1 » Sure, he’s hard more yards. He has certainly received more carries. Yet Saturday night in Death Valley, Florida Gators junior transfer running back Emmanuel Moody had his coming out party. Maybe it was the scene or maybe it was the importance of the game. In reality, it was the dominating nature at which Moody carved up the LSU Tigers defense to the tune of seven yards per carry (he’s averaging 9.6 YPC). Being unselfish, responsible and perseverant has gotten Moody to this point, and he does not plan on letting go. “It feels good just to be contributing this year,” Moody said. ” This year I feel more confident in what I’m doing, and it just feels great to be playing good ball right now.”

2 » Leadership, strength, character, talent, ability and faith are all qualities attributed to Florida senior quarterback Tim Tebow. One trait that may be overlooked in regard to Tebow is his teamwork. A highly publicized and highly regarded former Heisman Trophy winner, Tebow has received plenty of criticism and doubt about his future in the NFL. Instead of using his senior season to boost his stats, show off for scouts and improve his draft stock, Tebow’s only goal is to give the Gators an undefeated season that culminates in a National Championship. “I don’t think an NFL coach or a scout is going to say, ‘Ah, you know, he did a bad job because he didn’t throw,’” Tebow said about Florida’s run-first offense this year. “No, he did what he was asked. They’ll probably look at that and say, ‘He did what he was asked to the best of his ability, and he did it OK.’”

Continue Reading » FOUR BITS: Moody ready; Tebow respected; NFL

Tags: Arkansas Razorbacks, Emmanuel Moody, Heisman Trophy, Indianapolis Colts, Jeff Fisher, Jevon Kearse, Lito Sheppard, LP Field, LSU Tigers, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans, Tim Tebow, Willy Robinson

1 » Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Bobby Petrino will face a No. 1-ranked team for the first time in his coaching career Saturday afternoon when he takes on the Florida Gators. Losing to Florida 38-7 at home last season, Petrino and the Hogs have plenty of motivation to come back and attempt to take it to the Gators. Running back Michael Smith, who went for 133 yards against UF last season, tweaked his hamstring against the Auburn Tigers last week and is day-to-day.

2 » ESPN’s NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper, Jr. has come out with his new Big Board, which lists his top 25 NFL prospects. Gators on the list include defensive end Carlos Dunlap at No. 7 (down one spot from last week) and middle linebacker Brandon Spikes at No. 19 (up one spot from last week).

3 » In a story that always seems to draw news, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin missed practice Wednesday. Harvin injured his shoulder last week against the St. Louis Rams but did not miss any game time.

4 » As if only scoring three points last Saturday night was not humiliating enough, the LSU Tigers have decided to be sore losers and ask Southeastern Conference officials to review Florida wide receiver Riley Cooper’s touchdown catch. Cooper grabbed the shirttail of cornerback Chris Hawkins and used it as leverage to get wide open in the end zone and catch a pass from quarterback Tim Tebow. The touchdown gave the Gators a 10-3 lead with 50 seconds left in the first half. “Yeah, we sent that in,” LSU head coach Les Miles said Tuesday. “I’m savoring the opportunity to call in there.”

Extra BIT » Cleveland Indians outfielder Matt LaPorta underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left hip and left big toe on Tuesday. It will take the former Gators first baseman 4-6 months to recover from the injuries, which may slow him down to start the 2010 season.

Tags: Arkansas Razorbacks, Auburn Tigers, Bobby Petrino, Brandon Spikes, Carlos Dunlap, Chris Hawkins, Cleveland Indians, ESPN, Les Miles, LSU Tigers, Matt LaPorta, Mel Kiper, Michael Smith, Minnesota Vikings, MLB, NFL, Percy Harvin, Riley Cooper, St. Louis Rams, Tim Tebow

1 » Florida Gators star gymnast, redshirt senior Melanie Sinclair, was arrested Tuesday, according to the Gainesville Sun, “for her apparent role in storing stolen items that police say were taken in a series of burglaries.” According to the Gainesville Police Department, Sinclair’s boyfriend Bud Leonard Williams had been using Sinclair’s apartment with her knowledge as a safe house to store guns and stolen items. Leonard is a convicted felon who was arrested Oct. 1 and faces 11 counts of possession of a firearm, burglary and theft. Sinclair is a nine-time All-American and three-time All-SEC honoree who has scored a school-record 10.0 on the uneven parallel bars three times during her career.

2 » While the Gators will certainly face a tough test in containing the high-powered Arkansas Razorbacks offense on Saturday, the team does have a leg up compared to its rivals. That is because Florida quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler worked extensively with Hogs quarterback Ryan Mallett as his position coach while both were with the Michigan Wolverines in 2007. According to The Morning News, Mallett and Loeffler formed a strong bond. “Coach Loeffler, he was like another father to me through the whole recruiting process and everything. That’s one of the main reasons I chose to go to Michigan,” Mallett said. The Gators, quite obviously, plan to use this past relationship to their advantage. “We talked about him already. Scot’s got a lot of respect for him,” head coach Urban Meyer said of Mallett.

Continue Reading » SIX BITS: Gymnast Sinclair arrested; Gators prepare for Hogs pass attack; Marsh’s ankle

Tags: Arkansas Razorbacks, arrest, Brandon LaFell, Chuck Heater, gymnastics, Janoris Jenkins, Jelani Jenkins, Joe Haden, Lawrence Marsh, LSU Tigers, Melanie Sinclair, Michigan Wolverines, Ryan Mallett, Scot Loeffler, Terrence Tolliver, Tim Tebow

1 » CBSSports.com senior writer Dennis Dodd has been busy over the last few days writing about the No. 1 Florida Gators and No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide. On Sunday, Dodd explained that Florida senior quarterback Tim Tebow stood out even while he was not as featured in the game like normal. Right tackle Marcus Gilbert, whose knee was ultimately what concussed Tebow against the Kentucky Wildcats, provided the most interesting portion of the article. Gilbert never questioned if Tebow would play against the LSU Tigers. “You going to be ready to go?” Gilbert asked Tebow a day after his concussion. “Yup,” Tebow replied. “He told me he was going to go the next day,” Gilbert said. “I believed him. That’s Tebow, man. Nothing can bring Tebow down.”

2 » Dodd also looked at Alabama, saying they are the country’s true No. 1 team right now, citing things like urgency, revenge and motive. Unfortunately, none of those things will win you “Alabama is No. 1 because it is boring, balanced and, in the end, brilliant,” Dodd said. But no matter who is No. 1, history is not kind to the BCS front-runners when the first poll is released (Sunday). “The first BCS rankings are an early indicator of success, sure, but they can also be a curse,” he said. “Only once in the previous 11 years have the top two teams in the first set of rankings played in the BCS title game.”

3 » Onto this week, as the Gators are facing tough competition in the Arkansas Razorbacks. The Hogs are dealing with some issues of their own – namely at wide receiver. Leading receiver Joe Adams suffered a mild stroke last week and is expected to remain out against Florida. But head coach Bobby Petrino is getting some talent back as Lucas Miller and London Crawford (who both broke their collarbone in August and September, respectively) are healed and returned to the team last week against the Auburn Tigers. Jarius Wright, the team’s leading yards-per-reception pass catcher, suffered a concussion last week in the first quarter, yet Arkansas expects him to play Saturday against the Gators. A maximum six days rest compared to Tebow’s 13 and nobody is up in arms about this?

4 » Clearwater Countryside junior offensive tackle Tyler Moore, one of the top offensive linemen in the country, has decided where he wants to play college football. Narrowing it down between the Gators and Nebraska Cornhuskers, many expected the Florida native to stay close to home. Instead, the 2011 recruit has picked the Cornhuskers over the Gators. “After watching [Nebraska] the last couple of years, I like where they’re going,” Moore said.

Tags: Alabama Crimson Tide, Arkansas Razorbacks, Auburn Tigers, Bobby Petrino, Clearwater Countryside, Jarius Wright, Joe Adams, Kentucky Wildcats, London Crawford, LSU Tigers, Lucas Miller, Marcus Gilbert, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Tim Tebow, Tyler Moore

1 » No. 1 Florida Gators and No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide are on top of the college football mountain – both literally and figuratively. While a meeting between the leaders of the East and West in the SEC Championship game seems inevitable, it is not the teams’ high-powered offenses that will take them there. Instead, it is defense that separates Florida and Alabama from the pretenders. Dave Curtis of the Sporting News may have put it best to Stewart Mandel of Sports Illustrated: “You know how in the NCAA tournament you have those years where the Final Four has two No. 1 seeds on one side and a four and a six on the other?” he said. “Well, if the Dec. 5 SEC Championship were a national semifinal, Florida and Alabama would be those dueling No. 1 seeds.”

2 » The Gators top-ranked defense has only given up 6.4 points per game, five less than their average last season. In fact, Florida’s defense is so dominant that its players may finally earn defensive coordinator Charlie Strong the head coaching gig he so richly deserves (and has for years). After I posted this, I came across a new article by the New York Times stating that a previously snubbed Strong is making a major case for himself. “It’s time for college football to make a statement,” writer Lenn Robbins says.

3 » With the LSU Tigers in the books as a 13-3 win, the Gators look ahead to the Arkansas Razorbacks next Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in The Swamp. But before kickoff can commence, Florida’s annual Gator Growl homecoming event will be taking place Friday night. Featuring comedian Dana Carvey, band O.A.R. and dance group the JabbaWockeeZ, the largest student-run pep rally looks to be as entertaining as always. And if that wasn’t enough, former Gators star quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel will be hosting the festivities instead of Albert and Alberta. 2009′s show theme is “Legends of the Swamp,” and the students plan to honor one of the best senior classes ever to run out onto Florida Field.

4 » It was not just the Gators that won on Saturday night as Florida Congressman Adam Putnam won a friendly bet with Congressman Steve Scalise of Louisiana’s First Congressional District. Putnam, a UF graduate, won a case of root beer produced by the Abita Brewing Company of Louisiana from Scalise, who would have received some of Florida’s Natural Orange Juice should LSU have been victorious.

Tags: Alabama Crimson Tide, Albert, Alberta, Arkansas Razorbacks, Charlie Strong, Danny Wuerffel, Florida Field, Gator Growl, Heisman Trophy, LSU Tigers, SEC, The Swamp

Senior quarterback Tim Tebow took the field for the No. 1 Florida Gators two weeks after suffering a concussion and wore down Southeastern Conference-rival No. 4 LSU Tigers 13-3 Saturday night in Baton Rouge, LA. While Tebow was able to start for the Gators, it was the Florida defense that stole the show in Death Valley, holding the Tigers to three points and only 162 total yards.

The largest crowd in Tiger Stadium history at 93,129 was no match for a passionate Florida team, which sacked LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson five times and compiled 327 total yards on offense. The Gators (5-0, 3-0) won their 15th straight game while snapping LSU’s (5-1, 3-1) 32-game winning streak at home during Saturday night games.

Florida ran the ball 48 times in the contest, with Tebow grabbing 38 yards on 17 carries and running back Jeff Demps leading the attack, touching the ball 16 times for 86 yards. RB Emmanuel Moody also contributed on the ground, earning 42 yards on six rushes. Through the air, Tebow completed 11 of 16 passes for 134 yards and one touchdown. He also through an inexplicable interception late in the game. Wide receiver Riley Cooper caught the sole touchdown of the game while tight end Aaron Hernandez led the receivers with six receptions for 70 yards.

On special teams, kicker Caleb Sturgis was shaky at best, missing a 25-yard field goal while also kicking a concerning extra point and 32-yarder that both ended up good. Kick returner Brandon James was held silent by punts directed out of bounds and one kickoff that went through the back of the end zone.

LSU’s offense never really got going with running back Charles Scott only touching the ball 13 times for 53 yards. Jefferson was pressured all night long as Florida collapsed the pocket and blitzed from all angles. Gators middle linebacker Brandon Spikes finished with 11 tackles and 2.5 sacks on the evening, and cornerback Joe Haden grabbed an interception at the end of the first half.

The Gators return to Gainesville, FL, next weekend for their homecoming game against the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday, Oct. 17 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Game time has not been set, though CBS plans to air it either at 3:30 p.m. or as its night game.

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Arkansas Razorbacks, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Brandon James, Brandon Spikes, Caleb Sturgis, Charles Scott, Joe Haden, Jordan Jefferson, LSU Tigers, Riley Cooper, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer