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

1 » Florida Gators kicker Caleb Sturgis has been named the SEC Special Teams Player of the Week after going 3-4 on field goal attempts Saturday against the Arkansas Razorbacks including a game-winner with 0:09 left on the clock. [UPDATE:] Sturgis was also named one of the Lou Groza National Collegiate Placekicker Award’s “Stars of the Week.” Sturgis missed his initial 37-yard attempt but went on to hit, consecutively, from 30 yards, 51 yards and 27 yards. Sturgis’ final kick earned him a spot in Florida football lore, potentially saving the Gators’ season and chances at a third National Championship in four years.

2 » Astoundingly, Florida fell to No. 2 in this week’s AP Top 25 Poll with the Alabama Crimson Tide jumping into the No. 1 spot. Apparently the Gators’ 23-20 last-second victory was not enough for the voters, who dropped Florida in a 30-vote swing. It is not so much being No. 2 that bothers me; it is that there was such a heavy swing of votes following a hard fought victory by one team (UF) to another team (Alabama) that only won 20-6 at home, scoring their only offensive touchdown late in the fourth quarter. At least it doesn’t bother the players. Regardless, the Gators were ranked ahead of the Crimson Tide in the first BCS Rankings released Sunday.

3 » Moving on. This Saturday night will be the first time head coach Urban Meyer and his former offensive coordinator Dan Mullen go face-to-face across the gridiron. Mullen, now head coach of the Mississippi State Bulldogs, has his new team off to a 3-4 (1-2 SEC) start including a close home loss to the then-No. 7 LSU Tigers at home at Scott Field. Mullen remains close friends with Meyer and worked with him from 1999 until last season, where he helmed the offense that won the Gators two National Championships in 2006 and 2008. He also remains close with Florida quarterback Tim Tebow.

Continue Reading » FOUR BITS: Sturgis honored, UF No. 2 in AP, Mullen meeting, Marsh’s return

Tags: Alabama Crimson Tide, AP, Arkansas Razorbacks, BCS, Caleb Sturgis, Dan Mullen, Lawrence Marsh, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Scott Field, Tim Tebow