  December 03, 2006How 'Bout Them GatorsCould 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. December 02, 2006Florida Wins SEC With a 38-28 Win Over ArkansasNext 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. Continue reading "Florida Wins SEC With a 38-28 Win Over Arkansas" » This Florida Victory is Just Like the Rest of ThemIn 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. Continue reading "This Florida Victory is Just Like the Rest of Them" » December 01, 2006SEC Championship Game PreviewThe 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? The Day Before the GameWhen 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. November 30, 2006A High School DividedIf you ask college football fans where to find the best high school talent in the country, many would tell you California, Texas, and Florida. They wouldn't be wrong, but few are aware of a high school in the town of Stone Mountain, Georgia that has produced 19 Division I football players since 2001. That includes two guys, Anthony Cannon of the Detroit Lions and DeMario Minter of the Cleveland Browns, who were drafted in April. This football program has only been around for 10 years, yet it continues to generate college stars. SEC coaches are certainly well aware of Stephenson High School and its head coach, Ron Gartrell. "We've got our share out there in the SEC," Gartrell said. "Each week we're kind of straddling the fence in terms of who we're gonna cheer for, but we're just glad they're all out there." Here's a quick list of some of current SEC players that Gartrell coached. November 29, 2006The Buzz on Campus: UF Students ReactI figured the UF students would be much more irate about Florida's current chances of playing for the title. I took a small sample of the UF population that included some current students and some recent alumni. Here is what they had to say about UF, USC, Michigan, and the BCS: (Note: All were operating under the assumption that UF beats Arkansas) "I absolutely, whole-heartedly think that Florida should play for a National Championship if USC loses. I'm one of the few that thinks USC should be ranked ahead." - Jared Ross, alum Pride of the SunshineYou can hear it already. Inevitably, something big will happen for the Gators on offense during Saturday's game. When it does, UF's historic band, the Pride of the Sunshine, will play UF's historic song, "Go Gators." If you have ever been to, or seen on TV, a Florida football game, you know what I'm talking about. It starts off with two notes, played several times, picking up the intensity each time. The fans do the Gator Chomp with their hands to correspond with the music. Then, the crescendo! The band plays those memorable notes, and the whole crowd yells, "Go, Gators!" November 28, 2006There's Only One Thing Florida is Thinking AboutMost of the talk surrounding UF these days involves the BCS. Urban Meyer has called for its implosion if Michigan and Ohio State get their rematch. The Gators feel like a win is a win. Style points shouldn't matter. The voters don't seem to agree. And there are some people who think Florida has no chance to jump Michigan anyway. Perhaps the National Championship is already out of the question. Well, none of that is on the Gators' minds this week. It's all about Saturday. It's all about Arkansas and Darren McFadden and winning the conference. Continue reading "There's Only One Thing Florida is Thinking About" » November 12, 2006BCS Reactions: How Can Florida Be Fourth???I asked CSTV's Florida Campus Representative Harrison Markey to describe the mood of UF students. "Infuriated," he said. I would be too if I were a Gators fan. I thought yesterday's one point win would drop the Gators behind Texas in the BCS Standings, until Texas lost. Seeing the Gators behind Southern California is just perplexing. I'm not a BCS expert, so I'm not going to try to become one. I suggest reading Jerry Palm's story on cstv.com later tonight for a comprehensive and thorough breakdown. It's obvious to me that USC was helped by two things. Continue reading "BCS Reactions: How Can Florida Be Fourth???" » USC-UF StandoutsAside from Jarvis Moss, here are some players who caught my eye in yesterday's UF-USC game: UF defensive end Ray McDonald: He and Moss are both great downfield tacklers. It's not as if a running back or wide receiver needs to get past the line of scrimmage and then no longer has to worry about UF's defensive linemen. These guys hustle until the whistle blows. UF had no sacks yesterday, but McDonald hit QB Blake Mitchell as he threw to halt the opening drive. He later blocked a field goal on the same drive that he batted a screen pass down at the line of scrimmage. Great games from McDonald and Moss, stepping up in the absence of Marcus Thomas. November 11, 2006On Second Thought...When I wrote my game recap of UF's 17-16 victory and talked about how the Gators might be in trouble in the BCS, I was counting on Texas winning. I wasn't counting on the Longhorns' starting quarterback getting injured and Kansas State getting the victory. A possible scenario would have been Texas, already ahead of UF in both the Coaches and the Harris polls, moving up in the Harris Poll while UF stayed put and perhaps Notre Dame, USC, or even Arkansas or Rutgers jumped the Gators. That could have put Texas in front of the Gators in the BCS and kept UF at fourth. I guess there's much less cause for concern now. UF will be just fine this week. It'd be shocking to see UF lower than three in the BCS. UF 17 - South Carolina 16Nearly every time an extra point is blocked, a television announcer will say something to the effect of, "That could be costly later in the game!" I wasn't listening to CBS today, but I'm sure something like that was said. And of course, the blocked extra point was the difference in the game as UF survived a scare from the Gamecocks, 17-16. South Carolina threatened to leave The Swamp with a victory with eight seconds left. Ryan Succop set up from the middle of the field for a 48 yard field goal. UF Coach Urban Meyer called timeout to ice him. "I was gonna burn another one," Meyer said, "but I couldn't stand it." The snap was good. The hold was good. The kick was up. And then it was down. Blocked by Jarvis Moss - his second blocked kick off the game. It was Moss who blocked Succop's extra point with just over eight minutes to play, keeping UF within six points. "Wow," Meyer said. "Freak. He's a freak." The Gator WalkTwo hours before the game, fans clad in blue and orange line the pathway to the stadium as Coach Urban Meyer guides his team into Ben Hill Griffin. The players, wearing shirts and ties, walk slowly up the street, surrounded on each side by screaming Gators fans. Some slap hands with the spectators, others acknowledge with waves. Most just walk by with their game face on. It's called the Gator Walk, and it's become a tradition that UF shares with several other SEC schools. November 10, 2006South Carolina-UF PreviewThe 27th meeting between South Carolina (5-4, 3-4 SEC) and Florida (8-1, 6-1) will be perhaps the most interesting one yet. Steve Spurrier made the Swamp what it is today. Urban Meyer has restored the home field advantage since his arrival, going 11-0 at home to start his UF coaching career. The door to the BCS National Championship game is open for the Gators. Will the Gamecocks spoil their hopes? The Other SwampAt UF, a great tradition for students is to pile into The Swamp on Saturdays. And they do it on Fridays too. But not that Swamp. The one across the street. The day before the game, UF students will gather at the local bar, which happens to have the same name as the stadium across from it, to eat and drink with their buddies. We arrived at 4:15 to check out the atmosphere, and the place was already packed. It will stay like that for the remainder of the night. There was live music and lively chatter about tomorrow's game. Not to mention the pure joy that has spilled over from last night's Rutgers victory. November 09, 2006Rutgers Win Means It's Time to Get Excited at UFBig night for the Gators, and they weren't even playing. Louisville is out of the picture now. That means there is a good chance that UF can win out and play for the National Championship. There will be several one-loss teams at the end of the season, but if UF does run the table, I think they will have the strongest case for playing in the BCS title game. It's because of strength of schedule. Strength of schedule is not an actual component of the BCS anymore, but it is factored into the computer rankings and it is factored into the voting of the coaches and the representatives of the Harris Poll. So you would think people would give the edge to the one-loss SEC team, rather than an independent, a Pac-10 team, a Big 12 team, a Big 10 team, and so on. Let's look at the main competitors under the assumption that each team wins its remaining games and ends the regular season with one loss. Continue reading "Rutgers Win Means It's Time to Get Excited at UF" » Nobody Knows a Team Better Than the StudentsIf you're a Gators fan, I'm sure you have a lot to say about this year's football team. I bet you wish you had your own radio show. Well tonight we met three students who do. We sat in on "Cheap Seats", a half hour sports talk show on the University of Florida student radio station, and listened to some banter about UF athletics. Continue reading "Nobody Knows a Team Better Than the Students" » 100 Years of Florida FootballIn 1906, the Buckman Act in the Sunshine State took the University of Florida and moved it from Lake City to Gainesville. The rest is history. One hundred years have passed, and the UF football program has produced countless memories and NFL players, Heisman Trophy winners, a National Championship, and a legendary coach named Steve Spurrier who will return on Saturday wearing different colors. This afternoon we met UF's Historian, Norm Carlson, in his Ben Hill Griffin Stadium office. In August, Carlson finished working on a book that chronicles a century of Florida football. With the help of several editors from the Gainesville Sun, Carlson shows the evolution of a football program that experienced its ups and downs, but eventually became a national powerhouse. November 08, 2006Chillin With the Gators... The Real OnesWow, that was terrifying. Today I looked danger directly in the eye and lived to tell about it. Glenn, Emily, and I were literally inches away from a 13-foot alligator this afternoon at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm. I can't speak for them, but I was frightened. Fine, I will speak for them. They were frightened too. Continue reading "Chillin With the Gators... The Real Ones" » November 05, 2006The BCS... So ConfusingThe SEC's best chance of being represented in the BCS title game is clearly Florida. How realistic are UF's chances? This actually wasn't a bad week for the Gators, even though a narrow victory over Vanderbilt will hurt them in the polls. But in the BCS standings, they are in fourth place behind Ohio State, Michigan, and Louisville in that order. That's the way it should be, considering the three teams ahead of the Gators are undefeated. However, Ohio State and Michigan both struggled with easy opponents this weekend. OSU beat Illinois, a 2-8 team, 17-10. Michigan beat Ball State, a 3-7 team, 34-26. Louisville is the hot team right now after a 44-34 win over previously unbeaten West Virginia. October 29, 2006UF-UGA StandoutsHere are the players who caught my eye in Florida's 21-14 win over Georgia: Florida WR Andre Caldwell: Caldwell set the tone early during the game's opening, and maybe most important drive. He caught two third down passes to convert for first downs, and finished off the drive with a 12 yard touchdown run. Final stats: 8 catches, 88 yards receiving, 1 receiving TD. 5 carries, 28 yards rushing, 1 rushing TD. Florida DE Derrick Harvey: A rising star. Late in the first quarter, Harvey blew past OL Michael Tuner for a sack, and he recovered a fumble later in the game. With Ray McDonald, Jarvis Moss, and Marcus Thomas, Harvey gives the Gators one of the deepest and most talented defensive lines in the country. October 28, 2006UF 21 - Georgia 14You just never know what will happen in a rivalry game. The Gators came in as heavy favorites and left with a 21-14 victory. UF will certainly move up in the polls, especially with USC's loss (and depending on what Tennessee and Texas do tonight). What an absolute joke it would be if the Gators don't jump the Trojans, considering the way USC has been playing lately and the difficulty of UF's schedule. Now the Gators are set up to win the SEC East. Their remaining games are: at Vanderbilt, vs. South Carolina, vs. Western Carolina, and at Florida State. All four are winnable games, but the Gators must look back at today's win in Jacksonville as a warning sign. If the Gators play this poorly again against either SC or FSU, they will not run the table. UF's defense was terrific, can't take away anything that unit did. Georgia gained just 215 total yards today. The Gators came into the game struggling defensively on third down, but Georgia converted just 3 out of 13. LBs Brandon Siler and Earl Everett were everywhere. Siler had an especially big sack on Matthew Stafford after Georgia took over first and 10 at their own 38 in the fourth quarter. DE Derrick Harvey continues to climb the SEC leader board in sacks, and he recovered a fumble today too. The defense limited the Georgia ground game to 2.5 yards per carry and forced two Stafford interceptions. Neither play was a very good decision by Stafford, but that's what UF does - they capitalize on quarterbacks' mistakes. The Georgia and Florida FansI had heard so much hype about the Greatest Outdoor Party that is Georgia-Florida. When I pulled into downtown Jacksonville this morning, I was expecting shouting matches and extreme drunkenness. I guess I was expecting the worst, considering the Georgia and Florida fans staying in our hotel have been screaming at each other regularly at 2:00 AM the past two nights. (If I make any typos, you'll have to excuse me. I haven't been getting much sleep.) But it wasn't like that at all. Not only are the fans well-behaved, they're actually friends with each other too. Sure, every now and then you find some trash talking and cursing, but most of it was just in good fun and good taste. Florida and Georgia fans are not really separated before the game. Everyone is right on top of each other, and they get along very well. October 27, 2006Georgia-Florida Preview (and My Big Prediction)Georgia (6-2, 3-2 SEC) and ninth-ranked Florida (6-1, 4-1) renew one of college football's best rivalries on Saturday in Jacksonville. It's the 84th meeting between the two schools in a match up that has been dominated by UF lately. The Gators have won 14 of the last 16. Coming off a bye, they are heavy favorites this weekend...Do the Bulldogs have a chance? Most people say no. I say yes. Continue reading "Georgia-Florida Preview (and My Big Prediction)" » This Game is So Great It Has It's Own Hall of FameIn the 1973 edition of Georgia-Florida, the Gators had no business beating the Georgia Bulldogs. UF entered the game as underdogs, and they trailed by seven points late in the fourth quarter, 80 yards away from the end zone. The Gators needed a hero, so they called upon receiver Lee McGriff. McGriff caught a touchdown pass on fourth down, and after a two-point conversion, the Gators had upset the Bulldogs, 11-10. There ought to be a place in history for a guy like McGriff. Luckily enough, he played in a rivalry so unique and intense that it has its own Hall of Fame, and today McGriff was honored as part of the 11th class of Florida-Georgia Hall of Famers. He didn't come alone. Former Gator Ike Hilliard and former Bulldogs Rodney Hampton and Willie McClendon joined him in this Hall of Fame class. Continue reading "This Game is So Great It Has It's Own Hall of Fame" » October 26, 2006Trash Talkin' With the JaguarsThe Georgia-Florida rivalry is alive and kicking at Alltel Stadium. Outside Alltel, the fans are out-tailgating each other, displaying school pride, and exchanging verbal jabs. But inside the stadium, in the locker room of the Jacksonville Jaguars, the intensity of Bulldogs-Gators exists amongst the players who shined in the annual event several years ago. We sat down with four Jaguars - two representatives from UF and two from Georgia. Nine-year veteran RB Fred Taylor and third-year DE Bobby McCray spoke on behalf of the Gators. The Bulldogs were represented by sixth-year DT Marcus Stroud and four-year veteran LB Tony Gilbert. The trash talk started early in the week, and it's heating up as the days go by. Setting the Scene in JacksonvilleLet the games begin. It may only be Thursday afternoon, but that hasn't stopped Florida and Georgia fans from setting up shop in lot E, just outside of Alltel Stadium. Six rows of parking spaces are lined with massive RVs. More RVs are parallel parked on the sides of the lot. Georgia and Florida flags are raised high on flagpoles. The grills, smokers, lawn chairs, and satellite dishes are all out there. October 25, 2006UF Standout Reidel AnthonyA decade ago, the Florida Gators ruled the college football world, winning the 1996 National Championship behind the arm of Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel and the hands of All-American receiver Reidel Anthony. We've already caught up with Weurffel, who is now the Executive Director of the Desire Street Ministries. Today we met his favorite target, Anthony, a Receivers Coach at Division II powerhouse Valdosta State. Anthony's Wildcats have a big game with 3rd-ranked North Alabama this weekend, so he'll be concentrating on that, but I'm sure the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party will be on his mind. "I experienced it from a fan's standpoint about three years ago, and just to enjoy it," Anthony said. "I was staying downtown, so I just walked to the game, and, I mean, I walked about three, four miles, and there were just people lined up out there tailgating and just getting ready for the game, having a good time. It's an experience." |
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Glenn AndersonGlenn will bring the mission to life from behind the video camera. CLICK HERE FOR BIO 
Emily MeltonEmily Melton was born in Birmingham, AL and knows the passion and enthusiasm Southerners have for college football. CLICK HERE FOR BIO
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