WATCH CLIP 

Posted by mayra urrutia at 01:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Could that selection show have been more agonizing?

It's a good thing we were able to find out which teams would play in the Fiesta Bowl and the Orange Bowl before the National Championship.

I thought I would find out at 7:50 PM if it would be Florida or Michigan. Four video montages, one coach interview, three commercial breaks, and 22 minutes later it was revealed.

Florida-Ohio State in the National Championship.

In the end, it is obvious that the voters don't want a rematch, and they respect the strength of the SEC. The best conference in the country deserves a team in the National Championship.

The Gators have earned everything they are getting. Now that they're in the BCS Championship Game, they have to deal with Ohio State. I like Florida's chances to contain Troy Smith. UF's defensive speed limited McFadden and Jones. Why not Smith?

I doubt Ohio State has seen a defense as fast and as good as UF's, although the Buckeyes had no trouble rushing against Michigan with Antonio Pittman and Chris Wells. They combined for 195 yards.

So it will be a challenge, but at least UF gets its chance.

Maybe the voters learned their lesson from the Auburn situation in 2004. When in doubt, favor the better conference.

So here are my final picks. The BCS Bowl Games:

Orange Bowl: Louisville beats Wake Forest, and 25 people watch it on TV.

Fiesta Bowl: I'll take the upset pick here. Boise State over Oklahoma in a good game that will spark even more talk for a playoff system.

Sugar Bowl: This could be a fun one. Great Notre Dame offense vs. a great LSU defense. Two future NFL quarterbacks head to head. LSU with a narrow victory.

Rose Bowl: This will be a very hyped and anticipated game, but the Wolverines are better than the Trojans. Michigan beats USC by 10.

National Championship: UF's answer to Ted Ginn Jr. will be Percy Harvin, but can UF answer Troy Smith's production with a big game from Chris Leak? It will be decided in the fourth quarter. Ohio State comes out on top.

Posted by Adam Aizer at 08:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It started in Starkville with Mississippi State hosting South Carolina. The sounds of cowbells rang in the new SEC football season, and missionsecfootball.com was underway.

It ended three and a half months later with Florida and Arkansas, battling to become the best team in the conference. As the Gators stormed the field and celebrated, our job was done. Thankfully, we went out with a bang. A 38-28 UF victory. A wacky and exciting game that had seven points in the first quarter and 59 points in the final three. And it was the sound of the UF fans and marching band that ended the 2006 SEC season and our mission.

Glenn, Emily, and I enjoyed our time out here driving through the South. We need to thank all of the people in New York that made this possible and did a lot of the behind the scenes work that made our mission so successful. It was a great team effort that we'll never forget. Also, we need to thank the fans, SIDs, and all other people who we met along the way that helped us out.

As a way of saying goodbye, we've put together a "Best Of" list. Some categories were difficult and required an honorable mention. Others were considerably easier.

Enjoy.

Best game: LSU at Auburn. Honorable Mention: Auburn at South Carolina.

Best play: Jarvis Moss blocked field goal.

Best player: Percy Harvin. Honorable Mention: Erik Ainge, Darren McFadden.

Best stadium: Sanford Stadium. Honorable Mention: Neyland Stadium.

Loudest stadium: Neyland Stadium. Honorable Mention: The Swamp.

Best tailgate: The Grove at Ole' Miss. Honorable Mention: The Quad at Alabama.

Wildest tailgate: Florida-Georgia.

Most unique tailgate: South Carolina's Cockaboose.

Best tailgate food: Praline french toast at LSU.

Nicest fans: Mississippi State.

Favorite fan: Big Dawg. Honorable Mention: Jim Brown, Mitch Lavinghouze.

Favorite story: Desire Street Academy.

Best restaurant along the way: Gyro Wrap in Athens. Honorable Mention: Momma G's in Auburn.

Best barbecue along the way: Dreamland Barbecue in Alabama. Honorable Mention: Mike and Ed's Barbecue in Auburn.

Best highway: State Road 89 in Florida. Honorable Mention: That curvy road with the view of the mountains in Tennessee that Emily keeps talking about but can't remember the name of. Glenn thinks it might be the Smoky Mountain Highway.

Car anthem: Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'"

Fastest driver: Emily Melton.

Best bribe attempt to the police officer who pulled us over: Emily saying "I've got free CSTV coozies!"

Favorite coach: Steve Spurrier. Honorable Mention: Tommy Tuberville.

Favorite Heisman winner: George Rogers.

Worst gameday traffic: Auburn. Honorable Mention: South Carolina.

Best rule that we came up with to make a solid mix tape: The "WEJOG" rules. We suggest, if you ever need to fill a mix with a good song that everyone will like, go with Weezer, Elton John, Oasis, or the Gin Blossoms. WEJOG.

Favorite Campus Rep: Harrison Markey (He's sitting in the room as we type this.)

Best Mom: Donna Melton. She did my laundry and fed us on several occasions.

Favorite time zone: Central. Honorable Mention: Eastern.

"I'm Always Hot" Award: Glenn the New Yorker.

"I'm Always Cold" Award: Adam the South Floridian.

"I'm Feeling Just Fine With the Current Temperature" Award: Emily.

Best photographer paddock: Georgia.

Best press box: Georgia. Honorable Mention: The Swamp.

Best dressed road tripper: Adam (I iron my clothes, they don't).

Worst dressed road tripper: Glenn. Honorable Mention: Emily

Heaviest suitcase: Emily. Honorable Mention: Emily...it was that heavy.

Best looking female road tripper: Emily.

Most camera shy: Glenn.

Number of tacos consumed: Glenn estimates more than 100.

Finally, favorite sports memory: Adam's - Seeing the Kentucky fans rip the goalpost down after beating Georgia.
Emily's - Having a pep talk with Mark Richt's wife in the bathroom at halftime of Georgia-Tennessee.
Glenn's - Seeing Steve Spurrier come out of the tunnel at The Swamp.

And, favorite non-sports memory: Adam's - Seeing the new Bond movie with Glenn and Emily.
Emily's - When Glenn went to Baptist Hospital in Jacksonville.
Glenn's - When he was released from Baptist Hospital in Jacksonville.

Well, that's it. I hope our readers and viewers had as much as we did over the last three months. I think we can all agree on which college football conference is the elite one. It's not the Big 10.

Posted by Adam Aizer at 02:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

WATCH CLIP 

Posted by mayra urrutia at 01:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

WATCH CLIP 

Posted by mayra urrutia at 01:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Next week: Florida vs. Michigan. Neutral site. Winner goes to the National Championship!

In a perfect world, that's what we would be talking about right now, but the Gators and Wolverines will wait in anticipation to find out who travels to Arizona and who becomes the latest example of the BCS's problems.

"We're gonna enjoy this win and think about that stuff tomorrow morning," Florida receiver Jemalle Cornelius said.

Florida's 38-28 win over Arkansas should prove to the doubters around the country that the Gators are good enough to play in the big game. This was not a narrow victory. This was not a Gators team that relied on a blocked field goal to get by. This was a terrific defensive performance, and another example of UF's ability to find ways to win.

Allowing 28 points is hardly dominant defense, but when you look at it further, 14 of those points came as the result of a Chris Leak interception. With UF leading 17-7 early in the second half, Leak was picked off by linebacker Weston Dacus at his own 32. Arkansas capitalized with a touchdown. About six minutes later, Leak tried a shovel pass to Percy Harvin. Defensive lineman Antwain Robinson intercepted it and ran it 40 yards for a touchdown.

The Gators trailed for the first time all game. It was suddenly Arkansas 21 - Florida 17 with 8:22 to play in the third quarter. Then, the Gators caught a big break.

Both head coaches emphasized special teams this week. On one possession, UF made two enormous special teams plays to get the lead back. First, it was a fake punt on their own 15. Punter Eric Wilbur handed off to Percy Harvin, and he gained 17 yards to pick up a first down. Later on the drive, Wilbur punted for real. The kick was dropped by Arkansas return man Reggie Fish. UF's Wondy Pierre-Louis recovered in the endzone.

Florida 24 - Arkansas 21.

Special teams took the game back for Florida. Percy Harvin, the game's MVP, won it for his team. On the second play of the fourth quarter, Harvin ran 67 yards for a touchdown. It occurred to me before this game that we were probably going to see the two most talented players in the conference - Harvin and Darren McFadden.

It was all Percy Harvin today. He finished with six rushes for 106 yards and a touchdown. He added five catches for 62 yards and another touchdown.

This is why people pay attention to recruiting. Because when you can pull in a talented freshman like Harvin, you don't need to wait for him to develop before he can start taking over games. Harvin was the difference maker today.

And the Florida defense did what it did best. UF needed turnovers...UF forced turnovers. The Razorbacks had the ball with 8:59 to play, down by 10. The game was hardly over, but the nation's best ball hawking defensive backs made sure there would be no comeback.

McFadden, out of the Wildcat formation, rolled to his right, waited patiently, and fired downfield. Reggie Nelson crossed in front of the intended receiver and recorded his sixth interception of the season. On the next Arkansas drive, the Razorbacks, trailing by 10, threatened to make it a three point game. Quarterback Casey Dick threw for the endzone on second down and nine at the UF 25. Ryan Smith (who else?) came through with the interception. I don't think the Gators fans were surprised. That was Smith's eighth interception of 2006.

So did the Gators do it well enough? Will they convince the voters that they deserve to jump Michigan? For some reason, I don't think so. Maybe it will be Chris Leak's interceptions. Maybe it will be because voters might not consider Arkansas a worthy opponent anymore, now that the Hogs have lost two straight games. My guess is the excuse will be, "Darren McFadden got injured in the first quarter." UF can't seem to catch a break in the media, and I don't know if that will change now.

I do know that Urban Meyer, who found out about USC's 13-9 loss in the third quarter, believes the Gators should be playing for a title.

"You're gonna go tell a group of young men who just went 12-1 (against) the most difficult schedule, against six ranked opponents, that they don't deserve a shot to go play for the National Championship?"

Hopefully, the people who will decide the matchup will not ignore UF's rush defense. Jarvis Moss (four tackles, one tackle for a loss, one pass breakup) was a monster today. Brandon Siler played great (12 tackles), and an injured Earl Everett gave a courageous effort and made a huge difference with six tackles.

"They got one of the top rushing defenses in the country," McFadden said, "and they showed it."

The stats show that Arkansas rushed for 132 yards, but the Gators held the Razorbacks to under four yards per carry. That's dominant.

It wasn't pretty for Florida, but give the Gators credit for coming back from a third quarter deficit. The momentum belonged to Arkansas. It looked bleak for Florida, but the UF won in the fourth quarter. That's what great teams do.

Florida? Michigan? I'm just not sure which team it should be. UF certainly made its claim legit tonight.

As the team finally made its way off the field about ten minutes after the game ended, halfback Eric Rutledge and offensive lineman Jason Watkins carried a banner that read, "Back Where We Belong."

They meant as SEC Champions.

Now, there's a new question. Where do the Gators belong next month? The boys in orange and blue think they should be in Glendale.

"Florida belongs. We deserve a shot," Meyer said. "The other team had a shot...I think the country wants to see the Southeastern Conference Champion against the Big 10 Champion."

Posted by Adam Aizer at 11:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In many ways, this was an atypical win for the Florida Gators. UF averaged 22.2 points per game in the regular season. They exploded for 38 against an Arkansas team that has allowed only 13.7 points per game since the season opener. I was expecting UF to come out throwing, but the Gators kept in on the ground with Percy Harvin. There were shovel passes and options instead of crossing routes and wide receiver screens.

As you look at the overall body of work, though, this game was a microcosm of the entire season. UF's run through the SEC has been marked with clutch fourth quarter drives by quarterback Chris Leak. He did it again today, taking the Gators 80 yards for a touchdown that made it 38-28. That was the final score.

Leak started that drive, but he didn't finish it. That's not anything new for Florida. There are so many playmakers on this team, and it has helped them get past the stellar defenses of the SEC. That 80 yard touchdown drive ended with Tim Tebow, on first and goal from the five, running left. He pitched it to Andre Caldwell. Caldwell had no room to run it in, so he threw to tight end Tate Casey for a touchdown. Three guys touched the ball on a play that went five yards. It got them seven points.

Mainly, it was UF's ability to find a way to win that made this a typical UF game. Of course, the game was in doubt. Isn't that the way it always is for the Gators? But they won it again, and much like against South Carolina, special teams was huge. Florida set a UF single season record today with its eighth blocked kick of the year when Jarred Fayson blocked a punt in the second quarter. UF's recovery in the endzone of a fumbled punt return in the third quarter changed the game completely.

There was a Reggie Nelson interception and a Ryan Smith interception. That gives the tandem 14 picks this year.

It was difficult and intense, and it was a Florida victory. This game was no different than all the other UF games this season, except for Auburn.

Regardless of where the Gators end up in January, Urban Meyer deserves a lot of credit, as does the rest of the team. The Gators played to their strengths. They spread the field and used their athletes and speed to beat opposing defenses. They relied on toughness and quickness defensively to dominate at the line of scrimmage and in the secondary.

Florida has now beaten LSU, Tennessee, Georgia, and Arkansas. That's a pretty darn good year for an SEC team. I don't care about the style points, and neither does Urban Meyer. I wasn't sure which team was the best in the SEC heading into this game, but now I'm certain it's the Florida Gators. LSU might be more talented, Tennessee might have a better quarterback, Arkansas might have the conference's best player, but the Gators are winners. More so than any other team in the SEC.

Posted by Adam Aizer at 11:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

South Carolina fans can breathe a sigh of relief. The Ol' Ball Coach is staying put, having just received a significant pay raise that increases his annual salary by $500,000. This is great news for Gamecocks fans and players.

Having seen South Carolina several times, I've been impressed with the progress the team has made this season. Now, we have to see the progress the program makes in the upcoming years. Losing Spurrier would have been a big setback. Spurrier is a good coach, and he is instant credibility for a football program that needs it.

With the coach staying put, I expect to see the Gamecocks playing in much bigger Bowl Games soon. I don't think they are too far from the SEC Championship Game. All year long, USC proved it could play with the best teams in the conference, and I think having Spurrier on the sidelines will definitely give the fans, and probably the players, confidence that the Gamecocks can win every game.

Posted by Adam Aizer at 05:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

WATCH CLIP 

Posted by mayra urrutia at 01:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

WATCH CLIP 

Posted by mayra urrutia at 01:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

WATCH CLIP 

Posted by mayra urrutia at 01:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

WATCH CLIP 

Posted by mayra urrutia at 01:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The city of Atlanta is already abuzz for tomorrow's SEC Championship Game. Based on what we've seen on the streets, Florida should have an edge in terms of fan support. But who will have the edge on the field? Will Florida's vaunted rush defense be able to stop the Razorbacks backfield? Will Chris Leak finally be recognized as one of the great UF quarterbacks of all time?

ARKANSAS OFFENSE VS. FLORIDA DEFENSE:

Great matchup here. The Gators allow 2.7 yards per carry on defense. The Razorbacks average six yards per carry on offense. Darren McFadden and Felix Jones have combined for 2,446 yards in 12 games. So tomorrow's game could be decided on the ground. Considering LSU's defense looked so helpless against the Arkansas run game, it's hard to imagine UF having much success. The Gators have a very deep defensive line, but without DT Marcus Thomas in the middle, the unit gets much less push up front. The linebackers must step up in this game, but leading tackler Earl Everett is questionable and MLB Brandon Siler has not been 100% in recent weeks. But Siler will play, and I'm betting that Everett is starting tomorrow night too. He's tough and plays with a lot of passion. If Everett can't go, UF will turn to freshman Brandon Spikes. Spikes is a great recruit, and you'll hear his name mentioned a lot in the upcoming seasons. But UF doesn't want to rely on a youngster against the best running back duo in the nation.

Arkansas uses so much creativity to get McFadden and Jones the ball. Sometimes, it's just your everyday handoff. Other times, it's a pitch to the outside. Then, there is the "Wildcat" formation. This lines up McFadden at quarterback and gives him the option to rush it himself, hand to Jones (who is explosive around the edges), or pass. McFadden has a 349.60 quarterback rating. He is arguably the best all-around player in the country. He can do everything. The pressure will be on the perimeter of the UF defense to take away the big play and contain McFadden and Jones. Luckily, UF has a fast and experienced secondary that tackles well. When Arkansas is running against the Gators, the Razorbacks have a big edge. That has more to do with Arkansas than Florida. Good luck stopping the Razorbacks. UF will need it.

I thought last week's loss to LSU exposed Arkansas in one way. LSU took away quarterback Casey Dick's favorite receiver - Marcus Monk. Monk (6 foot 6 inches) is taller than any defensive back UF has. He is great in the red zone. He has 880 yards receiving this year and 10 touchdowns. However, the next best receiver, Damian Williams, has just 221 yards. It is a one-man show. LSU used shutdown cornerback Chevis Jackson on Monk and double teamed him with their safeties. Florida will likely put Ryan Smith on Monk and a safety as help over the top. If the Gators can take away Monk, they will be able to shut down Dick and the Arkansas passing game. That, ultimately, is what lost last week's game for the Hogs. UF's secondary might allow a lot of yards, but it creates turnovers at will. Smith (seven interceptions) and Reggie Nelson (five) have more INTs than any other duo in the nation. I give the edge here to UF's pass defense.

At the line of scrimmage, watch out for UF defensive ends Jarvis Moss and Derrick Harvey. Harvey's eight sacks are third in the SEC, but his production has dropped since Thomas was kicked off the team. Ray McDonald is another solid pass rusher. However, Arkansas holds the edge at the line of scrimmage with an offensive line that has allowed just eight sacks all year. That's the best in the country. Obviously, it's a great run-blocking offensive line too. Arkansas should be able to put up points. The key for the Gators will be to take away the big play and force turnovers, as they have all year. Arkansas must stay in this game heading into the fourth quarter. The offense depends so heavily on the run, that it cannot afford to fall behind. If that does happen, Dick must find other options, because I guarantee UF tries to take Monk out of the game.

FLORIDA OFFENSE VS. ARKANSAS DEFENSE:

This should be a high-scoring game. I expect Arkansas to run at will against UF, and I expect UF to pass at will against Arkansas. This is the biggest game in Chris Leak's career. Florida's four-year starter won't become a legend until he wins the conference. This is his chance. Leak has been much more clutch this year than in the past. In three games (Tennessee, South Carolina, and Florida State), he has led the Gators down the field for a game-winning touchdown drive in the fourth quarter. Leak has also cut down his interceptions, but he is plagued by the occasional bad decision. He is protected by a solid offensive line that has allowed 20 sacks. Not great, but certainly not bad. Part of the reason for the low sack total is Leak's mobility and the fact that the Florida offense relies on a lot of quick passes. The Gators don't really throw the ball downfield much. The Arkansas defensive line is underrated, with tackle Keith Jackson Jr. and ends Jamaal Anderson (11 sacks) and Antwain Robinson (6.5 sacks) playing well this year. UF's offense usually does a good job eliminating defensive line play because the ball gets spread around the field so quickly.

More players touch the ball offensively for the Gators than on any other team in the conference. On the ground, RB DeShawn Wynn is relatively healthy, but not 100%. UF also likes to hand the ball off to receivers like Percy Harvin and Andre Caldwell. Harvin is one of the best freshmen in the country, and he will be one of the fastest players on the field. I think his speed, as opposed to Wynn's strength and durability, will be more advantageous for the Gators against the Razorbacks defense. UF has more team speed than Arkansas. Oh yeah, backup quarterback Tim Tebow isn't bad at carrying the ball either. He averages 5.6 yards per carry and has a nose for the endzone. Arkansas gives up 117.2 rushing yards per game, with LB Sam Olajubutu leading the way with 101 tackles. UF should be able to run effectively, but this is a passing offense.

Dallas Baker (touchdown maker), Jemalle Cornelius, Harvin, Caldwell, Cornelius Ingram. These are the five wide receivers that will take the field, occasionally at the same time, tomorrow night. Arkansas cannot match up with this unit, but which team can? UF likes short routes over the middle that get the playmakers out into the open field. Also, wide receiver screens are used a lot. The point is to get the ball to the playmakers and let them use their feet to gain yards. Arkansas needs to put cornerback Chris Houston on Baker. Baker is Florida's best receiver, and he has nine touchdowns. The others are good too, but if there is one guy to try to eliminate, it's Baker. Houston struggled last week against Dwayne Bowe, but he has put together a solid season and earned the reputation of being a shutdown corner. Still, UF holds the edge here, as long as interceptions are avoided.

These offenses contrast in style. Arkansas will pound the ball. The Gators will get fancier. They like trick plays such as reverses and wide receiver passes. UF spreads it out, while Arkansas relies mostly on two players. Both offenses have the edge over the opposing defenses. We know UF can gain yards, but can the Gators put up points? Sometimes, that has been an issue.

SPECIAL TEAMS:

Here's the stat of the week, and it comes thanks to a great article written in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. In UA's 10 wins, the team has had a field position advantage of 1,666 yards. When Arkansas wins the field position battle, it usually wins the game. Punter Jacob Skinner has pinned opponents inside the 20 yard line 24 times. The real special teams threats are McFadden and Jones returning kickoffs. Each has taken one to the house this year. Field goal kicker Jeremy Davis is just 6 for 11 this season.

It's crazy that UF hasn't lost a game this year because of a missed field goal. For the fourth-ranked team in the country, you'd expect better. This week's kicker will be a game-time decision, but expect it to be Chris Hetland. Hetland is 3 for 12 this year. His longest kick is 29 yards. Luckily, the rest of the special teams unit is solid, including coverage on returns. FSU nearly took a kickoff back last week, so the Gators will have to do a better job on Saturday. Punter Eric Wilbur's 42.9 average is misleading, because he has been inconsistent this season with some shanks from time to time. On a positive note, we can't forget about what happened against South Carolina: Two blocked field goals and a blocked extra point.

Overall, the advantage probably goes to Arkansas because the Hogs are more capable of making a big play on special teams. Both coaches have stressed the importance of special teams this week. It might decide the contest.

PREDICTION:

I predict a lot of points. The defenses are good statistically, but they don't compare to the offenses. I like teams that run the ball, and Arkansas will almost certainly do that better than Florida. UF has had too many close calls this year, and I think their luck will run out in the SEC Championship Game.

Arkansas 35
Florida 28

Posted by Adam Aizer at 09:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

How about all these missionsecfootball.com interviewees moving on to bigger and better things.

First, it was Heath Shuler winning his Congressional election. In a few short weeks, he'll be heading to Washington and settling into his new gig.

Now, we'd like to congratulate 1971 Heisman Trophy Winner, Pat Sullivan, who was recently named the new Head Coach at Samford University. The coach will go back to his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama for his seconnd stint as a college football head coach.

We visited Pat in October when he was serving as the Assistant Head Coach at UAB, and we're glad to see he'll be the main man on the sidelines once again.

Time will only tell which other missionsecfootball.com guest will be movin' on up.

We recently interviewed Darren McFadden. Did you hear that...Heisman voters?

Posted by Adam Aizer at 09:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

When Urban Meyer and Houston Nutt woke up this morning (assuming they were actually able to fall asleep last night), I'm sure they had a lot on their minds. This is the biggest game for each of these coaches at Florida and Arkansas, respectively.

But these guys are pros. They've been relaxed and confident all day, setting the tone for their players as the Championship Game approaches.

This afternoon, we went to the Coaches Luncheon at a nearby hotel to dine with UF and Arkansas fans. We heard both Meyer and Nutt talk with SEC broadcaster Dave Neal. Before the interview, highlights of every SEC Championship Game were shown on big screens at the front of the room.

The video montages were loaded with UF moments, like Danny Wuerffel carving up the Arkansas defense in the 1995 game - a 34-3 Florida win - and some epic Florida-Alabama battles in the early 90s.

After we all enjoyed a seriously delicious meal, Neal went on stage and introduced the coaches. Meyer entertained the audience with his light-hearted sense of humor, but he also got serious when talking about the SEC. He believes this conference is superior to all others around the country.

He also knows, and welcomes, the expectations that are always present at UF.

"Gators fans and Gators players," he said, "if you come to Florida, you're gonna play in this game."

And here he is, in only his second year, taking the Gators through the SEC with just one loss.

Then Houston Nutt came out and discussed an array of topics, including the importance of special teams in tomorrow's game. He said that Arkansas' win at Auburn was a defining moment of the season, and predictably, he was asked about Darren McFadden.

"He's a good, good person," Nutt said. "I love his attitude."

It was great to see the two coaches who have brought the two best teams to Atlanta up on stage together, showing nothing but respect, and entertaining the fans that care so much about their programs.

Later in the day, we attended each team's practices. The first 15 minutes were open to the media. In that time, we noticed the relaxed moods of both Florida and Arkansas.

When Florida took the field at 4:30, defensive end Jarvis Moss was going out for passes. His consecutive drops revealed why he doesn't play receiver. The guys were joking around and seemed oblivious to the magnitude of tomorrow's game, although that's definitely not the case.

A little over an hour later, the Razorbacks began practice. Nutt, who typically wears a stern look on his face, was cracking a smile and joking around with his players. Both teams seemed happy to be where they are. Give credit to the coaches for keeping everybody loose.

When the ball is kicked off tomorrow, all of this will change. The smiles and jokes will be replaced with anger and intensity. The coaches who sat with each other today will stare at each other from across the sideline tomorrow, mentally picking each other apart as the players go at it.

This was the calm before the storm, and what a storm we have waiting for us tomorrow at 6:00.

Posted by Adam Aizer at 07:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

WATCH CLIP 

Posted by mayra urrutia at 01:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)