- The No. 1 Florida Gators extended their nation’s-best and school-record win streak by recording its 20th consecutive victory on Saturday. The Gators’ winning streak is now sixth in Southeastern Conference history, tying the Auburn Tigers (1993-94).

- Defeating the South Carolina Gamecocks by 10 points, Florida’s has now won 19 of their 20 straight games by double digits.

- Head coach Urban Meyer moved into first place on the list of all-time winningest SEC coaches in conference games (minimum five years), going 32-8 with a .800 percentage.

- Senior quarterback Tim Tebow matched Kevin Faulk’s SEC record of 53 touchdowns with a one-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter. Tebow has set three all-time SEC records this year (rushing touchdowns, rushing yards by a QB).

- UF is now 23-4-3 all-time against South Carolina and 10-4-1 on the road in Columbia, SC. They have won 18 of their last 19 games against the Gamecocks and gone 4-1 against former head coach Steve Spurrier.

- The Gators have now won 12-straight SEC Eastern Division games.

- Florida’s defense forced three turnovers – two interceptions and a fumble – giving it 11 in the past four games. It also collected a season-high six sacks including four in the fourth quarter, two from senior defensive end Jermaine Cunningham.

- Senior kick return Brandon James became the SEC’s all-time leader in kickoff return yardage, amassing 2,538 yards on 105 returns (Derek Pegues, Mississippi State).

Tags: Brandon James, Jermaine Cunningham, Kevin Faulk, SEC, South Carolina Gamecocks, Steve Spurrier, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer

The No. 1 Florida Gators (10-0, 8-0 SEC) completed their first perfect Southeastern Conference season since 1996 with a 24-14 win over the South Carolina Gamecocks (6-5, 3-5 SEC) in Columbia, SC, at Williams-Brice Stadium. Senior quarterback Tim Tebow accomplished a feat of his own on Saturday, tying the SEC touchdown record with a rushing score in the fourth quarter.

The Gators went up 7-0 early in the first quarter after Tebow threw a slant to wide receiver Riley Cooper who took it for 68 yards into the end zone. It would not take long for the Gamecocks to answer, as running back Brian Maddox capped a 14-play, 84-yard drive with a one-yard rushing touchdown to tie the game. Florida kept up the pressure, adding a 32-yard field goal from sophomore kicker Caleb Sturgis and a 17-yard rushing score from redshirt junior Emmanuel Moody to take a 10-point lead with 10:28 left in the second quarter.

From there, things started to unravel for the Gators. After recovering a fumble, UF was hardly able to move the ball, and Sturgis missed a 52-yard field goal attempt. The Gamecocks capitalized with another lengthy drive that resulted in a nine-yard passing touchdown from QB Stephen Garcia to tight end Weslye Saunders. Florida would then, on consecutive drives, punt twice, miss a 54-yard field goal and turn the ball over on downs after Tebow was stopped on a dive play around midfield.

With South Carolina threatening to score and in the middle of an 11-play, 49-yard drive that began at 6:29 in the third quarter, junior defensive tackle Justin Trattou intercepted a tipped pass thrown by Garcia and returned it 53 yards to the Gamecocks’ 26 yard line. The Gators would turn that miscue into Tebow’s record-tying score, going back up by 10 with a quarter to play. Struggling to get to Garcia all day, Florida’s defense – led by senior defensive end Jermaine Cunningham – would record four of its six sacks in the fourth quarter. Junior cornerback Joe Haden (who also had two forced fumbles and 11 tackles on the day) intercepted Garcia and returned the ball 20 yards with 3:19 left to ice the game.

After the game, Gators head coach Urban Meyer called Trattou’s interception one of the greatest plays in Florida football history. Trattou, who is playing with a torn left biceps, was humble in accepting praise for his heads-up play. “Every week, someone has to step up,” Trattou said. “It’s usually someone different each week. Gamecocks head coach Steve Spurrier was candid when discussing Trattou’s game-changing play. “That turnover took a lot of steam [out of us],” Spurrier said. “Give Florida credit. They played pretty well. I don’t know if by their standards they thought they played super.”

Florida finishes its 2009 regular season schedule with two consecutive nonconference games against the Florida International University Golden Panthers and Florida State Seminoles. The Gators will then head to Atlanta, GA, to face the Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship game.

Game Notes:
- South Carolina wore camouflage uniforms created by Under Armor to honor veterans hurt defending the United States as part of the Wounded Warrior Project. After his touchdown pass, Garcia saluted the crowd in keeping with the theme of the day.
- In addition to missing two field goals beyond 50 yards, Sturgis placed a kickoff out of bounds and pulled a 28-yard field goal wide left in the fourth quarter, finishing only one-for-four on the day.
- The Gamecocks attempted a fake punt in the first quarter that would have been successful save for an illegal shift penalty.
- Cooper had two additional scoring opportunities in the game, missing one catch that was slightly overthrown in the end zone and plainly dropping another in a similar spot.

Tags: Brian Maddox, Caleb Sturgis, Emmanuel Moody, Jermaine Cunningham, Joe Haden, Justin Trattou, Riley Cooper, SEC, South Carolina Gamecocks, Stephen Garcia, Steve Spurrier, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer, Weslye Saunders, Williams-Brice Stadium

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

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

1 » Speaking with the Florida Times-Union, Florida Gators defensive backs coach Vance Bedford went as far as to compare sophomore cornerback Janoris Jenkins to another player he once coached while with the Michigan Wolverines – Heisman Trophy winning CB Charles Woodson. “Janoris makes more plays than most field corners ever make,” Bedford said. “Except I had one guy – Charles Woodson – was that way.” The duo of Jenkins and junior Joe Haden are one of the main reasons the Gators’ defense is so stout. Holding opponents to 138.8 passing yards per game (primarily to tight ends and running backs), the Florida defensive backfield features two corners who will certainly be playing on Sundays in the near future.

2 » Considering we are already talking about Bedford, OGGOA points you to this article by Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald, who spoke with Bedford about the difficulties in recruiting out of Miami-Dade County, one of the most talent-rich counties in the nation. Miami-Dade is Bedford’s assigned territory, and he has already made strides. “[The players are] tied to Miami, which I understand,” Bedford said. “Miami is the local flavor and we totally understand that, but there are enough players to go around. There are a lot of young men down there who have strong interest in Florida, so we’re trying to get in there and recruit and say, ‘We’re here. We’re going to win.’ We’re going to keep working and hopefully get one or two this year and see what happens.”

3 » Florida’s defensive ends may have gotten off to a slow start – combining for just three sacks in the team’s first five games – but junior Carlos Dunlap and senior Jermaine Cunningham have rebounded for four each in the past three outings.

4 » Gators senior quarterback Tim Tebow helps sick kids. He is a religious man. He does mission work. He signs autographs after practice. He does plenty of good things with his life. But is there anything you can think of that would brighten up a 10-year-old’s day more than randomly catching passes from his idol who just happens to be the Heisman Trophy-winning leader of the No. 1 team in the country? Didn’t think so.

Tags: Carlos Dunlap, Charles Woodson, Heisman Trophy, Janoris Jenkins, Jermaine Cunningham, Joe Haden, Michigan Wolverines, Tim Tebow, Vance Bedford

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 Georgia Bulldogs in Jacksonville, FL, at the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.

QUARTERBACK: A+
After two consecutive weeks of below-average play, Tim Tebow came back big against Georgia in his hometown of Jacksonville. Four total touchdowns including two on the ground as well as 85 rushing yards helped Tebow secure two all-time SEC records (rushing touchdowns, rushing yards by QB). 15-of-21 passing was respectable, though Florida seemed to shy away from putting the ball in the air in the second half. All-in-all, this was one of Tebow’s career-best days and the leader of the Gators offense deserves kudos for a great performance.

RUNNING BACKS: B
It is tough to expect this unit to make an impact when the three main players combined for 16 total attempts. Jeff Demps averaged 6.2 yards per carry while Emmanuel Moody had 3.7 and Chris Rainey had 3.0. Four-star freshman Mike Gillislee got some playing time late in the game and exploded on a 49-yard run but was injured on the play. For avoiding mistakes and contributing when given the opportunity, these guys played just fine.

Continue Reading » Grading the Florida vs. Georgia game

Tags: A.J. Green, A.J. Jones, Aaron Hernandez, Ahmad Black, Aron White, Brandon James, Brandon Spikes, Caleb Sturgis, Carlos Dunlap, Charlie Strong, Chas Henry, Chris Rainey, Dan Mullen, David Nelson, Deonte Thompson, Emmanuel Moody, Georgia Bulldogs, grading, Janoris Jenkins, Jaye Howard, Jeff Demps, Jermaine Cunningham, Joe Haden, Lawrence Marsh, Major Wright, Mark Richt, Michael Moore, Mike Gillislee, Riley Cooper, Ryan Stamper, The Swamp, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer, Will Hill, World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party

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 Mississippi State Bulldogs.

QUARTERBACK: C
Earning a “B” grade last week for his tenacity and leadership on the game-winning drive, Tim Tebow was lucky that his two fumbles did not lead to worse results. This week, I cannot be as lax. Whether it is partially the fault of his receivers not getting open or even the bad play calling, Tebow must rise above any deficiencies and take matters into his own hands. What we saw this week was a Tebow who looked tentative to tuck and run, consistently made bad decisions and threw two interceptions for touchdowns (even if one was on a tipped ball). Since Tebow took over as the starter, there have only been two games in his entire career he did not pass for a touchdown. Both times were this season – against the Tennessee Volunteers and Saturday night. The Gators won and Tebow is the leader, but his refusal to speak to the press following the game should tell you how poorly even he felt he played.

RUNNING BACKS: A
Everyone who touched the ball including Chris Rainey, Emmanuel Moody and Brandon James played great on the ground. (Jeff Demps struggled but also only got five carries before injuring his neck.) Rainey took 12 carries for 92 yards, Moody added 32 yards on five runs and James added 28 yards on two of his own. The only thing you could ask from this unit would be to get Moody the ball more – but that is not the players’ choice. Superb effort all-around.

Continue Reading » Grading the Florida at Mississippi State game

Tags: A.J. Jones, Aaron Hernandez, Arkansas Razorbacks, Billy Gonzales, Brandon James, Brandon Spikes, Caleb Sturgis, Carlos Dunlap, Charlie Strong, Chas Henry, Chris Rainey, Dan Mullen, David Nelson, Deonte Thompson, Dustin Doe, Emmanuel Moody, Frankie Hammond, grading, Janoris Jenkins, Jeff Demps, Jermaine Cunningham, Joe Haden, Major Wright, Mississippi State Bulldogs, NFL, Riley Cooper, Steve Addazio, Tyson Lee, Urban Meyer

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…

Continue Reading » Week 8: No. 1 Florida Gators at Miss. St. Bulldogs

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Angelo Mirando, Anthony Dixon, Arkansas Razorbacks, Auburn Tigers, Brandon Spikes, Brendan Beal, Caleb Sturgis, Carl Moore, Dan Mullen, Davis-Wade Stadium, Dorian Munroe, Galen Hall, Georgia Bulldogs, Herschel Walker, Janoris Jenkins, Jaye Howard, Jeremy Brown, Jermaine Cunningham, John Hevesy, Justin Trattou, Kentucky Wildcats, Lawrence Marsh, LSU Tigers, Matt Balis, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Moses Jenkins, Scott Field, SEC, Steve Addazio, T.J. Lawrence, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer