Tulsa World: Florida Season In Review

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Florida Season In Review

By GUERIN EMIG, World sports writer
Published: 12/9/2008 2:27 AM
Last Modified: 12/9/2008 3:44 AM

Season record: 12-1, SEC champion

Best wins: The Gators re-ignited their season with a 51-21 annihilation of then-No. 4 LSU Oct. 11, when Percy Harvin had 102 receiving yards and two touchdowns in the first quarter. Florida waxed then-No. 8 Georgia 49-10 Nov. 1 to avenge a bitter 2007 defeat as Tim Tebow rushed for three scores. Last week's 31-20 SEC championship winner over No. 1 Alabama came after a 20-17 fourth-quarter deficit.

The loss: Mississippi, a three-touchdown underdog, used an 86-yard touchdown pass and, after Florida had scored to seemingly tie the game, a blocked extra point to steal a 31-30 victory in Gainesville Sept. 27. The Gators turned it over three times and couldn't convert a fourth-and-inches with under a minute to play.

Top three players

QB Tim Tebow: His statistics, like the 28 touchdown passes verus 2 interceptions, are noteworthy enough. But then they don't take into account his leadership skills. The Gators haven't lost, and have only trailed once, since his impassioned speech after the Ole Miss loss. And he beat Alabama without the use of his top two playmakers, Percy Harvin and Chris Rainey.

Athlete Percy Harvin: That's what he's called in Florida's press releases. Athlete. And why not? He had 13 catches for 186 yards in that loss to Ole Miss, and 167 yards rushing, including an 80-yarder for a score, in a 56-6 blitzing of South Carolina Nov. 15. Says coach Urban Meyer: "There are things that I've seen him do that

I've never seen anyone else do."

LB Brandon Spikes: Does for the vastly-improved Florida defense what Tebow does for the offense. He is the Gators' leading tackler, and has returned two of his four interceptions for touchdowns. But it's his leading role on a young defense that is of utmost importance.

About the offense: The Gators set a school record for several reasons — Tebow's arm and fullback toughness on short-yardage plays, the presence of Harvin, Louis Murphy and a squadron of fleet-footed receivers, and game-breaking capability at tailback with Rainey and Jeff Demps.

About the defense: Meyer said he was "embarrassed" to show film of his defense a year ago. That's not the case any longer. Florida has picked off 24 passes, second in the nation, while surviving several injuries to its front seven and playing strong run defense against the likes of LSU's Charles Scott and Georgia's Knowshon Moreno. By GUERIN EMIG, World sports writer

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