Auburn 20, Gators 17

Well, it had to happen sometime, I guess. The Gators' D couldn't get the stops when they needed them and the offense never seemed to get in sync against the brutal Auburn defense. It looks like the Gators have their work cut out for them heading into next week's match up against the Tigers of LSU.

In related news, there are reports that Tim Tebow may in fact be human. He still posted solid numbers (276 total yards, 2 TDs), but threw an interception and couldn't get the offense going at the end of the 4th quarter when they really need to.

Auburn drove the ball down until there were only a few seconds left on the clock and then their kicker nailed the game-winning field goal (twice).

Let's not forget that the same thing happened and the Gators still won the National Championship! Time to move on and focus on LSU. It's a must win if the Gators plan on contending for a Championship.

Auburn Passing C/ATT YDS AVG TD INT B. Cox 17/26 227 8.7 0 0 Team 17/26 227 8.7 0 0	Florida Passing C/ATT YDS AVG TD INT T. Tebow 20/27 201 7.4 1 1 Team 20/27 201 7.4 1 1
Auburn Rushing CAR YDS AVG TD LG B. Tate 20 65 3.3 1 19 M. Fannin 13 62 4.8 0 14 K. Burns 3 5 1.7 1 6 C. Stewart 1 2 2.0 0 2 -. Team 1 -1 -1.0 0 0 R. Dunn 1 -8 -8.0 0 0 B. Cox 5 -26 -5.2 0 5 Team 44 99 2.3 2 19	Florida Rushing CAR YDS AVG TD LG T. Tebow 19 75 3.9 1 12 P. Harvin 4 19 4.8 0 8 J. Fayson 2 10 5.0 0 6 K. Moore 3 7 2.3 0 4 Team 28 111 4.0 1 12
Auburn Receiving REC YDS AVG TD LG R. Smith 9 102 11.3 0 21 M. Billings 3 56 18.7 0 25 C. Stewart 2 40 20.0 0 22 B. Tate 1 16 16.0 0 16 G. McKenzie 1 7 7.0 0 7 P. Rodriguez 1 6 6.0 0 6 Team 17 227 13.4 0 25	Florida Receiving REC YDS AVG TD LG P. Harvin 7 119 17.0 0 52 C. Ingram 4 37 9.3 1 17 L. Murphy 3 21 7.0 0 9 R. Cooper 1 9 9.0 0 9 B. James 1 7 7.0 0 7 J. Fayson 1 5 5.0 0 5 K. Moore 3 3 1.0 0 3 Team 20 201 10.1 1 52

Game Day Preview: Gators vs. Auburn

The Gators look to avenge their heartbreaking loss against Auburn last year tonight at The Swamp. The game with be nationally televised on ESPN, so the whole nation will get to see Tebow, Percy, and the rest of the Gators do their thing. Here's a look at the match up:

	W-L	PF	PA	HOME	ROAD	DIV	CONF
AUB	2-2	115	78	2-2	0-0	0-1	0-1
FLA	4-0	197	78	3-0	1-0	1-0	2-0

Individual Leaders

Auburn Passing CMP% YDS TD INT Cox 53.2 571 3 6 Burns 52.9 123 1 1

Florida Passing CMP% YDS TD INT Tebow 68.4 1096 10 1 Newton 75.0 25 0 0

Auburn Rushing CAR YDS AVG TD Tate 73 345 4.7 2 Fannin 36 205 5.7 4

Florida Rushing CAR YDS AVG TD Tebow 70 358 5.1 7 Moore 53 279 5.3 4

Auburn Receiving REC YDS AVG TD Smith 11 253 23.0 2 Rodrig... 9 108 12.0 0

Florida Receiving REC YDS AVG TD Harvin 21 336 16.0 3 Murphy 13 215 16.5 1

Friday Bites

A few things from around Gator Nation:

• Percy Harvin won't be 100% tomorrow, but who cares, it's Percy Harvin--he'd be faster than anyone on the field if he had one leg.
• Urban Meyer admits he was thinking redshit for Deonte Thompson, but now realizes that he's just too good to not play, especially given the Gators' injuries.
• Good news for the Gators' D: Brandon Antwine is back.
• Who will start at free safety remains a game-time decision.
• A few upperclassmen are adjusting to their back-seat roles with the Gators.
• The Gators have played some memorable games in Tampa over the years.
• Auburn is trying to recover from their slow start and build momentum off last week's victory. In three words: not gonna happen.
• Whenever the Gators play big games, especially in the SEC (and especially vs. Auburn if you remember last year), the special teams always need to step up and usually do.
• This writer asks: "How long can Tebow continue his dominance?" (uh, forever...)
• Several players, especially freshmen, really need to step it up starting tomorrow.
• It's been talked about before, but Tebow's new throwing mechanics have seemed to really help him improve in the passing game and stay healthy.
  

Thursday Bites

A few things from around Gator Nation:

• It's always nice to see FSU get busted. Apparently, the teachers were giving players the answers to exams--hey, at least they can read!
• The Gators have scored 21 touchdowns in 26 trips to the red zone. In related news, Tim Tebow can't be tackled.
• Here's a look at what's going on around the SEC.
• Read this interview with Lee Corso and try to convince me that he's not the most annoying person associated with college football.
• The effect of the kickoff rule has been less than expected.
  
• Apparently all the rumbling and grumbling finally has convinced Urban Meyer to give Deonte Thompson some much-deserved playing time. "Keep that name in mind. Write that name down," Meyer said.
• Percy Harvin sat out of practice again on Wednesday. (I think he just hates embarrassing his teammates on the practice field)
  
• November 17th will be a football/basketball doubleheader in Gainesville, with the Gator football team kicking off against Florida Atlantic at noon. The basketball game against Rutgers will follow at 7 pm.
• The Gators expect to see a few squib kicks from Auburn on Saturday because of the threat of Brandon James. Says Meyer: I don't think I'd kick to him either."
• One of the keys to success for the Gators this season is taking care of Tim Tebow.
• As usual, it is defense that will determine the outcome of the Gators' 2007 season.
• Check out this video interview with stud freshman CB Joe Haden. And this one with the man, C.I.
• I like this line from the Gainesville Sun: "Most teams would have difficulty replacing players that have covered 40 yards in under 4.3 seconds but most teams aren't the Florida Gators."
• One recruit went to visit the Gators for the Tennessee game, got a scholarship offer, and nearly committed right on the spot. (I would have!)
  

Hump Day Bites

A few things from around Gator Nation:

• According to Mel "Greasy" Kiper Jr., the Gators have the best senior safety (Tony Joiner), the best junior tight end (C.I.), and the second best defensive end (Derrick Harvey). I have a feeling that if he rated sophomores and freshmen as well, the Gators would have quite a few more players on the list.
• Just in case you forgot, here's a recap of what happened last year against Auburn. I think things will be juuussttt a bit different this time around.
• Coach Meyer calls Bubba Caldwell "very questionable" for the game on Saturday, and Markihe Anderson and Bryan Thomas are game-time decisions as well. However, Maurkice Pouncey and Riley Cooper are good to go.
  
• The free safety position is up for grabs, and the coaching staff will let the players compete.
• This writer says that the Gators' opponents need to be be careful of the "Tebow thing." What he means is that Tim Tebow is better than most teams.
• Blah, blah, blah, the defense needs work, blah, blah, blah.
• I already mentioned that Tebow is #2 in the ESPN Heisman Watch, but according to this article Tebow is the leader.
• Cross your fingers: Percy Harvin sat out of practice with a hip pointer.
  
• The Gators were terrible with penalties last year, and rank #3 in the nation in penalty yardage per game this year.
  
• What everyone fails to realize is that the Gators' D has been stout against the run; they have only given up an average of 54.5 rushing yards a game.
• This article states the obvious: Tim Tebow is tough (written by Captain Obvious with help from Sherlock Holmes).
• Here are a few quotes from Urban Meyer following the Gators' "Bloody Tuesday" practice.

Heisman Watch: Tebow #2

After last week's game I said that Tebow would be the frontrunner in most Heisman watches. While I wasn't entirely correct, Tebow is at #2 on ESPN's Heisman Watch. Here's the breakdown:

Name	Position	School	Year	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	Total
Darren McFadden	RB	Arkansas	Jr.	9	2	0	1	2	57
Tim Tebow	QB	Florida	So.	3	4	4	0	0	43
Andre' Woodson	QB	Kentucky	Sr.	1	3	3	3	0	32
Pat White	QB	W. Virginia	Jr.	2	2	2	1	0	26
Steve Slaton	RB	W. Virginia	Jr.	0	2	3	1	0	19
Dennis Dixon	QB	Oregon	Sr.	0	1	0	2	1	9
Matt Ryan	QB	BC	Sr.	0	0	0	3	2	8
Colt Brennan	QB	Hawaii	Sr.	0	0	1	2	0	7
Mike Hart	RB	Michigan	Sr.	0	0	0	1	5	7
DeSean Jackson	WR	Cal	Jr.	0	1	1	0	0	7
Ray Rice	RB	Rutgers	Jr.	0	0	0	0	4	4

TT is the only player on the list to only receive votes for 1st, 2nd, or 3rd, no lower. Even Darren McFadden (the leading candidate) has three votes outside the top 3. Throw in a couple more big games in the SEC and the Heisman is Tebow's for the taking. How long until we see Percy Harvin on this list as well?

Tuesday Bites

A few things from around Gator Nation:

• Defense remains the Gators' biggest concern and Achilles heel.
• Wide receiver David Nelson is the new Tiger Woods (except on the golf course). Oh, and the new Chris Leak too (except he can't throw a perfect spiral 100% of the time).
  
• The Gators have been fairly lacking when it comes to offensive line recruits, but a big tackle from Miami just might improve that situation.
• Patience is a virtue for the Gators.
• The game film from last Saturday's game at Ole Miss will be a crucial learning tool going forward (and a great promotional item for the Tim Tebow Heisman kit).
• Tebow is the SEC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this year already.
• More and more people are starting to believe that the Pac-10 is stronger than the SEC this year.
  

Good Gator, Bad Gator

In a little segment I like to call Good Gator, Bad Gator, I will examine three things are are good about the Gators and three things that are bad (I know, incredibly clever name right?). Anyway, here we go:

Good Gator

1. The Tim Tebow Factor
• We saw it on Saturday. Tim Tebow can absolutely take over a game. The kid can run fast, run hard, throw short, throw deep. He seems mature beyond his sophomore status, and you can credit Urban Meyer for that because he gave Tebow some great experience last year. His legend grows by the hour, and the Gators finally have a idol they can depend on week to week. If Tebow can continue to show the poise that he has so far this season, the Gators ultimately will have a very successful season.
2. Diversity, Explosiveness on Offense
• Let's take a look at the options the Gators have on offense: Tim Tebow, Harvin, Caldwell, Ingram, Murphy, Moore, Cooper, Fayson, James, Rainey. That's 10 players, all of whom could be described as "explosive." Not only does this give the Gators the ability to spread the field and keep the defense guessing, but it gives them security against injuries. The Gators have the ability to take it to the house every play and with that threat it's hard not to be successful on offense.
  
3. The Offensive Line
• We've all heard the saying that the war is won in the trenches. Well, it's true. Despite all the talented skill players the Gators have on the offensive side of the ball, they would be rendered useless without a solid O-line. This group was called "young and inexperienced" last year, and the Gators won the National Championship. Now, the unit is basically all back from last year and some young guys have really stepped up. The line can only get better, and that's good news for everyone mentioned in #2.
  

Bad Gator

1. Pass Rush (or lack thereof)
• The defense has been serviceable up to this point, some would argue even surprisingly overachieving, but the pass rush has been virtually non-existent. They have 7 sacks in 4 games, but it seems like a lot less. Derrick Harvey has played well and has looked like the stud he is capable of being at times, but also has had the tendency to disappear for awhile. He has 3 of the Gators' sacks. We all saw last year's game vs. Ohio State and it was evident that the Gators' D-line won that game. Defense wins championships, and it all starts with the four men upfront. It's time for them to step it up.
  
2. Injury Bug
• A number of Gators have been affected by injuries this year, most notable being the injuries affecting Jerimy Finch, Bubba Caldwell, and even Percy Harvin. Last year the Gators were able to stay relatively healthy throughout the entire year, and avoiding injuries is one of the intangibles necessary for an elite team. The Gators have the depth on offense to deal with a few here and there, but the young defense really needs to do their best to stay out of street clothes. Let's hope it's not contagious!
  
3. October
• The month of October is do or die for the Gators, and the road is not easy. It all starts with the Game of the Year at LSU on October 6. Then the Gators have what will be a much needed bye week, only to have to head up to Kentucky to battle a dangerous Wildcats squad. Next, and certainly not least, the Gators head to Jacksonville for the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party to take on the always Gator-hating Georgia Bulldogs, who are led by stud QB Matthew Stafford. It definitely should be a month to remember, let's just hope that it's not one Gator fans will want to forget. My advice: give the ball to Percy.
  

Monday Bites

Sorry for the late post today. It seems I've come down with a bad case of the Mondays. Anyway, here are a few things from around Gator Nation:

• The kickoff time for the game this weekend has finally been announced: 8 pm. A night game at The Swamp on ESPN woot woot!
  
• This shouldn't come as a surprise: The Florida/LSU game will be televised nationally.
• The Florida/Auburn game is usually a major contest, but it may not even be the biggest game in the state of Florida this week.
• Not a single player on Auburn's roster has ever played a game in The Swamp. (Can you say Gator Bait?)
• According to this columnist, Tim Tebow is the offspring of Matt Leinart and Tommie Frazier. (I'm not sure I really like the thought of that, but I get the point)
• Brandon Cox pretty much sucks, but his teammates still support him.
• Here are a few questions the Gators must answer this week in order to be victorious.
• Donde esta el pass rush de los Gators?
• Even though the Gators are still undefeated, Saturday's game has left some lingering concerns.
• Here's what Urban had to say about the team's performance last weekend and the upcoming match up against Auburn.
• The recruit whose flight got canceled before the Tennessee game will be on hand for the showdown at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium this week.

AP Poll - Week 4 - Gators #4

Another victory for the Gators, but they slipped a spot in the polls due to Oklahoma's impressive showing and the close-call at Ole Miss. Here is the latest AP Poll Top 10:

AP Top 10

1. USC (43) 3-0 1,601

2. LSU (22) 4-0 1,580

3. Oklahoma 4-0 1,456

4. Florida 4-0 1,417

5. West Virginia 4-0 1,388

6. California 4-0 1,263

7. Texas 4-0 1,196

8. Ohio State 4-0 1,193

9. Wisconsin 4-0 1,030

10. Rutgers 3-0 1,008

Quote of the day

This quote from defensive star Derrick Harvey pretty much sums up the game vs. Ole Miss:

"We were nervous for a while," defensive end Derrick Harvey said. "But thank goodness we've got Tim Tebow on our team."

TGFT. Thank God For Tebow.

Tim Tebow 30, Ole Miss 24

Whew! A game that looked like it could be another blowout turned out to be a bit of a nail-biter. In a season where it seems anything can happen, I'm not going to lie, I got a bit worried. The Gators didn't really play poorly, but they seemed a little hungover from last week's effort and all the hype surrounding that game. This was their first test on the road and with a ton of young players, it could have been predicted that the Gators would be a little flat.

Regardless, Tebow basically took over the game and carried the entire team on his shoulders (Literally. He can do that). Tebow wound up setting the Florida QB record for rushing yards and gave a Heisman-worthy performance. He had 426 total yards and a hand in all of the Gators' touchdowns (2 passing, 2 rushing). He also sealed the win with some tough runs. I guarantee you people will start talking about Tebow as the front-runner for the award now. Percy Harvin also came up big and got the opportunity to put up some big numbers as well. Here's the breakdown:

Florida Passing C/ATT YDS AVG TD INT Tim Tebow 20/34 262 7.7 2 0
Florida Rushing CAR YDS AVG TD LG Tim Tebow 28 164 5.9 2 13 Kestahn Moore 11 62 5.6 0 18 Brandon James 2 20 10.0 0 12 Percy Harvin 5 0 0.0 0 6 Team 46 246 5.3 2 18
Florida Receiving REC YDS AVG TD LG Percy Harvin 11 123 11.2 1 24 Louis Murphy 2 57 28.5 1 37 Cornelius Ingram 2 40 20.0 0 25 Kestahn Moore 2 18 9.0 0 9 Brandon James 1 13 13.0 0 13 Aaron Hernandez 1 6 6.0 0 6 David Nelson 1 5 5.0 0 5 Team 20 262 13.1 2 37

Percy Harvin: Nobody's sidekick, not even Tim Tebow's

We all know the legendary tales about Tebow, and I'm sure we've all been to TimTebowFacts.com. If you haven't, here are a few lines from the site:

Tim Tebow played Russian Roulette with a fully loaded gun and won.

There are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Tim Tebow lives in Florida.

Tim Tebow's hand is the only hand that beats a Royal Flush.

Tim Tebow doesn't bowl strikes, he just knocks down one pin and the other nine faint.

When you open a can of whoop-ass, Tim Tebow jumps out.

Tim Tebow won the Tour de France on a unicycle to prove to Lance Armstrong it wasn't a big deal.


Superman wears Tim Tebow pajamas.

Ok, so we get it. Percy Harvin doesn't exactly get the same sort of fanfare, but he certainly deserves his praise and is starting to really be recognized as one of the top playmakers in all of college football.

In my opinion, he is the most explosive player in college football, especially because he can attack you in so many ways. He can be the pitchman on an option, run a fly route down the sidelines to beat the corner, run the sweep, run up the middle out of the backfield, and also go across the middle and run after the catch. I haven't seen him throw the ball yet, so I'll refrain from saying he can do it all.

The point is that Tebow might not be the best player on this Florida team. Don't get me wrong--I love Tim Tebow as much as a male Gator fan can love him. But, I personally believe that Percy is the most dynamic and the biggest threat to opposing teams. Every time he touches the ball, you can count on 8-10 yards. Period. Some might say that Tebow is Batman and Percy is Robin, but I think it's more like Harvin is his own unique superhero (and Tebow is too).

With that said, it's important to realize that in the spread option offense one of the keys to success is utilizing a bunch of different playmakers, using the element of surprise. So, we may never see the numbers that Harvin is obviously capable of achieving if he was the exclusive back or WR, but I still believe that he will be a Heisman candidate either this year or next. He might not be the next Chuck Norris like Tim Tebow is, but he certainly might be the next Reggie Bush.

Friday Bites

A few things from around Gator Nation:

• The Gators continue their recruiting dominance with the signing of 5-star prospect Will Hill, who announced his commitment at ESPN Zone in Times Square.
  
• Hill is a 6'3" 200 pound athlete (#1 in the nation according to Rivals.com) who plays QB now but will be a safety for the Gators because, as he puts it, "Quarterbacks wear skirts," (Well, except for Tim Tebow of course) "I like to hit people." (Do we have the second coming of the Eraser??)
• Here are some keys to victory for the Gators tomorrow.
• The Gators have an early kickoff tomorrow (11:30 am), and with the game being away and a lot of young players, that can be a concern.
• Do the Rebels stand a chance? (The Gators are favored by more than 3 touchdowns)
• Check out this article from a local Mississippi newspaper that likens Tebow to a God and makes the Gators seem invincible. (A different kind of locker room material, I guess)
• A major factor in the game tomorrow will be the Gators' ability to stop the Ole Miss running back with four names: BenJarvis Green-Ellis.
• Offense is the new defense in the SEC.
• Urban Meyer says he won't decide who will start at free safety until game time. (My vote is for Reggie Nelson)
• Brandon James is not the biggest and not the fastest, but he certainly has a knack for making plays.

Preview: Gators vs. Ole Miss

Matchup Preview
	W-L	PF	PA	HOME	ROAD	DIV	CONF
FLA	3-0	167	54	3-0	0-0	1-0	1-0
MISS	1-2	65	90	0-1	1-1	0-0	0-1
· Complete Standings Full Team Stats: Florida | Mississippi Full Player Stats: Florida | Mississippi

Finch out for the year, granted redshirt year

In case you haven't already heard, freshman Jerimy Finch is out for the year after breaking his right ankle in the game vs. Tennessee last weekend. He underwent surgery and is done for the year. The good news is that Finch has already been granted a medical redshirt, just like Bubba Caldwell received last year.

He was the #1 recruit out of the state of Indiana last year, and Finch had been playing great so far this season. His absence hurts the already semi-depleted and very young Gator D.

Where is Deonte Thompson?

By now I'm sure all of you have heard the rumors about Deonte Thompson wanting to transfer to Miami. Personally, I think it's false, but regardless it made me realize that he hasn't seen any action at all. He was a gem in this years incoming recruiting class, and Urban got him late in the game. When he did sign, Meyer said that Deonte was probably the biggest signing. However, he hasn't utilized him at all! I know we have an incredible core of receivers, but we also have one of the best QBs in the nation and even his backup has seen some time.

Why do you all think he's not getting more playing time? If he's so talented, don't you think he could contribute this year a la Percy Harvin last year?

It's true that the Gators are very, very deep at the WR position, but now with the rumors about him transferring, do you think it will scare Urban a little bit into maybe playing him this year in order to appease him and keep him a Gator?

I think he is absolutely doing the right thing by preserving him, especially with all the playmakers we have already, but there is something to be said about keeping a new recruit happy and following through on your promises. Let's just hope he didn't promise Deonte anything he hasn't been keeping.

Wednesday Bites

A few things from around Gator Nation:

• Deonte Thompson is rumored to be interested in tranferring to Miami. (I don't believe it for a second) The question is: Why Miami?
• Meyer refutes the rumor.
  
• Percy Harvin is the fatest freakin' human in all the land.
• Florida's win over Tennessee may have convinced a Tennessean to become a Gator. (If you can't beat 'em, join 'em right?)
• Urban Meyer told this prospect's dad that he wanted to coach his son. Now, he'll get that chance.
  
• Check out a few awesome pics of Gator fans on SI.com.
• Alligator Army thinks Percy Harvin is the new Roberto Clemente. I'm just gonna stick with the second coming of Reggie Bush for now.

It's Great. To Be. A Florida Gator. #2

Um, no description necessary.

More HE15MAN hype for Tebow

The hype is building. A t-shirt company has come out with Heisman t-shirts for Tim Tebow, featuring the number 15 in the name, with the quote "It's inevitable." I love it. Mine's on the way.

The design (seen on the right) also made me realize that Heisman can be broken into He Is Man, which also fits Tebow because as we all know, Tebow is all that is man.

Get yours here.

Heisman Watch: Finally some Tebow love!

In a post last week, I mentioned that Tim Tebow didn't seem to be getting the Heisman attention he deserved, especially considering he is basically already a household name for any college football fan around the nation. But today, it seems he is finally getting some positive notoriety in the Heisman watch. In article for ESPN, Pat Forde gave a profile for the top teams in the nation, including the Gators, and said this:

Tim Tebow, Florida. Has lived up to the hype so far, which is nearly impossible. Expected to be the world's greatest quarterback, he nearly has been. He's accounted for 13 touchdowns with arms and feet, and a big performance against LSU's bulletproof defense Oct. 6 could push him into the lead.

Furthermore, on their "Heisman Watch" homepage, ESPN put Tebow at #3 on the list:

3. Tim Tebow, Florida
Tebow answered a lot of questions about his strength, composure, decision-making, ability to lead and overall talent on Saturday. Tennessee is never an easy team to play, even if you have home-field advantage. Tebow led the Gators to a 59-20 thrashing of the Vols, and although you could make the argument that Tennessee isn't as good as many expected, Tebow's 299 passing yards and four touchdowns (two rushing) are still very impressive numbers. If the Gators survive a harrowing three consecutive weeks on the road (at LSU, at Kentucky, at Georgia), Tebow will be the reason -- and will be very deserving of a trip to New York.

So, now that Tebow is getting the attention he deserves, can he continue to live up to the hype? A few more big tests in the SEC will tell, especially the big match up at LSU on Oct. 6. It's time for Tebow to put on his cape.

Gators 59, Tennessee 20

What a game, er, blow out. I am still recovering from the celebration.

Passing	Comp	Att	Yds	Pct	Y/A	Sack	YdsL	TD	Int
T. Tebow	14	19	299	73.7	15.7	0	0	2	1

Rushing	Rush	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	FumL
P. Harvin	9	75	8.3	19	1	0
T. Tebow	18	61	3.4	18	2	0

Receiving	Rec	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	FumL
P. Harvin	4	120	30.0	49	0	0
L. Murphy	2	60	30.0	44	0	0
C. Ingram	3	56	18.7	25	1	0
R. Cooper	1	30	30.0	30	1	0

Play of the Game:
With the score 28-20 and me starting to bite my nails a little bit, Dustin Doe picked up a Tennessee fumble and took it to the house. Game. Over.

Player of the Game:
Percy Harvin. When the Gators started to get challenged a bit, Urban turned to Percy Harvin and let him take over the game. He did just that with nearly 200 total yards.

Tennessee Vols vs. Florida Gators - Game Notes

• Two of the top teams in the Southeastern Conference’s Eastern Division over the last decade meet for the 37th time on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2007, at 3:30 p.m. as Florida hosts Tennessee in its SEC opener. Florida enters the contest with a 2-0 record after defeating Troy last Saturday, 59-31.

• Tennessee owns a 1-1 mark, as the Vols topped Southern Miss last week, 39-19. Florida enters today’s game ranked inside the Top 10 in the polls for the 13th time in the last 14 seasons.

• Under Coach Meyer, the Gators own a 24-4 (.857) overall record. The Gators’ 24 victories over the last three seasons are tied for the most in the nation over that time (USC, LSU and Texas also have 24).

• Coach Meyer looks to open a season 3-0 for the sixth time in his seven-year career. UF is looking to do so for the third time since 2001 (each of which would be under Coach Meyer), and the sixth time in the last 11 years.

• Florida enters today’s game on a nine-game win streak, which is its longest under Coach Urban Meyer and is tied for the second-longest actice streak in the nation (Wisc. 10, LSU 9). UF’s last 10-game win streak came during the 1996 season and the longest win streak in school history (12) was in 1995.

• As a squad, UF has won seven-straight over UT, UGA and FSU. The current streak over the three is the longest in school history.

• Florida enters the game having defeated Tennessee in each of the last two meetings. UF has won three-straight against the Vols five times and the last time the Gators did so was 1995-97.

• 100 of the 118 players on Florida’s full roster have never been on a Gator team that lost to Tennessee.

• In 2005, Coach Meyer became the first head coach in UF history to defeat Tennessee, Georgia and Florida State in the same regular season and never trail in a game to the trio of teams. In 2006, Coach Meyer became the first in school history to defeat all three in back-to-back seasons.

• Coach Meyer owns an 11-3 overall record against ranked opponents and is 8-3 against the ranked teams he has faced while in Gainesville. In 2005, Coach Meyer won a first-year head coach school record four games against ranked opponents.

• Through two games, Tim Tebow’s passer rating is 228.2, which is the second-highest in the nation, just ahead of Brian Brohm’s (Louisville) 226.5. Tebow has completed 73.8 percent of his passes, which is the sixth-highest mark in the country and is the best in the Southeastern Conference. Tebow has thrown four passes for 40-or-more yards this season, equaling Florida’s total of 40-plus yard throws from 2006.

• Since UF’s 33-20 win against Tennessee in 1997, no quarterback has led the Gators to a victory against UT in their first career start against the Vols in the last decade. Since that game, four Florida quarterbacks have lost in their first career start against Tennessee (Jesse Palmer, Rex Grossman, Ingle Martin and Chris Leak). Danny Wuerffel (1993) and Doug Johnson (1997) are the only two to win in their first career start against the Vols since 1990.

• Since the 2004 season, Tennessee has been held to 66-or-less rushing yards in seven games. UF co-defensive coordinators has been on the defensive staff that have held UT to the total or lower on three occasions. Last season, UF held UT to -11 rushing yards and in 2005 the Gators gave up only 66. Notre Dame allowed just 58 yards rushing to the Vols in the 2004 meeting. Coach Mattison was the defensive line coach for the Irish in 2004 and was named the co-defensive coordinator at UF prior to the 2005 season.

• This game will mark the 27th time in the history of the series Florida has faced a ranked Tennessee squad. The Gators are 16-10 all-time in those contests and 14-6 when Florida and Tennessee are both ranked.

• Florida looks to win its 14th SEC opener in the last 17 years. For the 10th time in 11 years, a streak only interrupted by the September 11 attacks in 2001, Florida will open its SEC slate against Tennessee.

• UF is 39-11-1 in league openers since 1954. UF is looking to improve on its 43-26-3 record in SEC openers all-time.

• In his six previous conference openers, Coach Meyer is 6-0. His teams have outscored opponents by an margin of 36.8-17.3.

• In 15 of the last 17 meetings, the team that has rushed the ball for more yards has emerged victorious. The 2002 game in Knoxville was an exception to this, when the Gators defeated the Volunteers, 30-13, despite gaining only 94 yards on the ground. The other exception was the 2000 season, when UF won 27-23 despite being out-rushed, 203-29.

• In the last 17 meetings, the squad committing the fewest turnovers is 11-4 (there were equal turnovers in 1994 and 2003).

• In the last five contests, the cumulative score is Florida 105, Tennessee 94. Six of the last nine games have been decided by four points or less, and 16 of 36 have been decided by seven points or less.

• The Gators have won 15 of the last 21 meetings between the schools, including 10 of the last 14.

• Although the Gators and Volunteers are both charter members of the Southeastern Conference, they have met just 30 times in the regular season since the conference began play in 1933. The two teams met five times from 1916-32 and one other time in the 1969 Gator Bowl. UF leads the series 16-14 in regular-season games since the SEC’s inception in 1933 and the Vols hold the overall series edge, 19-17.

• Seventeen true freshmen have played for Florida this year. In UF’s last game against Troy, 26 freshmen (17 true and nine redshirt) saw action in the contest. Overall, 47 players who have seen action in a game this year are either freshmen or sophomores.

• UF started a true freshman on opening day for the third-straight year under head coach Urban Meyer.

• UF started two true freshmen on opening day for the first time in school history (Maurkice Pouncey and Joe Haden). Haden and Pouncey became the first true freshmen to start on opening day in UF history at cornerback and offensive guard, respectively.

• Overall, 42 players who saw action in the 2007 season opener were freshmen or sophomores. Fourteen true freshmen played, as did 10 redshirt freshmen. UF played 64 players total, 21 of those were making their first-ever appearance in “The Swamp.”

• Florida’s 14 true freshmen and 24 overall freshmen that played in the season opener were the mostby any team in the Southeastern Conference