1 » No. 10 Florida Gators soccer (13-4-2, 7-1-2 SEC) will host SEC East rival No. 13 South Carolina Gamecocks (15-2-1, 7-2-1 SEC) this Friday night at 6 p.m. at James G. Pressly Stadium. The Gators, with 23 points, currently lead the SEC and can take home the regular season title with a win Friday night. If you are in Gainesville, FL, be sure to go out and support them! Admission is FREE!

2 » Wednesday, OGGOA profiled nine former Gators basketball players who are looking to make an impact in the NBA this season. The fun got started last night when Atlanta Hawks F/C Al Horford went off for 24 points and 16 rebounds, New York Knicks F/C David Lee added 22 points and nine rebounds of his own and Philadelphia 76ers F/C Marreese Speights was good for a dominant 26-point effort and Orlando Magic PG Jason Williams had 15 points in a reserve role.

Extra BIT » Florida basketball was listed as unranked in the preseason USA Today/ESPN Coaches Top 25 poll, receiving only 13 total votes. OGGOA will have the Gators’ basketball schedule and standings up in the right column when the season begins.

Tags: Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks, David Lee, James G. Pressly Stadium, Jason Williams, Marreese Speights, NBA, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, SEC, soccer, South Carolina Gamecocks

1 » Volleyball (16-3, 10-2 SEC) continues to roll through the SEC as the No. 10/11 Florida Gators swept the Ole Miss Rebels (8-14, 2-10 SEC) in straight sets (25-18, 25-13, 25-16) on Sunday in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Sophomore right-side/setter Kelly Murphy continues her stellar play and recorded a match-high 14 kills. Florida goes on the road to Tuscaloosa, AL, to square off against the Alabama Crimson Tide on Oct. 30 at 8 p.m.

2 » The No. 12 Florida soccer team (13-4-2, 7-1-2 SEC) defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks (8-6-4, 2-6-2 SEC) Sunday afternoon on the road at Razorback Field by a 1-0 margin. The victory puts Florida in first place in the conference heading into its final match of the regular season Friday, Oct. 30 against No. 10 South Carolina Gamecocks.

3 » The Gators women’s swimming and diving team won the 2009 SMU Classic in Dallas, TX, on Saturday, finishing in first-place with 353 points ahead of the Louisville Cardinals, Wisconsin Badgers, Southern Methodist Perunas, Florida State Seminoles and Rice Owls. The rest of the team that did not compete in that event were also victorious on the weekend, taking down both Arkansas and the Kansas Jayhawks in double-dual on the road in Fayetteville, AK.

Continue Reading » FOUR BITS: Soccer rolls; Volleyball wins; Swimming dominates; Tennis in finals

Tags: Alabama Crimson Tide, Alexandre Lacroix, Allie Will, Antoine Benneteau, Arkansas Razorbacks, Connor Smith, diving, Florida State Seminoles, Georgia Bulldogs, ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships, Kansas Jayhawks, Kelly Murphy, Laura Vallverdu, Lauren McCreless, Louisville Cardinals, Miami Hurricanes, O'Connell Center, Ole Miss Rebels, Rice Owls, SEC, SMU Classic, soccer, South Carolina Gamecocks, Southern Methodist, swimming, tennis, University of Florida, Vahid Mirzadeh, volleyball, Wilson/ITA Southeast Regional Championship, Wisconsin Badgers, Yale University

1 » In the unit’s worst performance of the season, the Florida Gators defense gave up 357 yards and 20 points to the Arkansas Razorbacks last Saturday. Distraught after the game and with a line ravaged with injuries, the defense is still keeping its head up and looking forward. “Our defense was crushed after that game,” head coach Urban Meyer said. “There’s only a couple of ways to analyze it: Are you winning games and are you statistically doing a good job? I think they’re doing great. I think there’s a defensive coordinator [Charlie Strong] that has very, very high expectations, a defensive staff, and more importantly, some players who felt like we could have played much better, and that’s kind of cool. I like that.” Gator Nation does too, Coach.

2 » While Florida senior quarterback Tim Tebow is the leader of his team, tough as nails when it counts and a media darling, he is not deserving of Heisman Trophy consideration right now, writes Israel Gutierrez of the Miami Herald. “This isn’t a knock on Tebow,” Gutierrez contends. “This is more a criticism of the system that defines a Heisman candidate. Tebow can be the best player in college football. Not many would argue he isn’t. But it doesn’t mean he is having the best season.”

3 » The No. 12 University of Florida soccer team (12-4-2, 6-1-2 SEC) took it to the No. 17 LSU Tigers (10-4-3, 6-2-1 SEC) on Thursday, shutting them out with a 4-0 victory at home in James G. Pressly Stadium. The Gators scored a pair of goals in each half and, with the win, have moved to second place in the SEC standings. With only two games left on the league schedule (at Arkansas Razorbacks on Oct. 26 and vs. No. 10 and SEC leader South Carolina Gamecocks on Oct. 30), Florida is within striking distance of first place being only two points back.

4 » With his team missing March Madness in back-to-back seasons, a lack of luster surrounding the program and attention being paid to newly crowned head coach John Calipari and his Kentucky Wildcats, Gators basketball head coach Billy Donovan is no longer the media darling he once was at the SEC Media Day.

Tags: Arkansas Razorbacks, Billy Donovan, Charlie Strong, Heisman Trophy, James G. Pressly Stadium, John Calipari, Kentucky Wildcats, LSU Tigers, March Madness, soccer, South Carolina Gamecocks, Tim Tebow, University of Florida, Urban Meyer

1 » In his weekly Monday afternoon press conference, Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer named his Champions Club for the Arkansas Razorbacks game. On offense, linemen Mike and Maurkice Pouncey, Carl Johnson, Marcus Gilbert were honored, as was quarterback Tim Tebow, running back Jeff Demps and wide receiver Deonte Thompson. Defense received less accolades, with linemen Omar Hunter and Terron Sanders and safety Major Wright getting praise. WR Riley Cooper was named offensive player of the game while CB Joe Haden brought home the defensive player of the game honors.

Continue Reading » SIX BITS: Champions Club; Meyer & Mullen; Penalty mistake; SEC awards; Basketball news

Tags: Arkansas Razorbacks, Billy Donovan, Carl Johnson, Dan Mullen, Deonte Thompson, Erik Murphy, Jeff Demps, Joe Haden, Kelly Murphy, Kenny Boynton, Kentucky Wildcats, Major Wright, Malcom Sheppard, Marcus Gilbert, Maurkice Pouncey, Mike Pouncey, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Omar Hunter, Riley Cooper, SEC, soccer, Tahnai Annis, Terron Sanders, Tim Tebow, University of Florida, Urban Meyer, volleyball

1 » Former Florida Gators student-athlete Ryan Lochte is one of the most decorated swimmers in school history. A star in college, Lochte moved on to win three gold, one silver and two bronze medals combined in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics. Looking to return the 2012 Games in London, Lochte is not the only member of his family with aquatic tendencies. His brother Devon, 19, is a redshirt freshman at Florida and plans to compete in mid-distance free style and butterfly this season. “[Devon] has got some real good physical tools and a nice feel for the water,” said Gators swimming coach Gregg Troy. While Devon not nearly as good as his older brother, he is getting there. “If he’s 110 percent devoted and dedicated and willing to push his body, I think he’s going to be better than me,” Ryan said. In truth, all that Devon cares about is getting to the Olympics and achieving his secret lifelong goal. “We never really told anyone, but we want to be in the Olympics on the same relay team,” Devon said.

Continue Reading » FOUR BITS: Another Lochte; Volleyball sweeps; Soccer ties, wins; Cross Country finishes 2nd

Tags: Arkansas Razorbacks, Auburn Tigers, cross country, Devon Lochte, Georgia Bulldogs, Gregg Troy, Kelly Murphy, Lindsay Thompson, LSU Tigers, Olympics, Ramsey Student Center, Regal Soccer Stadium, Ryan Lochte, soccer, Student Activities Center, swimming, Tahnai Annis, Tennessee Volunteers, UGA Soccer Stadium, volleyball, Washington Huskies

1 » Some former Florida Gators shined in the NFL today for their respective teams. Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin caught four passes for 66 yards and racked up 27 return yards against the St. Louis Rams. WR Andre “Bubba” Caldwell caught two passes for 33 yards and a game-winning 20-yard touchdown for the Cincinnati Bengals. News was not as good for San Francisco 49ers top reserve defensive end Ray McDonald, who left Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans with a sprained right ankle.

2 » A strong game featuring the No. 1 Gators and then-No. 4 LSU Tigers won the Saturday night ratings battle for CBS. The network averaged 10.1 million viewers in prime time according to preliminary numbers, also easily winning the all-important 18-49 age group. In contrast, ABC (which was airing the Michigan Wolverines vs. No. 12 Iowa Hawkeyes game) had 4.2 million viewers.

3 » Being twins, the Pouncey brothers have literally been inseparable since birth. Playing next to each other throughout their entire lives, they committed to Florida together and have been charged with one of the most important roles on the Gators team – protecting Tebow. With Maurkice most likely going to enter next year’s NFL Draft and Mike probably returning for his senior year, they have already begun to separate from each other. One thing that has not changed is their desire to see the Gators post an undefeated season in 2009.

4 » No. 14 Florida Gators soccer (now 10-4-1, 4-1-1 SEC) had a pair of wins over the weekend, defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide (5-5-1, 1-2-1 SEC) 2-0 Friday evening and beating the Auburn Tigers (5-6-3, 2-4 SEC) 4-0 Sunday afternoon. In Friday’s game, the Gators scored a goal in the opening 10 and final 10 minutes of the match, while it added four goals by four different players on Sunday. Sunday was also Senior Day for the soccer team, and two of the four goals came from UF’s senior class.

Tags: Andre Caldwell, Cincinnati Bengals, Iowa Hawkeyes, LSU Tigers, Maurkice Pouncey, Michigan Wolverines, Mike Pouncey, Minnesota Vikings, NFL, Percy Harvin, Ray McDonald, San Francisco 49ers, soccer, St. Louis Rams

1 » No. 8 Florida Gators men’s golf team finished the Gary Koch Invitational on Sunday tied for third place. The Florida State Seminoles ended up winning the event, as the Gators look ahead to the Isleworth Invitational on October 25. “I thought that Florida State played great,” said head coach Buddy Alexander. “I would say it was an average showing for our team but we learned a lot. I learned a lot about the team and we will work on some things as we prepare for the [next event].”

2 » Playing in their second-straight double overtime game of the week,, the No. 7 Florida Gators soccer team lost 3-2 to the Mississippi Rebels on Sunday. Florida tied the Mississippi State Bulldogs 1-1 on Friday night in 120 minutes. The Gators return home to face the Alabama Crimson Tide on October 9. “To be honest, I thought we went up 2-1, I thought we were going to win,” said head coach Becky Burleigh. “In the first half, we dictated play, but we became more passive in the second half. When we had the 2-1 lead, we were probably playing not to lose, instead of playing to win.”

Tags: golf, soccer

1 » With the status of Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow still uncertain for next Saturday, back-up John Brantley is prepared to start, writes Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald. Having the support of his teammates, Brantley is confident he will be ready to go against the LSU Tigers should Florida’s starter not be healthy enough to go. “You don’t know what’s going to happen yet,” Brantley said. “I’m just going to prepare like I do every week. I’ll prepare like I am going to play no matter what, with Tim there or not.”

2 » Ranked as the 11th best wide receiver in the state of Florida by Rivals, 4-star recruit Ivan McCartney of Miramar has narrowed his list down to five, including the Gators, Miami Hurricanes, West Virginia Mountaineers and Oregon Ducks. He is scheduled to take his official Florida visit on Thanksgiving weekend when the Gators play the Florida State Seminoles and make his decision after that. McCartney is considered a heavy Gators lean at this time, though he has yet to name a front-runner for his services.

3 » The Jacksonville Business Journal believes (rightly so) that it is money, not tradition, keeping the Florida Gators and Georgia Bulldogs game in the Jacksonville. The schools are able to make more money playing at a neutral site because the city, not the teams, covers expenses of playing the game, and each team splits the profits rather than earning revenue every other year. “You’d leave more than $1.2 million on the table over that two-year period if you went to a home-and-home series,” Gators executive associate athletic director Greg McGarity said.

4 » No. 7 Florida Gators soccer (8-3-1, 2-0-1 SEC) opened conference play with a 1-1 double overtime tie at the Mississippi State Bulldogs (8-2-1, 0-2-1 SEC) Friday evening. Tying the game in the 85th minute, Florida secured its first non-winning result in 23-regular season SEC matches.

Tags: Ivan McCartney, John Brantley, soccer, Tim Tebow