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Post by Deleted on Oct 3, 2013 16:50:50 GMT -5
Dooley's SEC power ratings: Week 5 By Pat Dooley Columnist
Published: Thursday, October 3, 2013 at 6:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, October 2, 2013 at 9:10 p.m.
SEC POWER RATINGS
1. Alabama: Who says SEC has become an offensive league? No. 1 team in country is next to last in total offense in the league.
2. Georgia: Smooth sailing for Dawgs until they travel to Jacksonville at the start of November.
3. Texas A&M: Aggies cannot defend, but they can get away with it because of their offense.
4. LSU: Les Miles lost a lot of defensive talent to the NFL and it showed in Athens.
5. Florida: Gators have a lot of resolve, but October will provide some difficult tests.
6. South Carolina: Gamecocks are a bit of a mystery because you don't feel like they've played up to their talent level yet.
7. Auburn: One of the more intriguing games this week is Auburn against a rebounding Ole Miss team.
8. Missouri: Tigers finally play someone this week if you count Vanderbilt as someone.
9. Ole Miss: The Rebels may not have been ready for the big stage, but they still can have a big year.
10. Arkansas: The Razorbacks need to shore up their defense if they're going to handle Florida.
11. Vanderbilt: The Commodores fattened up on softies last two weeks, but return to SEC play.
12. Mississippi State: It will be interesting to see where the rest of Dan Mullen's fifth season goes.
13. Tennessee: Vols struggled against South Alabama, which is in its fifth year of football.
14. Kentucky: It's difficult to see a lot of W's on the rest of the Wildcats' schedule.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 3, 2013 20:30:58 GMT -5
Zach Abolverdi@zachabolverdi #UF's @treyburton8 says the #Gators will wear their all blue uniforms Saturday night against Arkansas.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 3, 2013 21:19:45 GMT -5
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – On more than one occasion since he became Florida’s head coach, Will Muschamp has made it clear he has about as much use for the star system created by recruiting services as a linebacker that doesn’t like to get his jersey dirty.
He prefers the eyeball test and developing a relationship with potential recruits.
Vernon Hargreaves III
Still, four games into the college career of cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III, even Muschamp might say Hargreaves deserved those five stars coming out of Wharton High in Tampa.
Hargreaves is tied for the SEC lead with three interceptions and has epitomized what coaches often refer to as a “lockdown corner.” Teams can throw his way, but don’t expect a high completion rate.
Arkansas coach Bret Bielema, who will bring the Razorbacks into Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday night, has seen enough of Hargreaves on film to understand what the fuss is about.
"He's everything you want in the position," Bielema said Wednesday on the SEC coaches’ teleconference. "He's very confident, very aggressive.”
Former Gators cornerback Larry Kennedy was ranked the nation’s top defensive back coming out of Sarasota Riverview in 1990. Kennedy originally signed with Ohio State but failed to qualify academically. After a year away from football, Kennedy improved his test scores, returned home to Florida and signed with the Gators.
Kennedy quickly made his way onto the field like Hargreaves has. He took over on the third play in the 1991 season opener against San Jose State and became the first true freshman to start at cornerback for the Gators when he started the next game, a 35-0 home win over Alabama.
Kennedy started every game the rest of his career and his 44-yard interception return (watch video above) for a touchdown his freshman season sealed a win over Tennessee that remains one of the loudest moments in Florida Field history.
Kennedy, now 42 and living in Charlotte, N.C., as a regional sales rep for Riddell, remains close to the game. He runs the Charlotte Metro Youth Football League and works with the U.S. Army All-America Game.
He watched Hargreaves earn MVP honors at the Under-Armour All-America Game at Tropicana Field in January and is not surprised the way Hargreaves has started his UF career.
“I heard the hype and wanted to see what it was all about,’’ Kennedy said. “Sometimes you can be a phenom, but it doesn’t transition over because [cornerback] is such a tough position to play – but he has transitioned.”
Yes he has.
In Florida’s 24-7 win at Kentucky on Saturday, Hargreaves twisted and snatched a Maxwell Smith pass from the air in the corner of the end zone for his third interception. As he pulled the ball from the air, Hargreaves made sure to stay in-bounds to squelch Kentucky’s final bid at a comeback.
Teammate Jaylen Watkins, who is considered a fine defensive back himself, admits not many guys can make that play look so easy.
“That was a play on the ball that I haven't seen in a while,” Watkins said. “He leaped up. He has great ball skills. We saw that all through camp and he's performing the way he performed in camp in the games. I'm pretty sure he's going to get more playing time.”
That’s a safe bet.
Hargreaves has emerged while starter Marcus Roberson has fought through a knee injury suffered in the second game of the season at Miami. Roberson has missed the past two games. Hargreaves also benefited from the suspension of veteran corner Loucheiz Purifoy in the season opener.
According to video analysis done by Thomas Goldkamp, UF’s beat reporter for 247Sports.com, opponents have targeted Hargreaves 18 times through four games. The 5-11, 181-pound Hargreaves has allowed only four catches for 32 yards, adding three interceptions and four pass break-ups.
ESPN recruiting analyst Tom Luginbill projected Hargreaves to make a significant impact as a freshman after watching him throughout high school.
“Everybody uses that term ‘freak,’ ” Luginbill said earlier this year. “It’s hard to apply that term at corner, to have the maturity and the capacity to be a guy in run support, be a guy with competitive character, mental toughness. He can really do it all.”
Muschamp and Florida defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin have alluded to Hargreaves’ maturity as a primary reason for his success.
The son of longtime college assistant and University of Houston linebackers coach Vernon Hargreaves Jr., Vernon III grew up around the game. His football IQ is not that of your average freshman.
“He’s a freshman, but he’s a veteran,’’ Durkin said. “At practice, he knows how to prepare. He’s one of those guys you know has been around the game. He responds really well. The stage is not too big for him. He goes out there and handles his business.”
As national college football recruiting analyst for FOX Sports/Scout.com, Chad Simmons forecast success for Hargreaves. In his final scouting report on Hargreaves after January’s Under-Armour Game, Simmons wrote:
Hargreaves is on track to be one of the top corners in 2013. He can cover on or off the line, he really explodes out of his breaks, and he can flip his hips with the best of them. There are not a lot of concerns about his game. He can improve his open field tackling, but other than that, he looks much like a college corner. He is very advanced in technique and he will contribute very early in his college career
Muschamp didn’t hesitate to play Hargreaves from the start of the season, even after Hargreaves missed a week of fall camp with a shoulder sprain.
“We’ll play freshmen when they’re ready,’’ Muschamp said. “And this guy is ready, that’s the bottom line.”
Hargreaves’ veteran teammates agree.
“He deserves to be playing a lot,’’ redshirt junior safety Cody Riggs said. “He’s a great football player.”
Kennedy saw that in person in January at the Under-Armour Game. He witnessed what the hype was about and left a true believer.
Nothing has changed four games into Hargreaves’ college career.
“He has the ball skills, athleticism, great technique for a young kid,” said Kennedy, who ranks second in school history with 39 pass break-ups. “One thing I can say we both can relate to: I was the No. 1 corner in the country; he was the No. 1 corner in the country. We both came in with swagger and wanted all that responsibility.
“Now you have to live with that for the rest of your career. He’s ahead of the game. If he can keep playing to his potential, he’s an All-American. If he does it for a couple more years, he’s playing at the next level.”
While not always the case, an ideal trajectory for a five-star recruit.
--GatorZone.com senior writer Chris Harry contributed to this report
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Post by Deleted on Oct 4, 2013 9:09:30 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Oct 4, 2013 9:26:01 GMT -5
Prediction time - Gators win by 14:
Florida 31 Arkansas 17
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Post by Deleted on Oct 4, 2013 9:37:24 GMT -5
Robbie Andreau picking UK to win 27-24 last week was in deed dumb. I said so right here. On to Robbie's piggie game pick - If it's a defensive slugfest, Robbie may be closer to the score and spread than my 31-17 UF prediction:
Robbies Playbook Time to atone for dumb pick Friday, October 4, 2013 at 9:09 by Robbie Andreu Over the past week, I’ve been called stupid, dumb, a talentless hack, a buffoon, an idiot, ignorant, clueless … and so on and so forth. And that was just from my wife.
Seriously, though, this is what happens when you make a dumb-stupid-clueless pick like I did last week when I predicted Florida would lose to Kentucky. My gut feeling was way off on that one, expect for the fact that I did get part of it right: I predicted the Gators would score 24 points, which they did. Of course, I was way off on the other half of that prediction, thinking UK could score 27 points against the Florida defense. The Wildcats scored none (the lone touchdown coming against the special teams). Dummy on my part.
So, what I have learned from all this?
First and foremost, I will never doubt Tyler Murphy again. The guy is a gamer and a winner (and a quarterback his teammates have great confidence in). He showed that in the UT win. He showed it again in Lexington, in a hostile environment. I’m sure he’ll show it again Saturday against Arkansas.
Offensive coordinator Brent Pease said earlier this week that the coaching staff may have never known what they actually had with Murphy if Jeff Driskel had stayed healthy — and Murphy had stayed on the bench. And what a shame that would have been. With some guys (like Murphy), the only way to find out just how good (or bad) they are is to put them in a game. Murphy got his chance, and he’s taken off with it.
As Murphy and the Gators move forward, I see the offense getting better and better, and Murphy getting more of the playbook (especially in the passing game) as his comfort level continues to soar.
If the defense continues to play like it has, the Gators will have a chance against every team they play the rest of the season. UF will be in every game. It’s just a matter of taking care of the football and winning the fourth quarter like the Gators did a year ago.
Arkansas, a team much like Florida in terms of toughness and the downhill running game, will be a tough test, and I see the Razorbacks hanging around at least deep into the third quarter.
But I think the Gators have found their quarterback – and re-found the winning formula they lost in Miami a few weeks ago.
Prediction: Florida 21, Arkansas 13.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 4, 2013 13:53:19 GMT -5
Intriguing? It should make for the shortest game of the night:
Arkansas' run game could test No. 18 Florida By MARK LONG AP Sports Writer
Published: Friday, October 4, 2013 at 12:41 p.m.
Last Modified: Friday, October 4, 2013 at 12:41 p.m.
After watching hours and hours of Arkansas' offense this week, Florida safety Cody Riggs texted former high school teammate and Wisconsin running back James White with one fairly obvious observation:
Riggs wrote: "You guys like to run the ball a lot."
White's response: "I know."
No. 18 Florida (3-1, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) expects its toughest challenge of the season when it faces revamped Arkansas (3-2, 0-1), which is making strides under former Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema and his run-heavy offensive scheme.
The Razorbacks rank second in the SEC in rushing, averaging 237 yards a game. The Gators, meanwhile, top the nation in run defense, allowing 53.5 yards a game.
It should make for an intriguing matchup Saturday for the first night game in the Swamp since November 2011.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 4, 2013 13:58:33 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Oct 4, 2013 14:33:22 GMT -5
Finally, a night game in The Swamp:
By Jenna Perlman GatorZone.com Intern
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Matt Jones may have said it best.
“There’s nothing like a night game in the Swamp.”
Jones has been to one, but never played in one. That streak, however, will end for the sophomore tailback and a bunch of his teammates Saturday night when No. 18 Florida (3-1, 2-0) faces Arkansas (3-2, 0-1) in a game that will mark the first time in nearly two years -- 10 games, to be exact -- the Gators have played under the lights at Florida Field.
UF’s last home night game came Nov. 26, 2011 against Florida State. For a fan base that loves the prime-time spotlight, the wait has been way too long. “The energy is definitely different,” Jaylen Watkins, the senior defensive back from Cape Coral, Fla., said of the night-time atmosphere at Florida Field. “Just like us, the fans have been sitting around all day. So when the time comes to play, everyone is ready to go.”
Sophomore defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. watched some night games at the Swamp from the stands as a kid from St. Petersburg. After playing an entire freshman season of home day games, he knows this will be an entirely different experience.
“I’m pretty pumped for it,” Fowler said. “I know it’s pretty loud, and it looked like a fun experience when I came to games in high school. I can’t wait.”
Like Fowler, junior quarterback Tyler Murphy will have his first home experience playing at night against the Razorbacks. Saturday also marks Murphy’s first start at home, having taken over the position two weeks ago when Jeff Driskel suffered a season-ending broken leg in a win against Tennessee.
Murphy’s first start of any kind came last week in a 24-7 win at Kentucky, where he opened the game with 13 straight completions and finished 15 of 18 for 156 yards, a touchdown both passing and rushing, plus one interception.
In the hours before that game, Murphy joined offensive coordinator Brent Pease and a handful of other players on a walk through some woods near their team hotel. The outing helped calm Murphy’s nerves.
Murphy plans to use music and just plain preparation this week. The electricity of the crowd (and the lights high atop Ben Hill Griffin Stadium) should take care of the rest.
“I’m not 100 percent sure what my emotions will be like,” Murphy said. “I’m just going to keep doing what I’m comfortable with, and that’s just prepare and watch a lot of film and just keep pushing guys to do well. I don’t feel like I need to add any more stress on myself.”
As news of a night game returning to the Swamp spread on Facebook and Twitter on Sunday afternoon, excitement spread among UF students. “I was honestly just excited about the fact that it was the first night game in such a long time,” said Andrew Pisacano, a senior from Jacksonville. “I don’t even remember what it’s like to have a night game.”
Sophomore Kristi Hummel remembers. Her parents brought her to Florida Field when she was younger.
"But this is the first time I'll go to one as a student," Hummel said. "I can't wait to tailgate and then get to the game and experience the atmosphere and excitement that's been building all day."
Billy Harris, a junior from Maryland, recalled that last one in 2011, though he'd like to forget the result (a 21-7 loss). His memories of the student section during a night game haven't faded just yet.
"Night games are more intense," Harris said. "People get more rowdy."
The student section in a college stadium is widely regarded as the loudest part of the ballpark. But noon and 3:30 kickoffs in the stifling September heat, UF students are often forced to choose which half they want to stay and watch.
Night games not only give the temperatures time to cool down, but give students the entire day to get pumped up.
“I think it’s going to absolutely be packed to the rafters,” Pisacano said.
When Florida coach Will Muschamp described the atmosphere of the Swamp at night he only needed one word.
“Loud,” he said.
Muschamp is no stranger to night games at Florida Field, but Saturday the fans will be on his side. Muschamp first played under the lights at the Swamp as a Georgia safety when the Bulldogs and Gators played a rare home-and-home series in 1994 and ’95 while the Gator Bowl was under renovation
The Gators won 52-14 that night. Muschamp returned to the Swamp as LSU’s linebackers coach in 2002, as its defensive coordinator in ’04, and as Auburn’s defensive coordinator in ’07. Each time, his teams won.
“I was just hoping we could hold on,” Muschamp said. “It’s tough, especially when we used to have the Florida fans right behind our bench.”
He smiled and wondered aloud how that element could be reinstated.
It won’t happen for this game, this season and probably not for future seasons. That’s OK.
For now, night football is coming back to Florida Field.
Finally.
“We've got the best fans in the country,” Muschamp said. “Our last home game was outstanding. The Gator Walk and our crowd certainly made a difference in a game and it’ll make a difference Saturday."
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Post by Deleted on Oct 4, 2013 14:38:54 GMT -5
Recruits visiting for the Arkansas game:
October 4th, 2013 02:27pm
UF visitor preview for Arkansas
by Zach Abolverdi
Saturday night’s turnout on the recruiting front may not be up to par with the Tennessee game last month, but it’s a big weekend for Florida nonetheless.
The Gators have at least three commits attending in quarterback Will Grier, defensive tackle Khairi Clark and offensive lineman Nolan Kelleher, who will be on his official visit.
Tight end Bryce Dixon (Ventura, Calif./St. Bonaventure) and defensive end Lorenzo Featherston (Greensboro, N.C./Page) are also visiting officially.
UF has never appeared to be a serious contender for Dixon, and UCLA is his presumed leader. The Florida coaches want to add a second tight end in this class and will pull out all the stops with this weekend, but they have their work cut out for them.
The Gators are in much better shape with Featherson, who is considered a Clemson lean. But they don’t trail the Tigers by much, and this will be his second trip to Gainesville after visiting in the summer.
A late — but big — addition to the visitors list is Jacksonville Providence offensive tackle David Sharpe. He was thought to be favoring Florida in June after four visits to the school in as many months.
But a source close to him told The Sun this week that Georgia has pulled ahead as of late. He has attended three UGA games this fall and is impressed with the ‘Dawgs offense.
Had Sharpe not made it to UF on Saturday, he would have been waiting over a month to visit for a game in The Swamp. So getting him to come for the Arkansas matchup is huge for the Gators.
Florida will also host a few 2015 prospects, including Glen Saint Mary Baker County defensive end CeCe Jefferson and Jacksonville Trinity Christian linebacker Jeff Holland.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 4, 2013 14:45:57 GMT -5
History of Florida vs Arkansas:
By Chris Harry GatorZone.com Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- On the list of so-called rivals, Arkansas doesn’t sniff the University of Florida’s top 10. Not even close. The two schools have only played nine times in their programs’ combined 227 years of football.
Nine.
But squeezed into that mini-series -- all in the last 33 years, by the way -- the Gators and Razorbacks have played some significant (in a couple cases high-stakes) games that paved the way for UF’s ascension to its place among the preeminent programs in the nation.
The ramifications of the 10th meeting Saturday night at Florida Field won’t have the significance of the first two games on the below list. But who knows? The first night game in the “Swamp” since 2011 may offer something to remember in a series the Gators lead 8-1, including eight straight victories.
So my latest history lesson recalls five of the most memorable games (that would be more than half of the all-time series) the Gators and Hogs have played.
1 FLORIDA 38, ARKANSAS 28 Dec. 2, 2006 SEC Championship Game (Atlanta)
Fourth-ranked Florida had a 10-point lead on No. 8 Arkansas at halftime when word came down that UCLA stunned second-rank USC, an outcome that suddenly put the Gators in prime position to play for a national championship.
First, they had to finish off the Hogs, and that looked like a problem after Arkansas came out of the locker room and scored back-to-back touchdowns following a pair of Chris Leak interceptions. The Razorbacks, once down 17-0 and seeking their first SEC title since joining the league in 1992, led 21-17.
After a third failed UF possession, the game turned when Arkansas punt returner Reggie Fish tried to field a kick with an over-the-shoulder catch near his goal line. Fish fumbled into the end zone, where UF’s Wondy Pierre-Louis fell on the ball for a touchdown to give the Gators back the lead.
Then early in the fourth quarter, Percy Harvin (11 touches, 167 yards of total offense, 2 TDs) took what appeared to be a handoff for an end run, but reversed his field and split the Arkansas defense for a numbing 67-yard touchdown run and 10-point lead, as the Gators went up by 10 and went on to the victory.
Immediately after the game, the Gators (players, coaches and even one rather prominent administrator) began stumping for UF’s shot at No. 1 and undefeated Ohio State in the national championship game. With the USC loss, the Gators needed only to vault No. 3 Michigan, which had lost to the Buckeyes the week before.
“Michigan had its chances,” Harvin said.
“We're going to tell a group of young men who just went 12-1 with the most difficult schedule against six ranked opponents that they don't have a chance to go play for a national championship?” Florida coach Urban Meyer asked. “I'm going to need help with that one.”
He got help from UF president Bernie Machen: “If they don't vote for us after tonight, we need a new system. We should be packing our bags for Glendale.”
The next day, packing for Arizona commenced.
Of course, the Gators destroyed the Buckeyes and Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith 41-14 in the BCS national championship game five weeks later.
2 FLORIDA 34, ARKANSAS 3 Dec. 2, 1995 SEC Championship Game (Atlanta)
Whatever drama was left -- and it wasn’t much -- evaporated with what the Razorbacks probably thought was a simple pitchout and a chance to salvage a little respect on the scoreboard.
No. 2 UF led 24th-ranked Arkansas 24-3 late in the third quarter, with the Hogs threatening on the Florida 3. That was when quarterback Barry Lunney optioned to his left and was being taken down by defensive tackle Ed Chester when he flipped the ball toward tailback Marius Johnson.
Instead, it went into the hands of UF linebacker Ben Hanks, who went untouched 95 yards for the touchdown.
The Gators not only were on their way to a third straight SEC title and first perfect regular season in school history, but also to the Fiesta Bowl national championship game -- UF’s first berth in college football’s title game -- to face reigning champ Nebraska.
And for those who recall the latter, yes, this was the high point of the season.
“We had victories on the line tonight. If we had stubbed our toe there would’ve been some sad, sad Gators,” said UF coach Steve Spurrier, whose consolation prize had his team lost that night would have been a trip to the Citrus Bowl in Orlando. “We’d never had a game where basically the whole season was at stake. We couldn’t tell our players that or tell them the money difference between the Fiesta and the others. So we told ‘em this was for the SEC championship and to relax, have fun and have a go at Arkansas.”
Junior quarterback Danny Wuerffel, who would finish third in the Heisman Trophy balloting the following week, hit 20 of 28 passes for 288 yards and touchdowns to Chris Doering and Ike Hilliard. He also ran for a score.
“We knew we almost had to play perfect to beat them,” Razorbacks coach Danny Ford said.
They were far from perfect ... unlike the Gators’ next opponent (See 62-24).
3 FLORIDA 42, ARKANSAS 7 Oct. 5, 1996 Fayetteville, Ark.
Though he took some of the worst body blows of his career, they paled in comparison to the beating Wuerffel put on the Razorbacks in passing for a UF record 462 yards and four touchdowns.
“The guy is unbelievable,” Florida guard Donnie Young said. “I think it would take a fright train to knock him out.”
A conga line of Arkansas lineman and linebackers couldn’t do it. Not for lack of trying.
Wuerffe, on his way to winning the Heisman that year,l finished 23 of 39 with three touchdown strikes to Reidel Anthony, who finished with nine catches for 189 yards. The top-ranked Gators handed Arkansas its worst home loss in 65 years and won their 14th straight SEC road game.
The four scores moved Wuerffel to No. 4 on college football’s all-time touchdown pass record with 89.
“It seems like he breaks a record every week,” Anthony said. “That’s no big thing for us.”
Neither were the insults Spurrier had hurled at him leaving the field after the game; specifically, after a fourth quarter when the Gators -- amid a rain of boos -- tried to pad a five-touchdown lead with field-goal attempts and throws into the end zone.
The catcalls came from angry Hogs fans in the stands.
You got no class, Spurrier!
How’s it feel to run it up?
Spurrier pointed to a couple of the fans and applauded them.
“Thank you! Thank you!” he shouted back. “We love it when you accuse us of that.”
4 FLORIDA 23, ARKANSAS 20 Oct. 17, 2009 Gainesville, Fla.
Caleb Sturgis kicked a 27-yard field goal with nine seconds to play to give the defending national champion and No. 1-ranked Gators a harrowing victory and kept their unbeaten season and quest for a second straight title alive.
Senior quarterback Tim Tebow ran for 30 yards and passed for 22 more on the game-winning drive; a 69-yard march in the final three minutes that kept the Swamp from draining.
Tebow could not bear to watch the kick from the UF sidelines. Instead, he kept his eyes closed and did what he often did before, during and after games. He prayed.
“Once I heard everybody cheering and opened my eyes and saw we had made the field goal ... that was fun,” said Tebow, who passed for 244 yards, including a touchdown to Deonte Thompson. “I always knew we had a shot. We were just going to keep believing until the last second.”
The Gators had to overcome four turnovers -- all fumbles -- and a 20-13 deficit early in the fourth quarter.
“You usually don’t win that kind of game,” Meyer said.
Jeff Demps’ 10-yard touchdown run tied the game with 7:27 to play and the Tebow drive and Sturgis kick won it, extending the nation’s longest winning streak to 16 games.
5 ARKANSAS 28, FLORIDA 24 Dec. 31, 1982 Bluebonnet Bowl (Houston)
Razorbacks tailback Gary Anderson gashed the Gators for 161 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns, throwing water on Florida’s hot finish to the end of the season. UF came into the game having won three straight and five of the previous six.
Instead, it was Arkansas coach Lou Holtz, not Florida’s Charley Pell, who celebrated after the win. Razorbacks players, led by first-team All-America defensive tackle Billy Ray Smith, doused Holtz with water on the floor of the Astrodome.
“I’ve coached in well over 100 football games, but I’ve never gotten wet I came to the Astrodome,” Holtz said. “It was a great game. The momentum kept swinging back and forth and there were a lot of big plays, but none bigger than the way we held onto the ball in the final quarter.”
The Gators rushed for 140 yards in the first half. Quarterback Bob Hewko went 13 of 18 for 167 yards and two TDs through the first two quarters, with seven completions for 71 yards and two scores to Dwayne Dixon. UF led 24-14 heading into the final period.
But a Tom Jones-to-Jessie Clark touchdown early in the final quarter made the score 24-21, and the Hogs finished a 83-yard scoring drive with a 1-run run from Jones with 8:04 to play.
Arkansas held the ball 11 minutes, 21 seconds of the fourth quarter and finished with 28 first downs and 480 yards of total offense to hand the Gators their sixth loss in seven bowl games, dating to 1973, dropping UF to 6-8 all time in bowls.
THE REST
1997 - Florida 56, Arkansas 7 The buzz: Bo Carroll returned the opening kickoff 94 yards for a TD, Doug Johnson threw three TDs and the top-ranked, defending national champion Gators won the last of their SEC-record 25 straight games. UF lost at LSU the next week.
2003 - Florida 33, Arkansas 28 The buzz: The Gators nearly blew a 26-point lead, but a Razorbacks personal foul with a minute left wipeed out a Chris Leak interception and helped UF hold on.
2004 - Florida 45, Arkansas 30 The buzz: Leak’s career day (322 yards, 3 TDs) outdid Hogs QB Matt Jones, but the Gators needed Channing Crowder’s 4th-quarter interception to ice it.
2008 - Florida 38, Arkansas 7 The buzz: A week after reading “The Promise,” Tebow led Gators to the first of 10 straight wins en route to UF’s second national title in three seasons.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 4, 2013 14:54:40 GMT -5
Brian Griese picked the Gators.
Mark May said, "The Hawgs don't have a chance."
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Post by Deleted on Oct 4, 2013 15:15:19 GMT -5
The weather for the game should be outstanding:
Temp at Kickoff: 83 Temp at Halftime: 76 Temp at End of Game: 72
Wind out of the east at 7-8 - won't be a factor
Chance of rain: right at 20% - very unlikely
Sky cover: 50%
It will be a great night to roast a pig.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 4, 2013 15:35:00 GMT -5
Arkansas, a team on the run - this from ESPN:
Bret Bielema’s arrival from Wisconsin has signaled a change in Arkansas football. Gone are the pass-happy offenses of the past several years. This year no SEC team has rushed more times and for more yards than Arkansas. Arkansas’ run game faces its toughest test of the season Saturday against Florida (7 ET on ESPN2).
Arkansas Taking On Bielema’s Personality Over the last four years, no SEC team ran the ball less than Arkansas. However, this year Arkansas has run the ball 65 percent of the time, ranking second in the SEC.
Arkansas Run Percentage Last 5 Years
SEC Rank
2013 65.2% 2nd 2012 44.4% Last 2011 46.7% Last 2010 47.5% Last 2009 47.4% Last
Bielema has taken his ground-and-pound approach from his Wisconsin days, when the Badgers had the fifth-highest rush percentage in the nation, and brought it to Fayetteville this year – with a few wrinkles.
One key difference between this Arkansas team’s rushing attack from Bielema’s offenses at Wisconsin is play direction. From 2010-12 Wisconsin accumulated 48 percent of its yards on runs up the middle.
This year Arkansas has accumulated just 26 percent of its runs up the middle. The Razorbacks’ 874 rushing yards outside the hash marks lead the conference and are already more than their total from last season.
Inside the Razorbacks Rushing Attack One key part of the Arkansas rushing attack is the big-play ability of Alex Collins and Jonathan Williams. Collins leads the SEC with 17 rushes of 10-or-more yards, and no SEC player has a longer run this year than Williams’ 75-yard touchdown scamper in the season opener.
The offensive line has been instrumental in opening up big holes for the running backs, with Collins and Williams both ranking in the top 10 in yards before contact among BCS-AQ rushers.
Arkansas Rushing SEC Ranks This Season
Rank
Yards PG 237 2nd Broken Tackles 17 1st 20-yd rush 8 t-2nd
Opponents have been prepared for Arkansas’ run-reliant gameplan this season. The Razorbacks are seeing an average of 7.3 defenders in the box, the second-highest mark among SEC teams.
Williams and Collins have both excelled facing the extra traffic. Williams leads the SEC with 10 broken tackles and Collins is fifth among BCS-AQ running backs with 229 yards after contact.
The running game has also helped set up play action for the Razorbacks. Seven of Arkansas’ ten touchdown passes have come off a run fake, and another came on a Williams halfback option pass. Only Oregon State, Ohio State and Washington have more TD passes via play action than Arkansas.
Can Florida Stop Arkansas? Florida’s defense leads the nation in run defense, allowing just 54 yards per game. Florida doesn’t stack the line to stop the run either, averaging only 6.5 men in the box per run play.
Florida did lose one of its best run stoppers - defensive lineman Dominique Easley - for the season last week in practice, but still has the ability to stop Arkansas’ high-powered run game.
The key to Florida’s rush defense is penetrating the backfield. The Gators have hit opposing rushers behind the line of scrimmage on an FBS-best 42 percent of their carries, and they have stopped opposing ball carriers for zero or negative yards 44 percent of the time, the highest rate in FBS.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 4, 2013 15:46:04 GMT -5
By Jesse Simonton Miami Herald Writer GAINESVILLE -- Arkansas tailback Alex Collins — a former South Plantation High standout — became the first freshman in Southeastern Conference history to gain at least 100 yards in his first three career games. Florida coach Will Muschamp is plenty familiar with the SEC’s second-leading rusher — 597 yards, three touchdowns and four 100-plus-yard games — and top freshman back in the country. “He’s a heck of a football player,” Muschamp said of the former five-star prospect. “We certainly offered him and recruited him. We think the world of him. … There are so many good players in our state, you can’t sign them all. They are going to go to other schools. Everybody in the country recruits the state of Florida.” OVERRATED The Gators lead the nation in average time of possession (38 minutes 58 seconds per game), but offensive coordinator Brent Pease called it an overrated statistic. Muschamp agreed. “Time of possession doesn’t really correlate to winning or losing football games,” Muschamp said. “I mean, good from the standpoint that their offense isn’t on the field, but there’s no direct relation of winning football games on ball possession.” UF’s offense ranks No. 71 nationally and plays at the slowest pace in the country. Read more here: www.miamiherald.com/2013/10/03/3666135/razorbacks-rb-alex-collins-impresses.html#storylink=cpy
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