Florida

Florida vs. South Carolina Speaking Points
11-16-2008 8:00 am

Team

* UF is 9-1 first time since 2006 and for the 12th time in school history (all since 1990).

* Florida is the first team in the history of the Southeastern Conference to win six straight league games by 28-plus points.

* Head Coach Urban Meyer is now 16-5 all-time against ranked opponents, 14-5 at Florida. He has led the Gators to wins over eight of the last 10 ranked opponents and 13 of the last 16.

* UF did not lose to an SEC East team this year and has gone undefeated against division teams 10 times in school history.

* Florida has outscored opponents, 101-0, in the first quarter over the last six games and 125-7 on the year.

* UF increased its turnover margin to +15; tallying three interceptions and one fumble recovery today.

* Florida scored 28 points off USC turnovers after South Carolina entered the game allowing only 27 points off turnovers all season.

* Florida’s 50-point win vs. South Carolina was the largest against the Gamecocks since a 56-point loss (63-7) to Florida on Nov. 11, 1995.

* USC had 17 drives - zero started in UF territory.

* The five penalties by the Gators equaled a season low (Miami, Ole Miss).

Offense

* This was the fifth straight game Florida scored 42 points or more, which matched the second-longest streak in school history (1996 and 2001). It is also tied with Oklahoma for the longest active streak in the country.

* Gators are averaging 52.0 points per game against ranked opponents this year.

* Prior to today’s game, the most points the Gamecocks had allowed in 2008 were 24 and were allowing only 15.6 points per game. The Gators scored 28 points with a little over 11 minutes to play in the first half.

* USC was ranked third in the nation in total defense, allowing only 256.5 yards per game. The Gators racked up 519 offensive yards today. The Gamecocks were also fourth in the nation in pass defense, only allowing 155.1 yards/game. The Gators registered 173 passing yards.

* Prior to today’s game, the Gamecock defense allowed opponents on 101.4 rushing yards per game and 12 rushing touchdowns on the year. Junior wide receiver/running back Percy Harvin collected 167 rushing yards alone on the day. UF tallied 346 total rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns.

* The last time Florida recorded at least 300 rushing yards as a team was on Sept. 13, 2003 against Florida A&M (309). The last time UF recorded over 300 rushing yards in an SEC game was on Oct. 12, 1996 against LSU (308). The 346 yards is the most since the Gators tallied 362 against Vanderbilt on Oct. 14, 1989.

* The Gators averaged 13.3 yards per play in today’s game, which is the highest average this season by 5.6 yards (7.7 against Arkansas and LSU).

* For the first time in his career, junior quarterback Tim Tebow has thrown multiple touchdown passes in six straight games (46-yard pass to Deonte Thompson in second quarter; five-yard pass to Aaron Hernandez in fourth quarter).

* Junior wide receiver/running back Percy Harvin ran for a touchdown with 3:52 left in the first quarter, marking his 12^th straight game

of scoring a touchdown. Harvin’s streak ties for first nationally (Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech). He now has six rushing TDs on the year and 15 in his career.

* For the first play of the second half, Harvin rushed for an 80-yard touchdown, setting a new career long. It also ties Florida’s seventh-longest touchdown run in school history.

* With 476 rushing yards in 2008, Harvin owns the top three spots in the Florida record book for single-season rushing yards by a wide receiver (764 in 2007, 428 in 2006).

* Florida is now the only school to throw only three interceptions this year.

* The Gators had two scoring drives of under 15 seconds that lasted one play: Harvin 26-yard run (:15) and Harvin 80-yard run (:13)

* Jeff Demp’s average TD run is now 45.2 yards, all five going for more than 35 or more yards.

* Florida had nine offensive big plays (20+ yards) for 328 yards (36.4 yards/play).

* If you add in three returns (1 PR, 1 KR, 1 INT) for more than 20 yards Florida had 12 big plays and 426 yards (35.5 yards/play).

* UF's average 8.4 yards per rush is best by a UF team since they averaged 11.8 vs. Central Michigan on Sept. 6, 1997 (27 carries, 318 yards)

* UF had four players with a long run of 34 or more yards.

Defense

* Junior linebacker Brandon Spikes returned an interception 12 yards for a touchdown with 4:37 left in the first quarter. It marked his third interception of the season and his second return for a touchdown, joining Darryl Gamble (Georgia) and Sean Weatherspoon (Missouri) as the only linebackers in the country with two interception returns for touchdowns. He ties Florida’s all-time high for interception returns for a touchdown in a season.

* South Carolina entered the game having just 15 three and outs all year and had 8 vs. Florida.

* Sophomore safety Ahmad Black made UF’s second interception with 3:58 remaining in the first quarter, recording his sixth interception of the season. He is tied for fourth in Florida record books for single-season interceptions and is currently tied for first in the country.

* Florida’s five interception returns for touchdowns ranks first nationally. UF has had at least one interception in nine of 10 games this year. The NCAA record for most interception returns for a TD in a season is seven by Tennessee in 1971.

* The Gator defense did not allow the Gamecocks to enter Florida territory until just over 11 minutes to play in the second quarter.

* Florida forced South Carolina to punt six times in the first half, bringing the season total to 34 times UF has forced opponents to punt in the first half.

* In eight of 10 games, UF has not allowed its opponents’ offense to score a touchdown in at least one half.

* UF has not allowed a rushing touchdown in the last four games. UF has allowed five on the entire year.

* The Gators limited South Carolina to 0-for-14 on third-down conversions before the Gamecocks converted a 3rd and 1 on the final offensive play of the game.

* South Carolina did not reach the red zone once in the game - Florida 24-yard line was closest penetration.

* The four sacks matched a season high (Hawaii, Arkansas).

* UF forced a season-high 10 punts.

* Five different players had a sack

* South Carolina averaged just 2.8 yards per play.

* It was the fourth time this season that the opponent did not score a TD (Miami, Tennessee, Kentucky).

* USC's longest rush was for 14 yards and the Gamecocks gained seven yards on the ground in the first half.

* UF had a season-high eight tackles for loss.

Special Teams

* Brandon James set new Florida records with 427 single-season punt return yards, surpassing Jacquez Green’s 392 yards set in 1997. His 1,044 career punt return yards ranks first in Florida record books as well, passing Keiwan Ratliff’s (2000-03) 860.

* Redshirt senior long snapper James Smith recovered his first fumble at the one yard line with 3:43 to play in the first quarter. The Gators scored on the following drive.

* Sophomore punter Chas Henry tied his career-long punt with 1:29 to play in the first half with a 60-yard kick, which Florida downed at the two yard line.

* The Gators did not allow a punt return yard on six punts.

* Florida did not attempt a field goal for the fourth game in a row.

* Bobby Kane's first career punt went for 44 yards and landed inside of USC's 20.

Quick Facts 11-13-2008 8:00 am
The answer to this weeks poll question is 10. Florida has won or tied 10 SEC East Championships. Here are a few other quick facts you may find interesting. Go Gators! ● Florida will make its ninth appearance in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game. ● Florida has won each of its last five road games, which is the longest streak since UF won five-straight during the 1999-2000 seasons. ● Florida is 8-1 or better after nine games for the second time in three years and the 14th time in school history (1928, 1966, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2006). ● Coach Meyer is the ninth head coach in SEC history to lead a team to more than one SEC title game. ● Including the game vs. Vandebilt, UF has outscored opponents, 80-0, in the first quarter over the last five games. ● UF is outscoring opponents 243-56 during the last five games, for an average margin of victory of 37.4 ppg. ● 70 of the 75 players that dressed for the Vanderbilt game saw action. ● Vanderbilt started one drive in UF territory (Brantley interception - 16 yard line) and turned the ball over on downs. Offense ● UF scored more points on Vanderbilt in the first 18 minutes of the game (28) than Vanderbilt had allowed in any game this season (24 vs. Georgia). ● Florida rushed for 200-plus yards for the fifth consecutive game. UF is averaging 234.6 yards rushing over the last five games, the 11th best total in the nation during that five-game stretch. ● Florida has rushed for 18 TDs in its last five games, tied for the second best total in the nation during that time frame ● UF scored on its first four possessions vs. Vanderbilt and 6 of its first 7. ● With his two rushing touchdowns, Tim Tebow tied Darren McFadden (Arkansas) and Shaun Alexander (Alabama) for sixth on the SEC career rushing TD chart with 41. ● Percy Harvin has scored a touchdown in each of the last 11 games he has played in. The streak was the second longest nationally entering today (Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech, 12). Harvin, Crabtree and Jordan Shipley (Texas) were the only players in the nation to score in every game they played in this year. ● UF scored on its first drive of the game in five of nine games this year (Miami, Tennessee, Arkansas, LSU, Vanderbilt). ● David Nelson’s touchdown reception with eight seconds remaining in the half was his second reception of the season and both have been for touchdowns. ● Five different players have led UF in rushing in a game this year. ● Seven different wide receivers have led UF in receptions this year. ● The Gators converted their first five third-down conversions before going 0-for-3 in the fourth quarter. Defense ● In seven of nine games this year, UF has not allowed its opponents’ offense to score a touchdown in at least one half (Hawaii, Tennessee, Arkansas, Georgia, Vanderbilt, first; Miami, Kentucky, entire game). ● UF has allowed just two first-half touchdowns this year and is outscoring opponents, 199-23, before the half. ● UF allowed no first downs on six of 11 Vanderbilt possessions and one first down or less on 9 of 11 drives. ● UF has not allowed a rushing TD in its last three games and its total of five for the year is tied for third nationally. ● Ahmad Black’s interception late in the first quarter was the fifth of his career (all this year). Special Teams ● Carlos Dunlap blocked Vanderbilt’s first punt of the game and would later block a punt in the second quarter. He has now blocked more punts (3) than any other player under Coach Meyer. ● UF has blocked five punts this year, which matches 2006 for the most under Coach Meyer. UF has blocked four Vanderbilt punts, which is more than any other opponent under Coach Meyer. ● Seven of UF’s 16 blocked punts under Coach Meyer have come on its opponents’ opening drive of the game. ● UF improved to 12-0 when blocking a punt under Urban Meyer

#4Gators 42 Vanderbilt 14
11-09-2008 8:00 am

GATORS WIN SEC EAST

The Florida Gators, led by Tim Tebow’s 5 touchdowns clinched the SEC East championship Saturday night with a 42-14 victory over Vanderbilt. Tim Tebow’s air and ground attack was too much for the ‘Dores to handle Saturday night. In the game Tim Tebow threw for three touchdowns and rushed for two more, finishing the day with 88 rush yards and 171 through the air. Tim has passed for two touchdowns and rushed for two in each of his last three games. The Gators have been on a tear through the SEC since losing to Ole Miss, winning five straight in SEC play by an average margin of victory of 37.2 points.

The Gators defense has been a very bright spot on an incredibly balanced and superbly talented team, holding Vandy to 0 points in the first half and 1 first down in the first quarter. Ahmad Black intercepted a Mackenzi Adams pass and Carlos Dunlap blocked 2 Vandy punts giving Tebow and the offense great field position all half long. At half the score was 35-0. The Gators have blocked 5 punts this season.

The Gators will face #1 Alabama in the SEC Championship game Dec. 6 in Atlanta. The Gators are 3-2 against Alabama in the SEC Championship. But for now the Gators are focused on the Gamecocks who come to town this Saturday with the #3 ranked defense in the country and the Ol’ Ball Coach on their sideline.

“Making it to Atlanta for the SEC championship was one of our goals at the beginning of the season, but our goal is to take care of business every Saturday," Tebow said.

The Gators have been very business like throughout the year, taking one game at a time and not letting up. Coach Meyer has been very pleased with what they have achieved up to this point and their focus from week to week.

"The attention to detail and the fact that we represent the eastern side of the SEC as a champion is a great accomplishment for our players," Meyer said.

Florida has one more SEC game left on their schedule with South Carolina coming to town for a 3:30 kickoff this Saturday. The Gamecocks (7-3, 4-3) have won four of their past five Southeastern Conference games.

Gators Scoring Summary vs. Vanderbilt

1^st Quarter:

8:49- Louis Murphy 12 Yd Pass From Tim Tebow. (7-0)

4:50- Tim Tebow 26 Yd Run (14-0)

1:46- Tim Tebow 8 Yd Run (21-0)

2^nd Quarter:

12:01- Riley Cooper 11 Yd Pass From Tim Tebow (28-0)

0:08- David Nelson 41 Yd Pass From Tim Tebow (35-0)

3^rd Quarter:
9:39- Percy Harvin 1 Yd Run (42-0)