- The Gators are 8-0 for the first time since the 1996 team started 10-0 and finished 12-1 with UF’s first football National Championship.

- Senior quarterback Tim Tebow broke the SEC record for rushing touchdowns (49) previously held by former Georgia Bulldogs‘ RB Herschel Walker (1980-82) with his 23-yard run in the second quarter. Tebow followed it up with a five-yard run in the third quarter to end the game with 51 career rushing touchdowns.

- Also gaining 85 yards on the ground against Georgia, Tebow broke another SEC record – career rushing yards by a quarterback. Previously held by Arkansas Razorbacks QB Matt Jones (2001-04) at 2,535, the record has been surpassed by Tebow who now has 2,588 on his career and looks to improve the number over the course of the next few weeks.

- Since Urban Meyer became the head coach in 2005, the Gators are now 14-1 against tradition rivals (Florida State, Georgia, Miami and Tennessee), including a 4-1 record against the Bulldogs.

- Special teams continue to stop opponents from returning punts as Chas Henry and his unit did not allow any punt return yardage for the eighth straight game. The Gators have recorded zero punt-return yardage this season.

Tying Bulldogs running back Herschel Walker‘s SEC record of 49 rushing touchdowns last week, Tebow broke it Saturday with 1:32 left in the first half on a beautiful 23-yard TD run. He would add a four-yard TD rush in the third quarter to finish the day with an SEC-record 51 rushing scores. Tebow is now two touchdowns behind RB Kevin Faulk formerly of the LSU Tigers who has the most touchdowns rushing and receiving (53). Additionally, Tebow broke former Arkansas Razorbacks QB Matt Jones‘ all-time SEC record of rushing yards for a quarterback.

On top of to Tebow’s two rushing scores, he completed two more through the air to wide receiver Riley Cooper, who finished with a team-leading four receptions and 78 yards. Cooper had a spectacular catch for his second touchdown, a one-handed grab in the corner of the end zone. Tebow lead the team in rushing with 18 carries for 85 yards, and no running back received more than seven carries (Emmanuel Moody).

Defensively, the Gators were just as dominant. Redshirt junior linebacker A.J. Jones grabbed a pair of interceptions and has now picked off three balls in two weeks. One was an athletic move where he tipped the ball and then dove to come up with the turnover. Senior LB Brandon Spikes added a pick-six in the fourth quarter, and redshirt junior LB Ryan Stamper also grabbed one with 11:54 to go in the game. Florida’s secondary held Georgia star sophomore wide receiver A.J. Green to three catches for 50 yards, though it did allow two TDs.

The special teams unit was also special Saturday, with sophomore kicker Caleb Sturgis hitting two field goals including a career-long 56-yard shot and punter Chas Henry totaling three kicks for 145 yards – two inside the five and once again no return yards given up by the coverage unit.

On the injury front, Spikes appeared to hurt himself early in the game but returned while RB Chris Rainey left in the second half with what seemed to be a serious left shoulder injury. Redshirt senior safety Dorian Munroe, who missed the 2008 season with a torn ACL and had not yet played in 2009, made his debut on special teams and looked good.

The Gators continue to own the nation’s longest winning streak at 18 games. Florida will return home to Gainesville, FL, and Ben Hill Griffin Stadium next weekend to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores (2-6, 0-5 SEC). The game will air on ESPN/2 at 8:15 p.m.

Location: Jacksonville Municipal Stadium – Jacksonville, FL [Capacity: 84,000]
Time: 3:30 p.m. (EST)
Weather Forecast: 83°F – Partly Sunny

TV: CBS
Online: Live for FREE at CBS Sports.
Sirius: 217; XM: 200

Odds: Florida -14.5, O/U 48
Head-to-Head Stats: Gainesville Sun

KEEP AN EYE ON…
- Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow…who is currently tied with former Georgia Bulldogs running back Herschel Walker in all-time Southeastern Conference rushing touchdowns with 49. He needs one more to break Walker’s record.
- Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green vs. Florida cornerback Joe Haden…whose battle could be the highlight of the game. Haden will try his best to match-up with the Bulldogs’ greatest weapon who has already caught 41 balls for 682 yards and six touchdowns on the season including individual performances of 137 and 152 yards. Green has scored touchdowns in five of Georgia’s seven games.
- Florida’s kicker…as Caleb Sturgis has missed two 37-yard field goals and an extra point combined over the last two weeks. Jonathan Phillips could step in for Sturgis and take his job back.
- The I-formation…which the Gators worked on all summer and found success with last week against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Florida may use it more extensively this week, especially in the red zone where the team needs to be more efficient.

STREAKS:
- The Gators are in the middle of the longest winning streak in school history with 17 consecutive victories. They also hold the longest active winning streak in the NCAA and the longest of any SEC team since the Auburn Tigers won 20 straight from 1993-94.
- The Bulldogs are 6-1 when playing the defending national champion, including victories over Florida in 1997 and 2007.
- Meyer is 13-1 in rivalry games against Georgia, Tennessee Volunteers, Florida State Seminoles and Miami Hurricanes. His sole loss came against Georgia in 2007.
- Georgia leads both the all-time series against Florida (46-38-2) and all games played in Jacksonville (40-35-1).
- Florida leads the SEC in total offense (457), rushing offense (258.3), scoring offense (36.3) and third-down efficiency (.460). The Gators have converted 48.6% of their offensive drives into points including 34.7% into touchdowns and have 33 runs of 10-plus yards on first down, including 13 for 20 yards or more – all tops in the SEC.
- On defense, the Gators have only surrendered six touchdowns all season (fewest of any team in the nation) and average 10.1 points per game (No. 2 in the nation). Florida has held its past three opponents to a combined 16% on third down conversions and have forced opponents into a three-and-out on 57.3% of their drives – best in the SEC.

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

No. 1 Florida Gators vs. Georgia Bulldogs Preview

Experiencing a rough go of things in recent weeks, the No. 1 Florida Gators (7-0, 5-0) take a trip down I-10 to square off against the Georgia Bulldogs (4-3, 3-2) on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in the latest installment of the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium. 2009’s contest marks the first game in the series where the newly minted Okefenokee Oar trophy will be awarded to the winner.

Florida senior quarterback Tim Tebow threw two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns but still led the Gators in a 29-19 victory over the Mississippi State Bulldogs last week on the road. In the game, Tebow ran for a 26-yard score which put him tied with Georgia running back Herschel Walker for the 49th of his career – an all-time SEC rushing touchdown record. Tebow looks to break Walker’s mark Saturday against his very own team.

This week, the Gators go into their contest against the Bulldogs still seething over the disrespect they were shown two years ago when Georgia danced on the field following the opening touchdown of what would be a 42-30 UGA victory. Florida got some revenge in 2008, defeating Georgia 49-10 with head coach Urban Meyer calling two timeouts at the end of the fourth quarter to let the dominating performance sink in. The Bulldogs claim this display from Meyer is equally fueling them for Saturday’s game.

Down four defensive starters due to injury last week, the Gators will return all of them to action including senior middle linebacker Brandon Spikes (groin), junior defensive end Justin Trattou (bicep) and defensive tackles redshirt junior Lawrence Marsh (ankle) and redshirt sophomore Jaye Howard (knee). Sophomore running back Jeff Demps sprained his neck last week but has already been cleared to play. Still out for Florida are redshirt junior DT Brandon Antwine (shoulder) and cornerbacks junior Moses Jenkins (concussion) and senior Wondy Pierre-Louis (hamstring).

Bulldogs head coach Mark Richt faces a formidable opponent in the Gators’ defense and must rely on his star playmaker, wide receiver A.J. Green, to spread the field and keep Florida’s unit honest. The Gators believe they can stop the Bulldogs’ rushing attack with seven in the box, so proving they can run the ball against the best rushing defense in the nation will be important for Georgia. Florida will attempt to get its passing game going for the first time in weeks by taking advantage of Georgia’s weak secondary. How the Gators have game planned on offense will be paramount to their success this week.

You see, this will be Tebow’s final curtain call in what basically amounts to his home town. It will be the last time he gets to play in one of the most storied rivalries in college football history. And, perhaps more importantly, he has a chance to break one of the all-time great SEC records against a team whose greatest player ever currently holds it.

“It’ll be emotional for me,” Tebow said. “It’ll be exciting, knowing it’s my last Florida-Georgia game.” As for the opportunity to break Herschel Walker‘s SEC career rushing touchdown record against his alma mater?

“It has been an honor to even be mentioned with Herschel. It is very humbling and I’m sure when I sit back and think about I’ll realize how cool it is,” he said. “To be able to break the record against Georgia would be extra-special.”

[UPDATED:] One writer, who of course works for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, believes there should be an asterisk on the record should Tebow break it. Why? Walker had five touchdowns in bowl games that were not counted for the record. It is amazing how “impartial” writers can always twist things like this to appease their readers.

- The Gators improved to 3-0 against teams from the SEC West during the regular season for the first time since 1998.

- Florida has won nine straight conference road games since 2007.

- The Gators are 7-0 for the first time since the 1996 team started 10-0 and finished 12-1 with UF’s first football National Championship.

- With running back Chris Rainey‘s punt block, the Gators improved to 20-1 under head coach Urban Meyer when blocking a kick and 14-0 when blocking a punt.

- Senior quarterback Tim Tebow tied the SEC record for rushing touchdowns (49) currently held by former Georgia Bulldogs‘ RB Herschel Walker with his 26-yard run in the second quarter. The [touchdown] run also tied his career long.

- Tebow has amassed 2,503 career rushing yards,moving him within 33 yards of breaking ex-Arkansas Razorbacks QB Matt Jones‘ SEC record of 2,535 yards.

Florida’s defense held Mississippi State running back Anthony Dixon to a season-low 53 yards. The Bulldogs’ defense did their job, too, stymieing the Gators in the red zone all night long. Florida was kept out of the end zone on their first four trips in the area. Tebow scored a 26-yard rushing touchdown early to tie Georgia Bulldogs RB Herschel Walker‘s SEC rushing touchdown record (49), and RB Chris Rainey scored an eight-yard touchdown after the Bulldogs muffed a fake punt. Rainey would also block a punt in the game. Linebacker Dustin Doe intercepted the ball and returned it for a touchdown, though he seemed to fumble near the goal line when showboating. The touchdown was upheld by the officials.

Mississippi State’s two interception returns for touchdowns were from cornerback Jonathan Banks, who brought back one for 100 yards and caught another when Tebow’s arm was hit mid-throw in the Gators’ end zone. Tebow had just one pick-six in his collegiate career prior to Saturday night’s game. Florida linebacker A.J. Jones caught his first career interception in the game, safety Major Wright added one of his own, and kicker Caleb Sturgis missed both a 37-yard field goal and an extra point.

In the second quarter, Florida RB Jeff Demps injured his neck and has undergone X-rays to determine the extent of his injury; cornerback Wondy Pierre-Louis was also injured, aggravating his hamstring. Head coach Urban Meyer said during his post-game press conference that he is not sure of the health status of the two players. Senior middle linebacker Brandon Spikes was dressed for the contest but did not play while nursing a sore groin.

The Gators continue to own the nation’s longest winning streak at 17 games and, with their latest win, have extended their SEC road game winning streak to nine straight games. Florida will travel to Jacksonville, FL, next weekend for their annual meeting against Georgia (4-3, 3-2 SEC) in the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. The game will air live on CBS at 3:30 p.m.

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…

No. 1 Florida Gators vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs Preview

Scratching by with a close win last week, the No. 1 Florida Gators (6-0, 4-0) hit the road, traveling to Starkville, MS, to take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs (3-4, 1-2) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Davis Wade Stadium. The game will air live on ESPN.

Florida senior quarterback Tim Tebow and sophomore kicker Caleb Sturgis led the Gators to victory on a 14-play, 69-yard drive that ended with a 27-yard field goal with only nine seconds left on the clock. While the win was marked with questions about officiating and the Gators inability to stop the Arkansas Razorbacks on defense, Florida went on to win their 16th straight game. This week, the Gators go into their contest against their former offensive coordinator and new Bulldogs head coach Dan Mullen with a depleted defense (as many as three starters may be out) and concerns about the viability of an offense run by coordinator Steve Addazio.

Out for Saturday’s game are defensive end Justin Trattou (shoulder/bicep), wide receivers Carl Moore (back) and T.J. Lawrence (scoped knee), cornerbacks Moses Jenkins (concussion) and Jeremy Brown (back), linebacker Brendan Beal (neck) and safety Dorian Munroe (knee). Defensive tackle Lawrence Marsh (ankle) is doubtful for the game [he will not play], while his linemate Jaye Howard (knee bruise) is questionable, though many believe he will miss game action, too. Senior middle linebacker Brandon Spikes (groin) is listed as questionable [most expect him to play], and DE Jermaine Cunningham (groin) is probable and a go.

Coach Mullen and the Bulldogs believe they have a plan to stop the Gators and were extremely confident toward the end of the week. Both went as far as to say that, if they played their game, victory was certainly a possibility against the BCS No. 1-ranked team in the nation. Mullen’s familiarity with the Gators is a concern, though both he and Tebow have said it is not that much of a factor in the grand scheme of things. Florida’s offensive signals were changed this week, and the Gators coaching staff will attempt to avoid falling into any trends that Mullen might recognize.

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…

No. 1 Florida Gators vs. Arkansas Razorbacks Preview

No. 1 Florida Gators (5-0, 3-0) return home to Gainesville, FL, and Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to host the Arkansas Razorbacks (3-2, 1-2) on homecoming weekend at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in The Swamp.

Returning last week to face the LSU Tigers after sitting out almost two full weeks while recovering from a concussion, Gators senior quarterback Tim Tebow looks to get back into his groove. While Tebow’s return was the story leading up to the LSU game, Florida’s dominating defense was the talk of college football after the Gators beat the Tigers 13-3 in Death Valley at night. Led by senior middle linebacker Brandon Spikes, who totaled five solo tackles, a forced fumble and three sacks on the evening, Florida’s defense took LSU to task, keeping the ball in their territory most of the game and only allowing the Tigers past the Gators’ 46-yard-line once all night – on the back of two personal foul penalties.

On the injury front, defensive lineman Jaye Howard (knee) is questionable while linemate Lawrence Marsh (ankle) and linebacker Jelani Jenkins (ankle) are doubtful. Cornerback Moses Jenkins (concussion), wide receiver Carl Moore (back) and CB Jeremy Brown (back) are out. For the Razorbacks, WR Joe Adams (mild stroke) will miss the game while starting running back Michael Smith – who ran for 133 yards on 20 carries and added 43 more yards on six receptions against Florida in 2008 – remains a game-time decision, according to Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino. WR Jarius Wright (concussion) is also questionable for the contest.

The Razorbacks will look to air the ball out on the Gators with a unit, led by quarterback Ryan Mallett, which leads the SEC in passing offence with 318.2 yards per game. Florida’s talented secondary, which has recorded an interception in 17 consecutive games, will try and contain Arkansas’ receivers while its front seven puts pressure on Mallett. On defense, Petrino’s goal will be to stop the Gators rushing attack, which is second in the NCAA in rushing with 284.6 yards per game.

Arkansas will attempt to end Florida’s school record and nation-leading 15-game winning streak, while the Gators look to add to their record against the Razorbacks (seven straight wins) and in homecoming games (21 consecutive victories).