1 » Florida Gators linebackers have accounted for seven of the team’s last eight interceptions. That’s scary for opposing offenses considering the Gators secondary is so strong. Throw it short or throw it long, Florida looks to have a good chance to come up with a turnover. A.J. Jones had two against the Georgia Bulldogs and one vs. the Mississippi State Bulldogs, Brandon Spikes grabbed one of his own against Georgia, Ryan Stamper took one away from Georgia and another this week against the Vanderbilt Commodores, and Dustin Doe picked one off at Mississippi State.

2 » Winning streaks, touchdown records and overall solid play have been the toast of the Gators this season. But one of the most overlooked accomplishments has been that of punter Chas Henry and the special teams unit. Having previously not allowed a single punt return yard all season, Henry and the special teams finally let up, allowing Commodores returner Alex Washington to gain six yards on Henry’s 58-yard punt in the first quarter. Six yards? We’ll let that go. Just don’t let it happen again.

FOUR more BITS including Urban Meyer on the offense, tight end Aaron Hernandez’s dominance and the Gators’ ravenous defense AFTER THE JUMP…
Continue Reading » SIX BITS: Wrapping up Florida vs. Vanderbilt

Tags: A.J. Jones, Aaron Hernandez, Alex Washington, Brandon Spikes, Chas Henry, Dustin Doe, Riley Cooper, Ryan Stamper, Vanderbilt Commodores

Looking to rebound from a week full of criticism and questions, the No. 1 Florida Gators (9-0, 6-0 SEC) did little to quiet their critics even though they rolled to a 27-3 victory over the Vanderbilt Commodores (2-8, 0-6 SEC) Saturday night at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Florida extended its winning streak to a nation-high 19 games but continued to struggle on offense even through all of their personnel were healthy and active.

Senior quarterback Tim Tebow scored the 52nd rushing touchdown of his career in the third quarter and threw one that was tipped by senior wide receiver Riley Cooper to redshirt senior David Nelson with 9:22 remaining in the fourth quarter. Tebow ran 16 times for only 27 yards and went 15-for-20 for 208 yards through the air, including a 64-yard catch-and-run by sophomore tight end Aaron Hernandez in the fourth quarter. The Gators also scored on a 25-yard run by sophomore Jeff Demps in the first quarter and two field goals by sophomore kicker Caleb Sturgis of 27 and 45 yards in the first half.

Florida’s defense did not lose a step without senior middle linebacker Brandon Spikes, giving up only 199 yards of total offense to the Commodores. Redshirt senior linebacker Ryan Stamper grabbed an interception in Spikes’ stead. The special teams, however, did allow Vanderbilt’s senior punt returner Alex Washington to gain the first return yards on junior punter Chas Henry all season.

One week after finally showing signs of life by putting up 41 points on the Georgia Bulldogs, the Gators offense once again looked anemic, just as it did four of the five weeks prior. Along with Spikes, Minnesota Vikings WR Percy Harvin and Oakland Raiders WR Louis Murphy watched from the sideline as both are on their team’s respective bye weeks.

Florida goes on the road to Columbia, SC, next week for its final Southeastern Conference regular season game this year against the South Carolina Gamecocks (6-4, 3-4 SEC) at 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 14. Full coverage will be available throughout the week here on OGGOA.

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Alex Washington, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Brandon Spikes, Caleb Sturgis, Chas Henry, David Nelson, Georgia Bulldogs, Jeff Demps, Louis Murphy, Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders, Percy Harvin, Riley Cooper, Ryan Stamper, Tim Tebow, Vanderbilt Commodores

Location: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium – Gainesville, FL [Capacity: 88,548]
Time: 7:15 p.m. (EST)
Weather Forecast: 83°F – Partly Sunny

TV: ESPN2 / ESPN2HD
Online: ESPN360.com.
Sirius: 220; XM: 200

Odds: Florida -35, O/U 48
Head-to-Head Stats: Gainesville Sun

KEEP AN EYE ON…
- Florida Gators senior quarterback Tim Tebow…who has rushed for eight touchdowns this season, bringing him to 51 for his career, breaking the all-time SEC record held by Herschel Walker (Georgia, 1980-82). Tebow broke Walker’s record last week with a 23-yard score against Georgia. He also set the SEC career record for rushing yards by a quarterback last week, amassing 2,588 and passing Matt Jones (Arkansas, 2001-04).
- Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Mackenzi Adams…he is filling in for starter Larry Smith who is out for the season with a torn hamstring.
- Defensive ends junior Carlos Dunlap and senior Jermaine Cunningham…who lead the team with six and five sacks, respectively. Terrors on the line, each could have career days while feasting on a weak Vanderbilt front.
- Running backs sophomore Jeff Demps and redshirt sophomore Chris Rainey…who are ranked No. 1 and No. 2-T among SEC running backs and top five nationally in yards per touch. Rainey is returning from a shoulder injury last week.
- Redshirt senior linebacker Ryan Stamper…who is replacing suspended team captain Brandon Spikes in the middle. Stamper has 45 tackles, as well as a sack, forced fumble and interception on the season.
- Freshman kick returner Warren Norman…who is already only the second player in SEC history to record three touchdowns on kickoffs in a season. Warren can break the SEC all-time single-season kickoff return yardage mark with 51 more Saturday.

STREAKS:
- The Gators are in the middle of the longest winning streak in school history with 18 consecutive victories. They also hold the longest active winning streak in the NCAA and the best in the SEC in the past 15 years since the Auburn Tigers won 20 straight from 1993-94. 17 of Florida’s 18 wins have been by a double digit margin.
- Florida has won 10 straight games against Eastern Division opponents and is on an 18-game winning streak against Vanderbilt. The Gators lead the all-time series 30-9-2 and are 17-1-1 in The Swamp against the Commodores.
- Florida leads the SEC in total offense (446.6), rushing offense (252.3), scoring offense (36.0) and third-down efficiency (.470).
- On defense, the Gators have only surrendered eight touchdowns all season (fewest of any team in the nation) and average 11 points per game (No. 2 in the nation). The defense has also recorded 16 sacks over the past four games.
- Florida’s special teams have yet to give up a single punt return yard on the season, the only team in the nation to accomplish this feat.

Read OGGOA’s complete Florida vs. Georgia preview after the jump…

Continue Reading » Week 10: No. 1 Florida Gators vs. Vanderbilt

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Brandon Antwine, Brandon Spikes, Carlos Dunlap, Chris Rainey, Deonte Thompson, Dorian Munroe, Jeff Demps, Jermaine Cunningham, Larry Smith, Mackenzi Adams, Mike Gillislee, Mike Slive, Moses Jenkins, Riley Cooper, Ryan Stamper, SEC, The Swamp, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer, Vanderbilt Commodores, Warren Norman

Each week following a Florida Gators game, ONLY GATORS Get Out Alive will grade the team position-by-position based on each unit’s performance. This week, we look at how the Gators fared against the Georgia Bulldogs in Jacksonville, FL, at the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.

QUARTERBACK: A+
After two consecutive weeks of below-average play, Tim Tebow came back big against Georgia in his hometown of Jacksonville. Four total touchdowns including two on the ground as well as 85 rushing yards helped Tebow secure two all-time SEC records (rushing touchdowns, rushing yards by QB). 15-of-21 passing was respectable, though Florida seemed to shy away from putting the ball in the air in the second half. All-in-all, this was one of Tebow’s career-best days and the leader of the Gators offense deserves kudos for a great performance.

RUNNING BACKS: B
It is tough to expect this unit to make an impact when the three main players combined for 16 total attempts. Jeff Demps averaged 6.2 yards per carry while Emmanuel Moody had 3.7 and Chris Rainey had 3.0. Four-star freshman Mike Gillislee got some playing time late in the game and exploded on a 49-yard run but was injured on the play. For avoiding mistakes and contributing when given the opportunity, these guys played just fine.

Continue Reading » Grading the Florida vs. Georgia game

Tags: A.J. Green, A.J. Jones, Aaron Hernandez, Ahmad Black, Aron White, Brandon James, Brandon Spikes, Caleb Sturgis, Carlos Dunlap, Charlie Strong, Chas Henry, Chris Rainey, Dan Mullen, David Nelson, Deonte Thompson, Emmanuel Moody, Georgia Bulldogs, grading, Janoris Jenkins, Jaye Howard, Jeff Demps, Jermaine Cunningham, Joe Haden, Lawrence Marsh, Major Wright, Mark Richt, Michael Moore, Mike Gillislee, Riley Cooper, Ryan Stamper, The Swamp, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer, Will Hill, World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party

1 » A Jacksonville, FL, native, Florida Gators linebacker Ryan Stamper is being inundated with ticket requests for Saturday afternoon’s game against the Georgia Bulldogs. Stamper has already acquired 20 tickets for the game, including four from wide receiver David Nelson who lent a helping hand. “They said I had the Florida-Georgia game ticket record last year, but I’m about to break that this year,” Stamper said. Some other Gators who may need tickets for the game include defensive end Jermaine Cunningham, punter Chas Henry, guard Maurice Hurt, defensive tackles Lawrence Marsh & Omar Hunter and three others – all of whom are Georgians.

2 » Two legitimate concerns the Bulldogs have going into Saturday’s game are the tackling ability of their linebackers and inability to stop premier tight ends. A weakness throughout the offseason, tackling was worked on extensively during camp and at practice on the order of head coach Mark Richt. Seven games into the season, it is still something Georgia is struggling with and could pose a major problem when they face the speed of Florida. “It’s been something that’s been inconsistent,” linebacker Rennie Curran said. “We’ll have good games where we’re tackling well; then there’s times we miss tackles in the open field, which leads to those extra yards that kill us.” Expect the Gators to use tight end Aaron Hernandez both on straight pass plays and toss plays in order to capitalize on his size and strength.

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, David Nelson, Georgia Bulldogs, Mark Richt, Rennie Curran, Ryan Stamper

Senior quarterback Tim Tebow admittedly (I am assuming, considering he has decided not to speak to the press) had the worst passing performance of his Florida Gators career Saturday in Starkville, MS. Completing only 12 of 27 passes for 127 yards and throwing two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns by the Mississippi State Bulldogs, Tebow was limited all game long.

In fact, it was only the second time in his career as a starter that he did not throw a touchdown pass; it was also the second time in his career that he threw two interceptions in a game. Tebow’s frustrations are understandable and are being duly noted by his coaches and teammates.

“[Tim’s] very frustrated,” head coach Urban Meyer said. “He’s used to playing at a certain level. A lot of guys are frustrated.” Tebow’s frustrations are justified – he is supposed to be (and is) the best player in the country and played like anything but.

More after the jump…
Continue Reading » Where Tebow goes from here is up to him

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Billy Gonzales, Georgia Bulldogs, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Riley Cooper, Steve Addazio, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer, World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party

Each week following a Florida Gators game, ONLY GATORS Get Out Alive will grade the team position-by-position based on each unit’s performance. This week, we look at how the Gators fared against the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

QUARTERBACK: C
Earning a “B” grade last week for his tenacity and leadership on the game-winning drive, Tim Tebow was lucky that his two fumbles did not lead to worse results. This week, I cannot be as lax. Whether it is partially the fault of his receivers not getting open or even the bad play calling, Tebow must rise above any deficiencies and take matters into his own hands. What we saw this week was a Tebow who looked tentative to tuck and run, consistently made bad decisions and threw two interceptions for touchdowns (even if one was on a tipped ball). Since Tebow took over as the starter, there have only been two games in his entire career he did not pass for a touchdown. Both times were this season – against the Tennessee Volunteers and Saturday night. The Gators won and Tebow is the leader, but his refusal to speak to the press following the game should tell you how poorly even he felt he played.

RUNNING BACKS: A
Everyone who touched the ball including Chris Rainey, Emmanuel Moody and Brandon James played great on the ground. (Jeff Demps struggled but also only got five carries before injuring his neck.) Rainey took 12 carries for 92 yards, Moody added 32 yards on five runs and James added 28 yards on two of his own. The only thing you could ask from this unit would be to get Moody the ball more – but that is not the players’ choice. Superb effort all-around.

Continue Reading » Grading the Florida at Mississippi State game

Tags: A.J. Jones, Aaron Hernandez, Arkansas Razorbacks, Billy Gonzales, Brandon James, Brandon Spikes, Caleb Sturgis, Carlos Dunlap, Charlie Strong, Chas Henry, Chris Rainey, Dan Mullen, David Nelson, Deonte Thompson, Dustin Doe, Emmanuel Moody, Frankie Hammond, grading, Janoris Jenkins, Jeff Demps, Jermaine Cunningham, Joe Haden, Major Wright, Mississippi State Bulldogs, NFL, Riley Cooper, Steve Addazio, Tyson Lee, Urban Meyer

Location: Davis Wade Stadium – Starkville, MS [Capacity: 55,082]
Time: 7:30 p.m. (EST)
Weather Forecast: 52°F – Clear skies

TV: ESPN
Online: Live for FREE at ESPN 360.
Sirius: 121; XM: 141

Odds: Florida -22.5, O/U 49.5
Head-to-Head Stats: Gainesville Sun

KEEP AN EYE ON…
- Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow…who is currently second all-time to former Georgia Bulldogs running back Herschel Walker in Southeastern Conference rushing touchdowns with 48. He needs one more to tie Walker’s record. Tebow has also thrown a touchdown pass in 32 of his 33 career starts.
- The UF secondary…which had its streak of grabbing an interception in 17 straight games snapped last week. It will be interesting to see if the unit, especially cornerback Janoris Jenkins, rebounds from last week.
- Florida’ Urban Meyer…who can become the first Gators head coach since Galen Hall in 1985 to win in Starkville.
- Mississippi State Bulldogs running back Anthony Dixon…who set a new school record in career rushing yardage last week when he eclipsed 3,299 yards.
- Head coach Dan Mullen, offensive line coach John Hevesy, strength and conditioning coach Matt Balis and graduate assistant Angelo Mirando…all of whom previously worked for the Gators but are now on the Mississippi State coaching staff.
- Gators tight end Aaron Hernandez…who had career highs in receptions (seven) and yards (92) last week vs. Arkansas Razorbacks. He has led Florida in receptions four times this season.
- Florida kicker Caleb Sturgis…who made three of four field goals last Saturday including a 51-yarder and game-winning 27-yard shot with nine seconds left.

STREAKS:
- The Gators are in the middle of the longest winning streak in school history with 16 consecutive victories. They also hold the longest active winning streak in the NCAA and the longest in the SEC since the Auburn Tigers won 20 straight from 1993-94 .
- With a win Saturday, Florida will go 3-0 in the SEC West for the first time since 1998.
- Florida is on an 8-0 road game winning streak, dating back to 2007. Their two best played games this season – against the Kentucky Wildcats and LSU Tigers – were both on the road.
- Florida leads the all-time series vs. Mississippi State 32-18-2, though the Bulldogs lead the series at their home 7-3.
- The Gators lead the SEC in total offense (470.5), rushing offense (259.8), scoring offense (36.3) and third-down efficiency (.514).
- Florida has converted 48.6% of its offensive drives into points in 2009, best in the SEC.

Read OGGOA’s complete Florida vs. Mississippi State preview after the jump…

Continue Reading » Week 8: No. 1 Florida Gators at Miss. St. Bulldogs

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Angelo Mirando, Anthony Dixon, Arkansas Razorbacks, Auburn Tigers, Brandon Spikes, Brendan Beal, Caleb Sturgis, Carl Moore, Dan Mullen, Davis-Wade Stadium, Dorian Munroe, Galen Hall, Georgia Bulldogs, Herschel Walker, Janoris Jenkins, Jaye Howard, Jeremy Brown, Jermaine Cunningham, John Hevesy, Justin Trattou, Kentucky Wildcats, Lawrence Marsh, LSU Tigers, Matt Balis, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Moses Jenkins, Scott Field, SEC, Steve Addazio, T.J. Lawrence, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer