ESPN officially announced the field for the 2011 BIG EAST/SEC Challenge on Thursday, and the Florida Gators are set to play the Syracuse Orange at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, NY on Dec. 2 as part of the three-day event.

Undergoing a format change this year, the BIG EAST/SEC Challenge will feature 12 games in on-campus arenas rather than four games at neutral sites. It will last from Dec. 1-3 with six games played at the home arenas of each conference.

All 12 of the SEC’s teams will compete in the event while four Big East teams (the conference has 16 total) will not be in action.

Though the invitational has been around since 2007, Florida has only competed in it once. The Gators lost to the the Orange 85-73 in Tampa, FL on Dec. 10, 2009.

Syracuse leads the all-time series against Florida 3-1.

The Gators’ game against the Orange will be their fifth all-time in the Carrier Dome (4-0); however, Florida have never played Syracuse in the building. All of the Gators’ previous contests there have been in NCAA Tournament action.

2011 BIG EAST/SEC Challenge
Dec. 1
Georgetown at Alabama
Providence at South Carolina
St. John’s at Kentucky
DePaul vs. Ole Miss

Dec. 2
Seton Hall vs. Auburn
Syracuse vs. Florida
Cincinnati at Georgia
Louisville vs. Vanderbilt

Dec. 3
Connecticut vs. Arkansas
West Virginia at Mississippi State
Rutgers vs. LSU
Pittsburgh at Tennessee

All games will be televised on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU.

As OGGOA first reported on April 28, UF will also compete in the Global Sports Shootout tournament to begin the 2011-12 season. The event, which is a collection of games played at different arenas, will see Florida play on the road against Ohio State, in a neutral site game against Wright State (Tampa) and at home against North Florida and Jackson State. UF and WSU will square-off on Nov. 21 at the St. Pete Times Forum; the dates and times for the remainder of the games are still being determined.

Tags: Big East, Big East/SEC Challenge, Carrier Dome, Global Sports Shootout, SEC, St. Pete Times Forum, Syracuse Orange

1 » Florida Gators safety Ahmad Black wishes Brian Billick was still a head coach in the NFL. Why? Because Billick, unlike some other scouts and coaches, understands exactly what Black can bring to the table at the next level. Writing a column for WNST AM1570, Billick had this to say about him:

Many NFL scouts and talent evaluator will tell you that Ahmad Black is undersized and doesn’t have elite speed or quickness. […] But what I will tell you, is that despite his lack of size and speed, Black always seems to be around the football. On the field, he plays faster than his 40-time suggests by playing smart and instinctive. You will rarely find him out of position in zone schemes and he reads WRs well in man coverage. […] He displays a smooth and fluid backpedal with an efficient transition into his break on the ball. He is a reliable tackler, but gets in trouble when he leaves his feet in an effort to make a lunging hit. While Ahmad Black may not be physically intimidating, he shows up on the field and makes big plays against the best of competition. […] Black may not be the most gifted athlete, but he is an exceptional football player.

2 » Two former Gators will be squaring off on the hardwood for the third time already in March as the Chicago Bulls travel south to take on the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday at 8 p.m. Atlanta forward/center Al Horford relishes the occasions he gets to take on former teammate and now Chicago center Joakim Noah, something Horford told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Sunday. “It’s going to be a battle, but we’re looking forward to it,” he said. The paper also spoke to Hawks forward Marvin Williams, who said the team can tell that Horford is extra enthusiastic when he gets to face Noah.

Click to expand and read the rest of this post.

Tags: ACC, Ahmad Black, Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks, Big East, Brian Billick, Chicago Bulls, Joakim Noah, Marvin Williams, Mike Slive, NCAA, NCAA Tournament, NFL, SEC

1 » Florida Gators defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who has mostly been out on the road recruiting since the Seattle Seahawks were eliminated from the NFL Playoffs, has been assigned the Jacksonville, FL area as his primary recruiting grounds, according to The Florida Times-Union. The Times-Union’s Hays Carlyon reports that Quinn visited a number of area high schools on Friday and notes that Florida could be interested in two Yulee High School players over the next two seasons – tight end/linebacker Kelvin Rainey in 2012 and running back Derrick Henry in 2013.

2 » When former Gators safety Ahmad Black presented the game ball from the 2011 Outback Bowl to Ian Lockwood, it was obvious the two (and then-head coach Urban Meyer) had formed a special bond. In Mobile, AL for the 2011 Under Armour Senior Bowl, Black spoke with the Pensacola News Journal about his friendship with Lockwood and how the two became so close so quickly. “He opened the door to the Florida football program,” said Lockwood’s high school football coach Chad Lashley. “That has meant the world to Ian. It just shows the unbelievable character of Ahmad and his concern for other people. With him getting that interception, it was just the perfect ending.” You can read more thoughts from Black and Lashley by clicking here.

3 » Taking the Louisville Cardinals to a 7-6 record and earning Big East Co-Coach of the Year honors in 2010, head coach Charlie Strong appears to be in line for a new contract with a substantial raise, according to The Louisville Courier-Journal, which spoke with athletic director Tom Jurich. “We want to do [give him a raise], but this staff has been busy and they’re doing a great job, so when signing day is over and we get some time, we’re definitely going to address that,” Jurich said. “It’s been great that he’s been able to keep his staff together to this point, and I can tell you those guys are really getting after it and they’re having a great time. They’re on a rocket ship right now, and it’s fun to watch.” Louisville doing what it can to keep Strong now may prevent him leaving until a significantly better job is available a few years down the road. He currently earns $1.6 million per season.

4 » Redshirt junior guard Mike Rosario is biding his time helping Florida improve during practice while he waits out a NCAA-mandated transfer season. An article written for CNN profiling Rosario’s hall of fame high school head coach Bob Hurley, Sr. notes that the player once the star of one of Hurley’s teams and describes him as a “hot-tempered kid who used basketball as a refuge from the life in a housing project.” Rosario recounted his time playing for Hurley. “He started disciplining me like I was one of his sons,” he said. “It was to the point where I was like, ‘Wow, I had never been pushed like this in my life.’ I learned how to be a man and not a boy.”

Tags: Ahmad Black, Big East, Bob Hurley, Charlie Strong, Coach of the Year, Dan Quinn, Derrick Henry, Ian Lockwood, Kelvin Rainey, Louisville Cardinals, Mike Rosario, NCAA, NFL, Playoffs, Seattle Seahawks, Senior Bowl, Tom Jurich, Under Armour, Urban Meyer

Junior running back Jeff Demps rushed for a career-high 139 yards while totaling 255 all purpose yards Saturday, leading the No. 6/8 Florida Gators (2-0) to a 38-14 win over the South Florida Bulls (1-1) at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL, in the first-ever meeting between the two schools in football.

After going three-and-out on their first series, the Gators punted the ball to the Bulls, who put together a 17-play 96-yard drive resulting in a touchdown and an early 7-0 lead. Thirteen of South Florida’s 17 plays on the scoring drive were rushes, with QB B.J. Daniels carrying the majority of the load.

Florida once again had trouble getting things going offensively in the first half. The Gators’ first three drives resulted in punts, and snapping issues reared their ugly head early with a few errant balls coming from senior center Mike Pouncey. Redshirt junior quarterback John Brantley corralled most of them but mishandled one which resulted in a fumble that he recovered.

Junior kicker Caleb Sturgis missed a 39-yard field goal more than halfway through the second quarter, but an interception by senior safety Ahmad Black got Florida the ball back inside USF’s 30 yard line with one minute left in the half. Brantley completed a beautiful 23-yard pass to redshirt junior wide receiver Deonte Thompson on first down before tossing a game-tying touchdown to redshirt senior WR Carl Moore to complete a three-play, 29-yard scoring drive in 16 seconds.

Black would end the half with his second interception of the game, sending the Gators into the locker room with all of the momentum. It was his third pick of the young season and 11th of his four-year career.

“The thing about this game is we wanted to let him try to beat us running the ball, because we knew for a fact he wasn’t going to beat us throwing the ball,” Black said after the game. “If he put the ball in the air, it was ours.”

With just over 10 minutes to go in the third quarter, Bulls RB Demetrius Murray took off on a 33-yard run to put South Florida in scoring position. Two players later, Murray fumbled the ball, which was recovered by senior defensive end Duke Lemmens at Florida’s 12. The Gators would not wait long to capitalize. Brantley completed a 21-yard pass to Thompson to give UF some breathing room before handing off to Demps, who broke away for an electric 62-yard score.

USF stalled on their next drive, kicking to junior cornerback Janoris Jenkins, who replaced redshirt junior WR Chris Rainey (concussion) as punt returner. Jenkins returned the ball 30 yards to the Bulls’ 35, once again putting the Gators in scoring position. Freshman WR Robert Clark got the call on a 15-yard pass reception from Brantley. Now inside the 20, redshirt senior RB Emmanuel Moody carried the load to the South Florida four, where sophomore RB Mike Gillislee rushed for a short touchdown, putting UF up 21-7.

Florida continued putting the pressure on Daniels and USF, pushing him deep into the backfield on a second-and-eight play from the Bulls’ 48. Unable to find a receiver, Daniels’ pass was intercepted by senior defensive end Justin Trattou, who returned the ball 35 yards for a touchdown and extended the Gators’ lead to 28-7.

South Florida refused to go away, however, as Daniels took advantage of UF miscue in the secondary to complete a 51-yard pass to WR Evan Landi. Down on Florida’s 19, Daniels handed the ball of twice to Murray, who reduced his team’s deficit to 14.

A 69-yard return by Demps on the kickoff put the Gators at the 31 yard line, and a subsequent 26-yard rush by the speedster got UF inside the five. Unable to capitalize, Florida called on Sturgis to make his first field goal of the season, a 22-yard attempt.

Jenkins appeared out to get Daniels on the Bulls’ next drive, sacking him on first down from the team’s 29 yard line before intercepting him on the very next play. Looking to put the game away, Brantley, Demps and Moody led the Gators on a 13-play, 57-yard drive that lasted 7:22 and ended with a two-yard touchdown reception by redshirt freshman tight end Jordan Reed (the first of his career) to give Florida a 38-14 lead.

Demps electrified the Gators throughout the game, rushing 11 times for 139 yards and a touchdown, catching one pass for 21 yards and returning two kickoffs for 95 yards. Brantley was consistent through the air, going 18-of-31 for 172 yards and two scores. Thompson and Moore each stepped up in the passing game, combining to catch 11 balls for 123 yards, while Moody and Gillislee rushed for a total of 83 yards.

Defensively, Florida nabbed four interceptions for the second-straight game and fourth time under head coach Urban Meyer. Lemmens stood out with a fumble recovery and sack, and the defensive line got consistent pressure on Daniels in the second half.

UF extended its home winning streak to 12 games and won its 22nd consecutive regular season contest Saturday. The Gators are now 10-0 against intrastate opponents under Meyer and 9-3-2 all-time against the Big East. After giving up three turnovers to Miami (OH) last week, Florida held onto the ball Saturday and simultaneously almost doubled their yardage production offensively.

The Gators hope to build on their strong second half when they leave home for the first time in the 2010-11 season next week to take on the Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville, TN. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m., and the game will air live on CBS.

Photo Credit: Doug Finger/The Gainesville Sun

Tags: Ahmad Black, B.J. Daniels, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Big East, Caleb Sturgis, Carl Moore, Chris Rainey, Demetrius Murray, Deonte Thompson, Duke Lemmens, Emmanuel Moody, Evan Landi, Janoris Jenkins, Jeff Demps, John Brantley, Jordan Reed, Justin Trattou, Mike Gillislee, Mike Pouncey, Robert Clark, South Florida Bulls, Urban Meyer

Location: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium – Gainesville, FL [Capacity: 88,548]
Weather Forecast: 89°F, 20% chance of precipitation
Time: 12:21 p.m. (EST)

TV: SEC Network [affiliates]
Sirius/XM: 219/200
Online Video: ESPN3.com
Online Audio: Yahoo!
Live Updates: @OnlyGators

Odds: Florida -15; O/U 50

HISTORY and STREAKS

» Saturday is the first-ever meeting between Florida and South Florida in football.
» The Gators are sporting an 11-game home winning streak and have won 21 consecutive regular season games. The Orange and Blue has a .897 (113-13) winning percentage at Florida Field since 1990, good for best in the nation.
» Under Meyer, Florida is 9-0 against intrastate opponents (5-0 vs. FSU, 1-0 vs. Miami, FIU, FAU and UCF).
» The Gators and Bulls were the only two teams in the country to record four interceptions in the first week of the 2010 season. This is the third time UF has picked off four balls under Meyer, the first time four different players did so.
» Florida is 8-3-2 all-time against Big East opponents.
» UF committed a nation-low 84 turnovers since 2005 and has had 23 games in which they did not give up a single turnover (best in the nation).
» The Gators limited Miami (OH) to 0.2 yards per carry last week, four rushing yards on 22 carries. This is the fewest allowed by a Florida defense since it held Tennessee to -11 rushing yards on Sept. 16, 2006.
» For the 20th time in 22 games, the Gators did not allow a single punt return yard.
» South Florida has won six of its last nine games against teams ranked in the Associated Press and/or USA Today Coaches Top 25 poll(s).
» Florida assistant head coach/defense and defensive line coach Dan McCarney was on staff at USF in 2007; co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Chuck Heater worked with Holtz at Notre Dame in 1990.

KEEP AN EYE ON…

» Redshirt junior quarterback John Brantley…who is looking to rebound from a rough outing in which he started his first collegiate game. He has thrown 86 consecutive passes without an interception and has a 12-1 TD/INT ratio while playing for the Gators.
» Junior running back Jeff Demps…who had a career-long 72-yard rushing TD last week. Demps leads the nation in rushing yards per touch (7.8) since 2008 and yards per carry (7.9) since 2009; he complied 98 yards on Saturday.
» Florida’s veteran offensive line…which is hoping senior center Mike Pouncey has overcome his snap problems and continue to be a strong leader for the group.
» Redshirt junior wide receiver Chris Rainey…who has moved to the slot after playing running back for two seasons. Rainey hopes to be explosive while playing a modified “Percy Position” and could very well be the team’s best offensive weapon this season. He had a career-high six catches last week.
» Bulls starting QB B.J. Daniels…a dual-threat signal caller who draws comparisons to Michael Vick. Daniels went 15-of-22 for 264 yards and two TDs through the air and rushed five times for 23 yards and one TD on the ground last week against Stony Brook. He finished the 2009 season with 1,983 passing yards, 772 rushing yards and 23 total TDs, completing 53.7 percent of his passes and earning a QB rating of 139.55.
» Redshirt sophomore cornerback Jeremy Brown…who is now the team’s full-time starter opposite junior CB Janoris Jenkins. Brown missed last season with a back injury and is starting his first game Saturday.
» Redshirt freshman WR Andre Debose…who missed the entire 2009 season with a hamstring injury but is expected to make an immediate impact offensively. Debose did not play against Miami (OH) and will see the field for the first time against South Florida.
» Sophomore RB Mike Gillislee…who has achieved a run of more than 40 yards in back-to-back games, rushing for a 41-yard gain against Miami (OH) and a 52-yard gain in the 2010 Sugar Bowl.

INJURIES and INACTIVES
Injuries
Probable – Sophomore left tackle Xavier Nixon, redshirt freshman tight end Jordan Reed (knees), redshirt senior defensive tackles Terron Sanders and Lawrence Marsh
Doubtful – Freshman WR Chris Dunkley (hamstring)
Out – Redshirt sophomore LT Matt Patchan (wrist)

Inactives
None (will update closer to game time)

FLORIDA ON ESPN COLLEGE GAMEDAY

The Gators will be featured, in part, during ESPN’s College GameDay broadcast beginning at 9 a.m. on ESPNU (hosted by Erin Andrews) and continuing from 10 a.m. until noon on ESPN. In the first hour, Andrews, Desmond Howard and David Pollack will discuss what level of concern Florida should have for their team after a rough first week. Later in the show, Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Lee Corso will talk about the fumbling problems the Gators experienced against Miami (OH) and how easy or difficult it may be to get those fixed in a week’s time.

Read OGGOA’s Florida Gators vs. South Florida Bulls preview after the jump!
Continue Reading » Week 2: No. 6 Florida Gators v. South Florida Bulls

Tags: Andre Debose, B.J. Daniels, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Big East, Chris Dunkley, Chris Rainey, Chuck Heater, Dan McCarney, Desmond Parks, Janoris Jenkins, Jeff Demps, Jeremy Brown, John Brantley, Jordan Reed, Lawrence Marsh, Matt Patchan, Mike Gillislee, Mike Pouncey, Skip Holtz, South Florida Bulls, Terron Sanders, Urban Meyer, Xavier Nixon

Various sources have now confirmed OGGOA‘s Saturday report that former Rutgers Scarlet Knights shooting guard Mike Rosario (Jersey City, NJ) has committed to join the Florida Gators. Rosario, who scheduled a weekend visit with the team after receiving his conditional release from Rutgers, will have to sit out the 2010-11 season due to NCAA transfer eligibility rules.

“[Florida] is a great school, a great atmosphere, a great college town,” Rosario told the Newark Star-Ledger. “You have people around you that care. It’s just unbelievable. That was exactly what I was looking for. And Florida had exactly what Mike Rosario was looking for. It’s my decision. I’m happy I made the decision to come here.

“The biggest thing that Florida offered me was, ‘We’re going to win.’ That’s it: ‘We’re going to win.’ That’s something that I’ve missed doing. Now I’m going to have the chance to do it with a lot of good guys that are passionate about the game. The people down there are so wonderful, so different. I feel like I’m back in high school again.”

He was also considering Kansas and Southern California.

Rosario spoke to the Associated Press about his new head coach, Billy Donovan.

“Billy D the great, that’s the only thing I can say,” he said. “He is a great person, a great guy. He has a wonderful heart. He knows the game and he is passionate and he just has everything I want.”

In Rosario, the Gators have gained a guard who averaged 16.7 points and 3.9 rebounds in 30 starts this season. He was a four-star recruit coming out of high school and will join Florida as a redshirt junior in 2011-12, completing a formidable incoming backcourt duo with five-star commitment Bradley Beal (St. Louis, MO).

Photo Credit: Rob Tringali

Tags: Big East, Bradley Beal, Mike Rosario, NCAA, Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Former Rutgers Scarlet Knights shooting guard Mike Rosario will travel to Gainesville, FL, Friday for a visit with the Florida Gators and head coach Billy Donovan. According to Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com, Rosario has been given a conditional release by Rutgers with the two conditions being that he can neither transfer within the Big East nor to any school on the team’s 2010-11 schedule.

“[Rosario] just got off the phone with Billy Donovan [and] it’s a go,” his mentor Jorge Fontan told Zagoria late Wednesday. “We’re all happy, ecstatic right now. We’re glad Rutgers didn’t give us a hard time about [the transfer]. We respect them for that and now we’re going to sit back and see who calls us.”

It was previously rumored that Rutgers would make Florida, Kansas and USC (where Fontan’s son Jio Fontan is a point guard). Rosario averaged 16.7 points and 3.9 rebounds in 30 starts this season. He would be forced to sit out a year as a transfer and would be eligible to play for the Gators or the team of his choosing beginning in the 2011-12 season.

UPDATE: The Orlando Sentinel‘s Jeremy Fowler is reporting that three-star point guard Chris Denson (Columbus, GA) will also be visiting Florida this weekend.

Photo Credit: Rob Tringali

Tags: Big East, Billy Donovan, Chris Denson, Jio Fontan, Jorge Fontan, Mike Rosario, Rutgers Scarlet Knights

1 » The Gainesville Sun is reporting that 2010 power forward recruit Will Yeguete of Florida Air Academy will visit the Florida Gators this weekend. Yeguete – who is choosing between Florida, Indiana and Georgia Tech – would not the first to make the transition from FAA to UF; guard Walter Hodge did it just a few years ago.

2 » Day one of the 2010 Masters has come and gone, and two former Gators are already struggling. Both Brian Gay and Camilo Villegas finished their first round at 2-over par. Gay birdied four holes (2, 3, 7, 13), bogeyed four (6, 10, 12, 14) and double-bogeyed one (16) to finish with a score of 40 on the back nine. Villegas bogeyed three holes (3, 11, 13) and only earned one birdie (15), shooting a 37 out and in.

Two more BITS on Duke Lemmens and Charlie Strong…after the jump!
Continue Reading » FOUR BITS: Yeguete, Masters, Lemmens, Strong

Tags: Big East, Brian Gay, Camilo Villegas, Charlie Strong, Dan McCarney, Duke Lemmens, Florida Air Academy, golf, Greg Scruggs, Louisville Cardinals, PGA, Walter Hodge, Will Yeguete