Where Have All the Rivals Gone?

Everyone has a rivalry game that means a little more to them than all the others. Most old timers will tell you its Georgia. Lose every game on the schedule but beat the Bulldogs, and they’re happy.

Georgia has been taken out behind the woodshed so many times as of late, it’s simply become routine to come back from Jacksonville with a win. Once in a while the Bulldogs pull out a win, but the last 20 years have been dominated by Florida.

Tennessee could be on its way back as a revived rivalry, thanks to all the trash talking by Lane Kiffin. Games against the Vols and Phil Fulmer were fun to watch, but the fact that the Gators played them so early in the season kind of softened the intensity. The fact is, you can stumble early against Tennessee and still salvage the season and play for a National Championship.

For me, Florida State is that game each season that gets the hatred stirring in my stomach. Despite FSU being down for quite some time, it’s also the game I’m always most worried about the Gators losing.

The Seminoles are in desperation mode. For a historically “dirty-playing” team, I have no doubts they will go to any lengths to injure players and win at any cost. You do remember all the late hits on Danny Wuerffel? How about Darnell Dockett at the bottom of a pile twisting Earnest Graham’s knee?

You will see late hits on Tebow. Plenty of taunting and trash talking will take place (from both teams) and if there isn’t a fight before, during or after, I’d be surprised.

Florida has to be careful. They are the team with everything to lose here. One out-of-control fight against FSU means potential suspensions for their match-up against Alabama the following week. Players must remember to keep their cool.

On paper, FSU has no chance to beat the Gators, but with a long history of meaningful rivalry games, you can throw out team records and rankings. For all the reasons FSU has to get up for this game (rivalry game, beating Tebow in his last game at The Swamp, ruining the Gator’s perfect season, throwing a BIG monkey wrench into the BCS system, winning for their once-relevant coach), Florida will use those same reasons to take care of business.

Urban Meyer is the best in preparing his players for big games. Let’s just hope they remember playing FSU is still a big game.   

Fire Mark Richt?

17 losses to the Florida Gators in the last 20 years are not sitting too well in Bulldog land. The natives are getting restless. There is a website up at www.firemarkricht.net you can check out for some laughter. The puppy dogs are mad and they want to take it out on their coach. But do they have a right to be? Well, not really.

Mark Richt has a record of 2-7 against the Gators. That sounds bad until you stop and consider that the Dawgs were 1-11 in the 12 years before Richt got there. You have to figure at his current rate of success he should probably win one more by year 12. That would be a 3-9 mark. That’s three times better than the previous 12 years. Unfortunately they measure him up there against the previous two decades. In the 70s and 80s, the Dawgs were 15-5 vs. UF. However, this was your daddy’s UF. That was a whole different animal. Since 1990, the Gators have built an elite football program. It has stood the departure of great head coaches, great quarterbacks, countless NFL stars, etc. The Gators are now a juggernaut. That’s not Mark Richt’s fault.

Richt has a record of 86-26 as UGA’s head ball coach. How many schools would LOVE to have a record like that? I’m thinking about half the schools in the SEC would. Let’s not forget, just two years ago, UGA finished at # 2 in the final polls. You would think that would buy the guy a little more than two years. The Dawgs lost in this year’s draft, three underclassmen who are all starting in the NFL out of their backfield. Their QB went #1 over all. The tailback went #9. You don’t just replace talent like that. There’s going to be a drop off. That’s not Richt’s fault either.

Georgia’s problem is their fan base has an over inflated opinion of itself. They think they’re Alabama, Ohio State, Florida, Notre Dame, or USC. In actuality, they are Clemson. They’re a good program that once in a blue moon if all the stars align can win a National Title. They have two National Titles in school history. One was in 1942. That one came about because UGA had the South’s only ROTC program. Most of the football team was in ROTC. So when WWII broke out, everybody else’s players were either drafted or enlisted, while UGA’s stayed in school. So they played that year with scholarship players against walk-ons and freshmen. Their other title came 38 years later. They had an extremely talented RB you may have heard of, Herschel Walker. 29 years later, and the Dawgs best finish was the #2 in ’07. And now they want to fire the coach who gave them that season?

Sometimes you have to know your place in the world. Kentucky fans aren’t upset because Brooks can’t beat us. I don’t even hear too much grumbling from South Carolina about Spurrier. And those people might have a beef. If UGA fires Richt, who do they think will come in there and beat Meyer? Pete Carroll? Bob Stoops? Those guys aren’t interested in Georgia. Georgia’s a nice program, but they are not Oklahoma. They’ll end up with another Donnan or another Richt. And in a few years they’ll be screaming that they need to get rid of this guy. Why? Because he can’t beat Florida.

Florida Georgia Recap

Yesterday I had the luxury of attending the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail party (oops are we not supposed to call it that anymore?).  Going into the week, there were questions about the offense and whether we could put up points like we used to.  What most folks don’t realize is that our defense was a major reason that we put up so many points last year. Would we see the Florida Gators of old?  Would we see the Tim Tebow of past years?  These questions on the minds of many as we went in for the chance to clinch the East with a South Carolina loss.

The Florida Gators opened the game strong driving right down the field with a deep pass to Riley Cooper to draw first blood and go up 7 – 0.  The defense holds Georgia on their first opening drive and Florida came back down the field quickly again with another deep pass to Riley Cooper for a touchdown making it 14 – 0 and had most people thinking blowout at this point.

Georgia in a must score drive did in fact get points on the next drive.  Florida determined to keep them out of the endzone caught some help with Georgia pushing themselves back with penalties.  Nonetheless, the Georgia kicker nails a 50 yarder to make the score 14 – 3.

Florida looked to score 3 straight drives but the Georgia defense had other plans that didn’t involve this and put up their first stop against the Florida offense and drove down the field for a touchdown.  We had ourselves a ballgame…. for a minute.  Florida would answer the field goal with a field goal of their own extending the lead to 17 – 10.

A Florida defensive turnover put Tim Tebow and company in great scoring position nearing the end of the first half.  With a Tebow run up the middle it looked as if the play was done but then Tebow just comes bursting out of the pile and runs with no one in sight giving Florida a 24 – 10 lead and also gave Tim Tebow the SEC rushing record breaking Herschel Walker’s record of 49 TD’s.  Tim would end up with one more rushing TD on the next Gator score (resulting from 1 of the 4 interceptions of the day) bringing his total rushing TD’s to 51 and the score to 31 – 10.

I know the Dawg fans are saying “Herschel did it in 3″.  Well ok, but Tim’s a QB and he wasn’t the starter his first year either so stop the nonsense.

Georgia not going out with a fight did come down the field and score making it 31 – 17.  Florida had issues with tackling again this week.  The running backs from Georgia were consistently getting yards after first contact which is unacceptable.  We must make these tackles.  Also, they were able to eat up the middle of the field when they passed the ball.

Florida would answer the touchdown with a field goal from Sturgis putting the game at 34 – 17.  With Georiga on it’s last hope to come back, Brandon Spikes would soon put the nail in the coffin with an INT for a TD and the game would stay at the 41 – 17 score as a final result.

Florida’s win clinched the SEC East for them and now will await to see if Alabama or LSU will join them.

Next Three Games Can Be Special for Tebow

Tim Tebow has a chance to make a statistical statement over the next three games. The Gators will be facing the three worst defenses in the SEC when the match up against Arkansas, Mississippi State and Georgia. If there was ever a time where Tebow could put up some touchdowns, it’s right now.

Tebow is already just one touchdown run away from tying Herschel Walkers SEC record for career rushing touchdowns. Breaking the record will add another line to his already impressive football resume and will most certainly boost his Heisman chances.

But it’s time the wide receivers and Tebow get on the same page. No more dropped passes.  Riley Cooper and Aaron Hernandez have shown glimpses of greatness, but we still wait to see who will emerge as the go-to receiver.

Throwing the ball has always been the knock on Tebow throughout his career. He’s too slow in getting the ball off. He’s doesn’t throw an accurate ball. For Tebow, if he wants his second Heisman Tropy, he’ll have to prove his critics wrong again. Start connecting on your pass plays and the Heisman speculation can end.

Remember, it’s about the best college football player – not the best quarterback. Tim Tebow exemplifies what the Heisman Trophy represents. He will go down as one of the greatest college football players of all time. Tebow should embrace these next three games and put the speculation to rest.

Mack Brown Not Swayed by Emotion

One of the more heated battles in college football recruiting is taking place in the state of Georgia between the home state Bulldogs and the Florida Gators. The schools annually square off for the top prospects in the two states and this year seems to be an even bigger rumble with more prospects. Mack Brown may be the best, and despite rumors, it’s still status quo for the elite running back.

Full story available to insiders at Fightin’ Gators

Florida is keying in on Mack Brown as that back that can make FL a one RB team.  He possesss all the things FL needs to put him in the RB position and can stay healthy.  Mack has Florida and Georgia at the top with UF being the #1.  There are rumors now that he will be ready to commit soon but his comments still show a bit uncertainty.

“I might, I don’t know yet,” he said about committing sometime soon. “It’s still Florida and Georgia at the top.  Both are good programs. Both have good coaching staffs. Both have good offenses that are real productive. They are pretty even, but Florida is number one right now.”

Brown could be the Gators’ answer on having one back to run the majority of the carries.  We haven’t had a back like that in quite some time and would be a spot the Gators would love to have filled by Mack Brown.