1 » Middle linebacker Brandon Spikes of No. 1 Florida Gators has been named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week following his 11-tackle (4 solo), 2.5 sack performance against the then-No. 4 LSU Tigers. Spikes’ 2.5 sacks were a career best, and he also forced and recovered a fumble in the game.

2 » UF’s defense has intercepted a pass in 17 consecutive games dating back to the 2008 season, the longest streak in the nation.

3 » Four-star recruit and heavy Florida Gators lean Chaz Green visited the Tennessee Volunteers this weekend and came away impressed. Both of Green’s parents went to school in Knoxville, TN, and his visit to the school has put them solidly in his top four. Nevertheless, Green has UF as his leader and said he will “probably” take an official visit to Gainesville, FL, before he makes his final decision.

4 » After two weeks of what seemed to be a national hysteria over the concussion suffered by star quarterback Tim Tebow, his teammates are glad things have calmed down and are somewhat getting back to normal. Defensive end Carlos Dunlap said he’s “glad [the talk] is done,” while wide receiver David Nelson quipped, “The guy didn’t die. It’s a concussion, it happens.”

Tags: Brandon Spikes, Carlos Dunlap, Chaz Green, David Nelson, LSU Tigers, Tennessee Volunteers, Tim Tebow

1 » Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer sought the advice of his mentors and fellow coaches in making a decision regarding quarterback Tim Tebow. He spoke with current ESPN analyst Lou Holtz, former Ohio State Buckeyes coach Earle Bruce and two current coaches whose names he kept private. “I learned a lot these past two weeks,” Meyer said.

2 » Tebow, middle linebacker Brandon Spikes, wide receiver Riley Cooper, defensive end Jermaine Cunningham and kick returner Brandon James have been invited to play in the East-West Shrine Game on Jan. 23 at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, FL.

Tags: Brandon James, Brandon Spikes, Citrus Bowl, Earle Bruce, East-West Shrine Game, Jermaine Cunningham, Lou Holtz, Ohio State Buckeyes, Riley Cooper, Urban Meyer

Each week following the conclusion of a Florida Gators game, ONLY GATORS Get Out Alive will grade the team position-by-position on how it performed in that match-up. This week, we look at how the Gators fared against the LSU Tigers in Death Valley.

QUARTERBACK: A
Tim Tebow was asked to tone it down and be a game manager, something that is not necessarily in his nature. Nevertheless, knowing the significance of the injury he came back from and the wishes of the coaching and medical staff, he did exactly that. An inexplicable interception late was Tebow’s only flaw on the night, and the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback made good throws when they were called.

RUNNING BACKS: A
No huge game-breaking runs from the Gators attack Saturday, but that is not something you can expect against the Tigers. Running back Jeff Demps was a madman, gaining 86 tough yards on 16 carries while Emmanuel Moody took some of the power rushing load off Tebow with six carries for 42 yards of his own. Moody showed up when he was needed the most, and that is what counts.

Continue Reading » Grading the No. 1 Florida Gators game at LSU

Tags: A.J. Jones, Aaron Hernandez, Brandon James, Brandon Spikes, Caleb Sturgis, Carlos Dunlap, Charlie Strong, Deonte Thompson, Emmanuel Moody, grading, Jeff Demps, Joe Haden, Jordan Jefferson, LSU Tigers, Riley Cooper, Ryan Stamper, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer

1 » While Florida Gators doctors were stressed about the eventual results of quarterback Tim Tebow‘s tests on Saturday, Tebow was more scared Friday afternoon while he was flying into the game. Tebow, a notoriously bad flier, often gets sick on flights – especially when there is a lot of turbulence. “I didn’t get sick, which was a great test for the doctors,” Tebow said. “Honestly, I think God kept me healthy on that plane ride, because most of the time I would probably have gotten sick on that plane ride, and that would have looked bad as far as me playing.”

2 » Saturday night’s game was not all about Tebow, as the Gators have another leader out there on the field. Middle linebacker Brandon Spikes finished with a team-high 11 tackles, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble. Spikes lined up all over the field, playing both middle and outside linebacker positions as well as at defensive end. “Spikes felt like he got called out earlier in the day on ESPN by (Kirk) Herbstreit. He felt like he got called out, so I guess he stepped up tonight,” senior linebacker Ryan Stamper said.

3 » While Florida made a name for themselves on the ground in Death Valley, the biggest play of the game was through the air when Tebow hooked up with wide receiver Riley Cooper for the game’s only touchdown. “Coop’s a playmaker and we gotta keep going to him,” tight end Aaron Hernandez said. “When we need to take a shot, Coop’s the one to go to.”

Continue Reading » SIX BITS: Wrapping up Florida at LSU

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Brandon Spikes, LSU Tigers, Riley Cooper, Ryan Stamper, Tiger Stadium, 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

Location: Tiger Stadium – Baton Rouge, LA [Capacity: 92,400]
Time: 8:00 p.m. (EST)
Weather Forecast: 72-65°F – 40% chance of precipitation

TV: CBS-HD
Sirius XM: XM 215 (Gators), XM 214 (Tigers)

Odds: Florida -9, O/U 45.5
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.
- Wide receiver Deonte Thompson…who makes his return to the Gators after injuring his hamstring against the Troy Trojans in the second week of the season. With Thompson out and both WR Riley Cooper and tight end Aaron Hernandez ill a few weeks ago, Florida’s receiving core is finally healthy and looking to break out.
- LSU Tigers running back Charles Scott…who had season highs of 19 carries and 95 yards last week against Georgia. The Tigers want to get him more involved.
- The winner of the Florida/LSU game…who has gone on to win the National Championship each of the last three seasons.

STREAKS:
- The Gators are in the middle of their longest winning streak in school history with 14 consecutive victories. They also hold the longest active winning streak in the NCAA.
- Florida holds a 29-23-3 series lead over LSU in 55 all-time meetings.
- The Tigers have won 32 consecutive Saturday night games in Tiger Stadium, a streak that has been going on since 2002.
- LSU is listed as an underdog for only the fourth time in the last nine seasons when playing at home. The Tigers are winless in their last three meetings as home underdogs.
- Since joining the Gators, head coach Urban Meyer has a 6-1 record against opponents ranked in the top five and a 10-2 streak against top 10 teams.
- When ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll, Florida is 18-4 all-time. LSU is 2-8-1 all-time against teams ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll.

Read OGGOA’s complete Florida at LSU GameDay preview after the jump…

Continue Reading » Week 6: No. 1 Florida Gators at No. 4 LSU Tigers

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Brandon Spikes, Carl Moore, Charles Scott, Deonte Thompson, Dorian Munroe, Florida Gators, Georgia Bulldogs, John Brantley, Kentucky Wildcats, Lawrence Marsh, Les Miles, LSU Tigers, Matt Patchan, Moses Jenkins, Riley Cooper, Tiger Stadium, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer

Here is your comprehensive Florida Gators injury update following Monday’s practice. Injury key: probable (75%), questionable (50%), doubtful (25%).

QB Tim Tebow – While no official word has been handed down from the Gators, I will tab Tebow as questionable for Saturday against the LSU Tigers. As OGGOA reported earlier today, Tebow’s headache reportedly disappeared several days ago and he has been symptom-free for some time. Concussion experts state an athlete must be asymptomatic for seven consecutive days before returning to active competition. After seven days, however, concussed players are considered to be “full strength.” All that stands in the way of Tebow playing Saturday, in my opinion, would be the re-emergence of post-concussion symptoms.

LB Brandon Spikes – He is still experiencing Achilles tendonitis and there is a good chance he will for the remainder of the season. Even though the injury causes him pain, Spikes has yet to miss a game, and I have no doubt he will be active for the Gators’ biggest match-up so far this season.

Injury updates on eight more Florida players after the jump…

Continue Reading » Complete Florida Gators Monday injury update

Tags: Brandon Spikes, Carl Moore, Deonte Thompson, Dorian Munroe, Lawrence Marsh, Marcus Gilbert, Maurkice Pouncey, Mike Pouncey, Moses Jenkins, Tim Tebow

1 » Tampa Tribune takes a look at the additional cost the Florida Gators incurred by sending two additional airplanes to Lexington for the Kentucky Wildcats game last week in order to separate ill players (including quarterback Tim Tebow and safety Major Wright) from the rest of the team. Only extra expense? Fuel.

2 » While Florida Gators fans worry about the impact Tebow’s injury may have on next Saturday’s game against the LSU Tigers, Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald believes the game is not necessarily a must-win, and a loss in Tiger Stadium would not spell the end for Florida’s chances at another national championship trophy.

3 » As a student at the University of Florida, I once played basketball against Super Bowl-champion Pittsburgh Steelers starting left tackle Max Starks. At 6’8” and almost 350 pounds, Starks (not surprisingly) thoroughly dominated me in the post like he now does to defensive linemen in the NFL. Monday night, Starks will take on all comers as he co-hosts WWE Monday Night Raw along with the rest of the Steelers’ offensive line and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (the main host).

4 » ESPN’s NFL Draft guru Mel Kiper, Jr. has released his latest “Big Board,” in which he names his top 25 NFL prospects, including two Florida Gators. Defensive end Carlos Dunlap has held steady at No. 5 while middle linebacker Brandon Spikes has moved up three spots to No. 21.

Continue Reading » SIX BITS: LSU not a must-win? Starks gets RAW. Kiper’s Big Board. Volleyball to be tested.

Tags: Brandon Spikes, Carlos Dunlap, Max Starks, Mike Peterson, Tim Tebow, volleyball