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

1 » Florida Gators injury update for Saturday vs. Arkansas Razorbacks:
CB Moses Jenkins (concussion) – Out. Read this OGGOA story.
LB Jelani Jenkins (ankle) – Doubtful.
DL Lawrence Marsh (ankle) – In protective boot again. Doubtful.
DL Jaye Howard (knee) – Called “50-50” by Meyer. Questionable.
- Redshirt freshman Omar Hunter and senior Troy Epps will rotate on the inside.
WR Carl Moore (back) – Remains Out and struggling to get healthy.
CB Jeremy Brown (back) – Also remains Out, progressing faster than Moore.

2 » Arkansas Razorbacks star running back Michael Smith is being called a “game-time decision” by head coach Bobby Petrino to play on Saturday against the No.1 Florida Gators. Smith’s status remains in doubt after he tweaked his right hamstring in a Hogs win over the Auburn Tigers last weekend.

3 » Standing 6’7″ and 238 pounds, Razorbacks quarterback Ryan Mallett is an example of your prototypical NFL passer. Tim Tebow, at 6’3″ and 242 pounds, serves as more of a physical threat with his strength, but often tucks and runs when Mallett would bide more time in the pocket. To paraphrase Jeremy Fowler of the Orlando Sentinel, Tebow has finally met his physical match – and polar opposite – at quarterback.

4 » Featuring former Gators National Championship and Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Danny Wuerffel as host and entertainment including comedian Dana Carvey, band O.A.R. and dance troupe Jabbawockeez, the 2009 Gator Growl is looking to be a big-time hit. The world’s largest student-run pep rally is in its 86th year of existence and looks to entertain Gators fans and visitors Friday night in The Swamp!

Tags: Arkansas Razorbacks, Auburn Tigers, Bobby Petrino, Carl Moore, Dana Carvey, Danny Wuerffel, Gator Growl, Heisman Trophy, Jabbawockeez, Jaye Howard, Jelani Jenkins, Jeremy Brown, Lawrence Marsh, Michael Smith, Moses Jenkins, National Championship, O.A.R., Omar Hunter, Ryan Mallett, The Swamp, Tim Tebow, Troy Epps

1 » Florida Gators star gymnast, redshirt senior Melanie Sinclair, was arrested Tuesday, according to the Gainesville Sun, “for her apparent role in storing stolen items that police say were taken in a series of burglaries.” According to the Gainesville Police Department, Sinclair’s boyfriend Bud Leonard Williams had been using Sinclair’s apartment with her knowledge as a safe house to store guns and stolen items. Leonard is a convicted felon who was arrested Oct. 1 and faces 11 counts of possession of a firearm, burglary and theft. Sinclair is a nine-time All-American and three-time All-SEC honoree who has scored a school-record 10.0 on the uneven parallel bars three times during her career.

2 » While the Gators will certainly face a tough test in containing the high-powered Arkansas Razorbacks offense on Saturday, the team does have a leg up compared to its rivals. That is because Florida quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler worked extensively with Hogs quarterback Ryan Mallett as his position coach while both were with the Michigan Wolverines in 2007. According to The Morning News, Mallett and Loeffler formed a strong bond. “Coach Loeffler, he was like another father to me through the whole recruiting process and everything. That’s one of the main reasons I chose to go to Michigan,” Mallett said. The Gators, quite obviously, plan to use this past relationship to their advantage. “We talked about him already. Scot’s got a lot of respect for him,” head coach Urban Meyer said of Mallett.

Continue Reading » SIX BITS: Gymnast Sinclair arrested; Gators prepare for Hogs pass attack; Marsh’s ankle

Tags: Arkansas Razorbacks, arrest, Brandon LaFell, Chuck Heater, gymnastics, Janoris Jenkins, Jelani Jenkins, Joe Haden, Lawrence Marsh, LSU Tigers, Melanie Sinclair, Michigan Wolverines, Ryan Mallett, Scot Loeffler, Terrence Tolliver, Tim Tebow

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