Jeff Demps dislocated his elbow early on and redshirt junior left guard Carl Johnson hurt his shoulder. Sophomore CB Janoris Jenkins and redshirt senior LB Ryan Stamper were both down on the field for a while but would return to action.

Gators head coach Urban Meyer, who resigned on Saturday before changing his mind and deciding to take a leave of absence instead on Sunday, said at the trophy presentation after the game that he hoped to return to the sidelines for the 2010 season. “I plan on being the coach of the Gators,” Meyer said. On Tebow, Meyer said he “will go down as one of the great players, if not the greatest player, in college football [history].” Tebow won the game’s Most Outstanding Player Award, thanking the coaches, his teammates and Gator Nation while accepting it on the podium. He took a moment to specifically thank Meyer for making him a Gator, telling him that he loved him and hugging him.