Location: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium – Gainesville, FL [Capacity: 88,548]
Time: 12:30 p.m. (EST)
Weather Forecast: 75°F – Partly Sunny

TV: Pay-Per-View and ESPN Gameplan (Check your local listings.)
Online: None.
Sirius: 214; XM: 201

Odds: Florida -45, O/U 56.5
Head-to-Head Stats: Gainesville Sun

KEEP AN EYE ON…
- Florida’s 2009 senior class…who go into Saturday’s game with a 45-6 record, tied for the SEC mark for winningest class in conference history. The SEC record of 45 wins is shared by the 1996 Gators, 1994 Alabama Crimson Tide, 1998 Tennessee Volunteers and 2005 Georgia Bulldogs.
- Senior defensive end Jermaine Cunningham…who leads the team with seven sacks.
- Senior linebacker Ryan Stamper…who is tops on the Gators with 61 tackles.
- Senior kick returner Brandon James…who set the SEC record for kickoff return yards last week with 2,538 yards on 105 returns. James looks for a return touchdown this week.
- Senior wide receiver Riley Cooper…who is looking to improve after dropping two touchdowns last week against South Carolina. He caught one.
- Florida’s Nick Alajajian and Florida International’s Joe Alajajian…who are brothers.

STREAKS:
- The Gators are in the middle of the longest winning streak in school history with 20 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. 19 of Florida’s 20 wins have been by a double digit margin. Florida is 10-0 for the third time in school history (1995, 1996).
- The Gators lead the SEC in rushing offense (230.6) and third-down efficiency (.441). They also come in No. 3 in total offense (428.7) and scoring offense (33.9).
- On defense, the Gators have only surrendered ten touchdowns all season (fewest of any team in the nation). The unit has also only allowed 12 field goals for a total of 105 points (10.5 points per game) – this also leads the nation.
- Florida tallied a season-high six sacks last week against South Carolina, including three within a span of four defensive snaps.
- The Gators allowed a season-low 61 net rushing yards last week while also holding the SEC league leader in sacks, Eric Norwood, without one.
- Florida has recorded 10 interceptions over the past four weeks, best in the nation.

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

Continue Reading » Week 12: No. 1 Florida Gators vs. FIU G. Panthers

Tags: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Brandon James, Brandon Spikes, Emmanuel Moody, Florida International Golden Panthers, Jermaine Cunningham, Mario Cristobal, Moses Jenkins, Nick Alajajian, Riley Cooper, Ryan Stamper, Terron Sanders, The Swamp, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer

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 Vanderbilt Commodores Saturday night at home in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

QUARTERBACK: C+
After two consecutive weeks of below-average play, Tim Tebow came back big against the Georgia Bulldogs last week in Jacksonville, FL. Back in The Swamp, Tebow still contributed to the victory but struggled mightily in the process. His numbers of 15-for-20 for 208 yards and a touchdown are misleading, considering 64 yards came on a meaningless late catch-and-run by tight end Aaron Hernandez, and his sole score through the air was on a tipped pass that wound up in the hands of wide receiver David Nelson. Sacked four times mostly because of his inability to get rid of the ball when under pressure, Tebow also struggled on the ground averaging 1.7 yards per carry on 16 attempts (27 yards). In mop-up duty, back-up John Brantley went 3-for-3 for 19 yards. For his two touchdowns (he also punched one in on the ground), Tebow gets a plus, but his performance was extremely average.

RUNNING BACKS: B+
Last week, I mentioned that “it is tough to expect this unit to make an impact when the three main players combined for 16 total attempts.” This week, Jeff Demps, Emmanuel Moody and Chris Rainey combined for 19 carries, though their averages were much better. Gaining 8.1, 4.3 and 3.0 yards per carry, respectively, the trio combined for 103 yards on the ground. In other words, they did the best they could with the limited attempts provided to them. For avoiding mistakes and contributing when given the opportunity, these guys played just fine.

Read the rest of Florida’s grades from the Vanderbilt game after the jump…
Continue Reading » Grading the Florida vs. Vanderbilt game

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Alex Washington, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Brandon James, Brandon Spikes, Caleb Sturgis, Carlos Dunlap, Charlie Strong, Chas Henry, Chris Rainey, Deonte Thompson, Dustin Doe, Emmanuel Moody, grading, Jeff Demps, Jermaine Cunningham, John Brantley, Mackenzie Adams, Riley Cooper, Ryan Stamper, Steve Addazio, The Swamp, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer, 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

Missing a 37-yard field goal early in the first quarter, Florida Gators kicker Caleb Sturgis rebounded with makes from 30 and 51 and a game-winning 27-yard attempt to help the No. 1 team in the country overcome four turnovers to defeat the Arkansas Razorbacks 23-20 on homecoming night in The Swamp.

In front of a crowd of 90,508 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Florida improved to 6-0 (4-0) on the season and kept a school record and nation-leading 16-game winning streak alive. Tied 20-20 with 4:19 remaining in the game, the Razorbacks missed a 38-yard field goal, returning the ball to the Gators on their own 21 yard line. Senior quarterback Tim Tebow led Florida on a 14-play, 69-yard drive down the field to set up Sturgis for his 27-yard kick with nine seconds remaining on the clock.

“I got kind of down on myself early,” Sturgis said about missing his first field goal attempt in the game. “I wanted to make [the last field goal] for my teammates. They work so hard, and I don’t do much [by comparison]. I was ready to hit that ball from 57 [yards] when it was third down.”

It seemed to be Murphy’s Law for the Gators throughout the game, as just about everything that could go wrong did. Florida had four fumbles (three inside the red zone), dropped three passes and allowed Arkansas to hit on a 75-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Ryan Mallett to wide receiver Greg Childs in the fourth quarter. Mallett threw for 224 yards while kick returner Dennis Johnson, who started at running back in place of injured Michael Smith, ran for 107 yards in his stead.

Tebow finished 17-of-26 for 255 yards and a touchdown with 69 more yards on the ground; he also accounted for 52 yards in the team’s final drive. During the game, Tebow became the all-time SEC record holder in touchdown responsibility with 123 (75 passing, 48 rushing), passing former Gators quarterback Danny Wuerffel.

Tight end Aaron Hernandez led all receivers with career-highs in receptions (seven) and yards (92), while wide receiver Deonte Thompson added one 77-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter. Wide receiver Riley Cooper was clutch throughout the game, grabbing six balls for 58 yards and numerous first downs.

While it took the Gators the entire game to recover from their errors and squeak out a win, Tebow was hopeful that the hard fought victory would serve a purpose for his team throughout the remainder of the season. “A win like that brings you so much closer together,” Tebow said. “That will lead up to a great week of practice this week.”

Florida returns to the road next week, heading to Starkville, MS, to take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m. The game will air on ESPN/ESPN2.

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Arkansas Razorbacks, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Caleb Sturgis, Danny Wuerffel, Dennis Johnson, Deonte Thompson, Greg Childs, Michael Smith, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Riley Cooper, Ryan Mallett, The Swamp, Tim Tebow

Location: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium – Gainesville, FL [Capacity: 88,548]
Time: 3:30 p.m. (EST)
Weather Forecast: 68°F – Partly sunny

TV: CBS-HD
Online: Live for FREE at CBSSports.com.
Sirius: 217; XM: 201

Odds: Florida -24.5, O/U 58
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.
- The UF secondary…which has an interception in 17 straight games back to 2008.
- Arkansas Razorbacks running back Michael Smith…who torched the Gators for 133 yards on 20 carries and 43 more on six receptions in 2008. Smith will be a game-time decision to play with a hamstring injury.
- Linebacker Brandon Hicks…who was shoved by Razorbacks quarterback Ryan Mallett after making a hard tackle along the Arkansas sideline in 2008. Revenge?

STREAKS:
- The Gators have won seven consecutive games against the Razorbacks, never scoring less than 33 points in each victory. Florida is 7-1 all-time against Arkansas.
- Saturday’s game pits the top rushing offense in the SEC, Florida at 284.6 yards per game, against the top passing offense in the conference, Arkansas with 318.2 yards per game. The Gators also lead the nation in total defense (202.6 yards per game) and scoring defense (6.4 yards per game).
- Last time the Razorbacks played a No. 1-ranked team, they defeated the LSU Tigers 50-48 in three overtimes in 2007. Arkansas is 4-11 all-time in games against the No. 1-ranked AP team.
- The Gators are in the middle of the longest winning streak in school history with 15 consecutive victories. They also hold the longest active winning streak in the NCAA and are tied with the Auburn Tigers for the longest winning streak in SEC history.
- Scoring at least 41 points in four of their first five games, Arkansas has already beaten a ranked team this season, the then-No. 17 Auburn Tigers 44-23 last week.
- On Saturday, Florida looks to win its 21st consecutive homecoming game.

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

Continue Reading » Week 7: No. 1 Florida Gators vs. Ark. Razorbacks

Tags: Arkansas Razorbacks, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Bobby Petrino, Brandon Hicks, Brandon Spikes, Carl Moore, Georgia Bulldogs, Herschel Walker, Jarius Wright, Jaye Howard, Jelani Jenkins, Jeremy Brown, Joe Adams, Lawrence Marsh, LSU Tigers, Michael Smith, Moses Jenkins, Ryan Mallett, SEC, The Swamp, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer

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