With just two offensive plays on Ole Miss's next possession, Florida safety Major Wright picked off a Jevan Snead pass and set up the Gators in Ole Miss territory. With afternoon showers rolling through Gainesville, field conditions weren't ideal for either team early on. His first visit was to the same stadium where his Sooners defeated the Florida State Seminoles 132 in the 2001 Orange Bowl. Florida's defense was unable to stop Ole Miss from scoring as they responded with an 86-yard touchdown reception by Shay Hodge giving the Rebels a 3124 lead with only 5:26 left in the game. Replies 173 Views 21K. [54] Florida's staff also suffered an employment change when offensive coordinator Dan Mullen accepted the head coaching position at Mississippi State University replacing Sylvester Croom who resigned. This gave the Tide a three-point lead2017entering the fourth quarter. Percy Harvin led the Gators on the ground with 122 rushing yards followed by Tim Tebow with 109. After a failed fourth down attempt by LSU, Florida turned the ball over back to LSU on a forced fumble on Tim Tebow. . The Gators ended the game with over 475 yards of offense. 2007 Florida starting quarterback Tim Tebow and 2007 Hawaii starting quarterback Colt Brennan were both finalists for the Heisman Trophy where the two met in New York for the award ceremony. Sam Bradford's following pass was tipped by Florida DB Joe Haden and intercepted by Florida safety Major Wright. South Carolina continued to make mistakes. David Truett . The Gators finished with over 502 yards of offense; more than double FSU's 242 yards. Coming into the game, the Gators had the #1 red-zone scoring offense in the nation with Vanderbilt ranked #2 in red-zone defense. Dashboard. Mavari McDonald PLEASE HELP ME REACH MY GOAL! Florida's offense was only able to rush for 89 yards and pass for 256. The drive ended with a touchdown run by WR Percy Harvin. 10 following. This was James' fourth punt-return for a touchdown of his career, tying the school record held by Jacquez Green. John Parker Wilson was 4 of 6 passing in the drive with 3 of his passes connecting with freshman WR Julio Jones. The previous time the two met at Neyland Stadium, the Gators were able to win by a slim one point and then went on to win the BCS National Championship. Florida's offense struggled on their next possession as they were forced to attempt a field goal. The Gators capitalized off the turnover and formed a drive taking nearly 7 minutes off the game clock. Florida's defense kept Georgia QB Matthew Stafford and Georgia RB Knowshon Moreno out of the end zone after Georgia got to the Florida 10-yard line. $365. Tim Tebow connected with WR Percy Harvin on a 43-yard touchdown pass giving the Gators a 107 lead with 12:26 remaining in the second quarter. This was the first game since the 2006 season where Tim Tebow did not have at least two touchdowns in a game. After a 25-yard kickoff return by Brandon James, Florida put together a 49-yard drive ending with touchdown off of a Tim Tebow rush, tying the game at 24 a piece. 2023 Conference USA college football preview, part 1. 2008 Florida Gators Roster | College Football at Sports-Reference.com via Sports Logos.net About logos 2008 Florida Gators Roster Previous Year Next Year Record: 13-1 (2nd of 119) ( Schedule & Results ) Rank: 1st in the Final AP poll Conference: SEC (East Division) Conference Record: 7-1 Coach: Urban Meyer (13-1) Points For: 611 When he's not hard at. With the win over #1 Alabama, the Gators were selected to play in the BCS National Championship Game the following day where they would face against the Oklahoma Sooners. Halfway through the fourth, the Gators initiated a 4 play 80-yard drive that ended with 75-yard rushing TD by redshirt freshman Chris Rainey. The Gators entered the fourth quarter with a lead of 147. Florida's defense helped get the ball back on offense when true freshman Gator CB Janoris Jenkin's forced a fumble on Tennessee's Montario Hardesty. Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops made his fourth appearance in the BCS national championship game. With just three plays and one net yard, the Gators defense forced Alabama to punt early. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. The Gators scored touchdowns on each blocked punt with Tim Tebow running in the first touchdown and Brandon James for the second. Harvin was able to rush from two yards out and score a TD, putting the Gators up 147. They have also lived in Buchanan, GA and Tallapoosa, GA. Brothers Zach (Tanner Stine, from the television drama As Tim Tebow pointed out, the relationship between the two brothers is what drives the film. Tim Tebow threw his first interception of the season on the following drive, but the Razorbacks were unable to score on the turnover and were forced to punt. Tim Tebow and Louis Murphy connected on a 48-yard pass on the second play of the drive to score a touchdown only 38 seconds after having initiating the drive. Florida quickly responded with a 67-yard drive taking only 8 plays capped with a Tim Tebow rushing touchdown, bringing the Gators' lead back to 13. Florida regained possession with 2:05 left in the game and were able to bring the ball to the Ole Miss 32-yard line. In response, the Gators put together a 10 play drive consuming 86 yards of the field ending with a 4-yard rushing touchdown by Tim Tebow over a pile of FSU defenders, bringing the score to 216 in favor of the Gators. 103rd football season in school history; third national championship victory, 2008 Florida Gators footballconsensus national champions, 2008 Southeastern Conference football standings, 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings, https://web.archive.org/web/20090705062526/http://gatorzone.com/football/bios.php, https://web.archive.org/web/20081203025300/http://gatorzone.com/football/stats/team.pdf%3C, "VegasInsider.com Florida Gators Team Page", "Tebow Selected as Finalist for Heisman Trophy", "Hawaii coach June Jones: Florida's Tim Tebow is a 'system' quarterback, not Colt Brennan", "Gators Top Hawaii, 56-10, in Season Opener", "Hawaii Warriors vs. Florida Gators Box Score, August 30, 2008", "Miami (FL) Hurricanes vs. Florida Gators Drive Chart, September 6, 2008", "Miami (FL) Hurricanes vs. Florida Gators Box Score, September 6, 2008", "Florida Tops Tennessee 30-6 in Knoxville", "Florida Gators vs. Tennessee Volunteers Drive Chart, September 20, 2008", "Florida Gators vs. Tennessee Volunteers Box Score, September 20, 2008", "Not just the Tebow Show, as Tebow and Co. host Ole Miss", "Mississippi Rebels vs. Florida Gators Drive Chart, September 27, 2008", "Mississippi Rebels vs. Florida Gators Box Score, September 27, 2008", "Snead tosses two TDs, runs for one as Ole Miss stuns Florida", "Gators, Tebow, aim to get back on track after stinging loss", "Florida Gators vs. Arkansas Razorbacks Play-by-Play, October 4, 2008", "No shortage of intensity as LSU visits Florida", "LSU Tigers vs. Florida Gators Play-by-Play, October 11, 2008", "No. Florida's defense forced a quick 3 and out for the Hogs and the next Gator drive ended like the previous. John Brantley and the Gators put together a 66-yard drive finishing with a touchdown pass to redshirt freshman WR Deonte Thompson. 24 South Carolina, 56-6", "South Carolina Gamecocks vs. Florida Gators Box Score, November 15, 2008", "Florida looks to maintain national title hopes against Citadel", "Citadel Bulldogs vs. Florida Gators Play-by-Play, November 22, 2008", "Florida Gators vs. Florida State Seminoles Play-by-Play, November 29, 2008", "No. This was the first Gator turnover of the season. The first drive of the game only took 1:38 for an early score with a Percy Harvin touchdown off a tipped pass on the third play of the game. This win over Vanderbilt clinched the SEC East Division championship for the Gators sending them back to the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta since the 2006 season. On the following drive, Florida's Bobby Kane mishandled the punt snap sending the ball out of the endzone resulting in a safety. The other being a taken-knee at the end of the Tennessee game. Florida middle linebacker intercepted a Christian Ponder pass on the first play of the half and set up the Gators' offense at the Florida State 20-yard line. Zach Abolverdi Gator Sports 0:00 2:20 The Early Signing Period has arrived for new Florida coach Billy Napier and his staff. We are committed to delivering quality independent Christian journalism you can trust. With just 11 seconds remaining in the half and Arkansas deep in Florida's territory at the Florida 25-yard line, sophomore DB Joe Haden intercepted a Casey Dick pass closing out the half, 140. This was the fifth game of the season where the Gators faced a team coached by a national championship winning head coach. [47] (Though they would face two more in the SEC and BCS championship games. The Gators defense continued to pressure LSU and forced LSU QB Jarrett Lee to have a pass picked off by Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes. Another 28 points was scored in the third quarter beginning with a 62-yard rushing touchdown by true freshman Jeffery Demps. After another 3 and out by the Rebels, Florida, regained possession, but quickly turned it over. FLA Tim Tebow 1-yard run (Jonathan Phillips kick), 1:06. Starting at the Florida 11-yard line, the Gators managed to go 89 yards down the field and score a touchdown off of a Percy Harvin 11-yard run. [16], at Ben Hill Griffith Stadium, Gainesville, Florida, Florida's SEC home opener had the Gators face off against the Ole Miss Rebels. Parent Movie Reviewby. Because of the rainy conditions in Tallahassee that day, the field was extremely wet and slippery, affecting play on both sides. This would bring the final score to 4910. The third quarter would turn out to be difficult for the Gator defense and the Tide scored on their first two possessions on offense in the half. 1 Alabama", "Gator Ticket Office Announces Ticket Ordering Information for BCS National Championship Football Game", "Despite getting the most first-place votes, Tim Tebow finishes third in Heisman voting", "Steve Addazio Named UF's Offensive Coordinator", "Florida Gators vs. Oklahoma Sooners Play-by-Play, January 8, 2009", "Florida Gators vs. Oklahoma Sooners Box Score, January 8, 2009", "Florida Tops Oklahoma, 24-14, to Capture 2008 BCS National Championship", "Tebow will remain at Florida for senior year", "Florida-Oklahoma Title Bout Concludes FOX's Most-Watched BCS Game Ever", "2008 AP All-SEC Football Team Announced", "Football has four selected to Coaches' Freshman All-SEC Team", "Tebow Takes Home Maxwell & Disney Spirit Awards", "2008 Walter Camp All-American Team Announced", "Tebow named 2008 Wuerffel Trophy Winner", "Tebow Selected As Finalist For Heisman Trophy", University Athletic Field / Fleming Field, College football national champions (championship game era), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2008_Florida_Gators_football_team&oldid=1137575851, 2008 Southeastern Conference football season, Southeastern Conference football champion seasons, Articles with dead external links from May 2016, Articles with dead external links from October 2010, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using CFB schedule with named parameters, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Carl Moore 3-yard touchdown reception from, Jonathan Phillips 27yard field goal (6 plays, 68 yards in 1:28), David Nelson 4yard pass from Tim Tebow (Jonathan Phillips kick) (11 plays, 76 yards in 6:52), $ BCS representative as conference champion. A 63-yard Tennessee drive ending with a Jonathan Crompton 1-yard TD run. The Gators' special teams blocked two punts on Kentucky's first and second drives of the game. [61], 2008 University of Florida Football Roster and Coaches https://web.archive.org/web/20090705062526/http://gatorzone.com/football/bios.php, Statistics as of Jan 9, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20081203025300/http://gatorzone.com/football/stats/team.pdf%3C. Get the latest news, stats, videos, highlights and more about unknown Zach Truitt on ESPN. [36], The Gators opened strong on defense forcing an early three-and-out by Vanderbilt followed by a tipped punt. [18] In response, the Gators drove into Ole Miss territory where they were forced to settle for a 38-yard field goal, narrowing the lead 73. Vanderbilt continued to struggle on offense as well as defense as Florida continued to put points on the scoreboard early in the game setting the tone. The Gamecocks first drive ended after just four plays resulting in a punt. By the end of the third quarter, Florida's defense forced five Miami punts and allowed only one field goal. Our NFL Nation reporters answered big draft questions for each team with a top-10 pick in April's draft. This gave the Gators the lead, 70. Find the COLLEGE-FOOTBALL Florida Gators player roster for this season on FOX Sports. The Gator defense forced three fourth quarter Miami punts, 8 total for the game, with the final score coming off of a made field goal by the Gators, bringing the final score 263. The image of Tebow's paint-stained Jersey became one of the lasting and memorable images in sports for 2008 and for the decade at large. Zach Truett. In a family with four siblings, Robby Tebow could certainly identify with that. FLA Percy Harvin 13 receptions, 186 yards, TD, OKLA Chris Brown 22 rushes, 110 yards, This page was last edited on 5 February 2023, at 10:34. Coming into the game, the Gators ranked #16 in the nation in total defense. The first touchdown drive started with 14:41 in the fourth. The winner of this game receives the War Canoe Trophy. This was the first touchdown the Gators allowed in the first quarter of a game and the first time the Gators trailed in the season. Steven. Menu. Tim Tebow connected with senior WR Louis Murphy on a 44-yard pass to bring the score to 283 with a little more than 5 minutes remaining in the third quarter. ), Florida received the ball the start the game and was able to score on their opening drive. Florida's special teams was able to block a Miami punt attempt resulting in a safety as the ball went out of bounds with 47 seconds left in the half. After clinching the SEC East, the Gators defeated then top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide 3120 in the SEC Championship Game to win their eighth conference title. The last time this occurred was on October 20, 1990, when the 1989 champions University of Miami played the 1988 champions Notre Dame. The Gators only needed an extra point after the touchdown to be made to tie the game at 31, but were unable to do so after Ole Miss's Kentrell Lockett blocked the attempt. This put the ball at the 1-yard line and the Gators had a fresh set of downs on which to score. Neither team was able to score on their opening possessions as both defenses force the teams to punt. The Gators' offense was able to put together a 47-yard drive finishing with a 15-yard Tim Tebow touchdown pass to WR Percy Harvin extending the lead to 270. The Gators would take the lead following the extra point and would not give it back. The next play resulted in a touchdown after an 18-yard run by Tide RB Glen Coffee. Instead, he focuses his energy on football, but when a knee injury stops him from playing, he is forced to make a choice between being consumed by his anger or allowing God to soften his heart. 5 min amrap25 front squats @18525 lateral burpee over barAmrap front squats @185 Scored- 21 This was the Gators' second visit to the SEC Championship Game since the 2006 game where they faced the SEC West champion Arkansas. On the Gators first drive of the second half, Percy Harvin fumbled the ball while rushing up the middle. The Gators capitalized on the Razorbacks' turnover and scored on a 36-yard rushing TD by true freshman Jeffery Demps, extending their lead to 140 halfway through the second quarter. After a three and out forced by the Florida defense, the Gators were able to score again, but only with their first field goal of the game. With only 2:04 left in the half, Florida's offense was able to connect on 5 consecutive pass plays, ending with a 24-yard touchdown pass to TE Aaron Hernandez in only 1:07. 1 in the AP Poll and the Coaches' Poll. The Gators received the ball with 11:49 left in the half and were able to move the ball 21 yards to the Florida 36 where Tim Tebow threw his second interception of the game and this one to Sooners' defensive standout Gerald McCoyBig 12 defensive player of the year. By Cody Nagel Jan 3, 2020. The Gators and Volunteers last met in the Swamp in 2007 where the Gators won 5920. On the second play following the penalty, Tim Tebow threw a touchdown pass to Riley Cooper to extend the Gators' lead and final score margin by 1131 to 20. This would be the Gators' last score of the game, eclipsing the 70-point mark. Florida's next offensive possession ended like the previous five with a touchdown scoredthis time by senior RB Kestahn Moore. [28], Homecoming for the Gators featured an early match up with division rival Kentucky. On the resulting Gator possession, a scoring drive was capped with a Tim Tebow 2-yard shuffle pass to Brandon James resulting in a touchdown. Coming into the game, Coach Bowden's record was 17-16-2. Florida's defense was able to prevent the Seminoles from scoring a TD and forced them to settle for a field goal; cutting the Gators' lead 73. [24], The Gators opened the second half on offense and got as far as the Arkansas 20-yard line, but not farther. Ole Miss's offense was unable to do much the rest of the half and ended their next two possession with punts and a third with a turnover on downs. The Gators took a knee to close out the half tied 77. Four ex-Tennessee football staffers have agreed with the NCAA to show-cause penalties ranging from three to five years stemming from recruiting violations. Its kinetic opening sequence is a sharply edited (by Dan O'Brien, "CBGB") series of shots following high-school quarterback Zach Truett (Tanner Stine, "The Thundermans"), as he scores nearly. That was my goal, something Florida's never done here. This was Jeff Demps' fifth rushing touchdown of the season, all of which were runs of more than 35 yards. This was Urban Meyer's first time coaching against Nick Saban as well as the first meeting between the two programs since their regular season meeting in 2006 season where the Gators defeated the Tide and then went on to win the BCS National Championship. Although this was the first time the two teams had played one another, there was familiarity between the two programs. This was the first meeting between the two teams, but the two programs had become familiar with one another at the end of the 2007 college football regular season. In the offseason, Florida coach Urban Meyer suffered the loss of assistant coaches for the first time in his tenure. The following Florida drive resulted in a made field goal from 25 yards. Alabama entered the game with a 2113 series lead over the Gators. Florida's defense forced Kentucky into a fourth down attempt. In the 1999 SEC Championship Game, the Crimson Tide defeated the Gators with a score of 34 to 7. Just as Zach is on his way to a football scholarship, he loses his temper in an argument and tears a vital ligament in the ensuing fight. After Florida's defense stopping Miami once again, Florida's offense was able to put together another long scoring drive; this one a 95-yard drive taking only 1:34 ending on a 19-yard Tim Tebow touchdown pass to Louis Murphy. A former captain for the University of Florida football team was arrested and charged with murder on Saturday, making him the second player from that team to be accused of murder. Turnovers continued with Georgia after Knowshon Moreno fumbled the ball, which was picked up by Florida DT Terron Sanders. The second half was a mirror image of the first half for the Gators. Akce tdne. The Gators' offense finished with 406 total yards; 255 of those coming on the ground. This gave the Tide the first lead of the game, 107, and this was the Gators' first time trailing in the first quarter since their loss at home to Ole Miss earlier in the season. The first touchdown of the season came off of a Brandon James 1-yard touchdown run capping an 80-yard drive that took only 10 plays. This set up the Rebels in excellent field position at the Florida 34-yard line. After failed offensive drives for both teams, South Carolina was able to put together enough of an offense to attempt, and make, a field goal. Although the Gators were able to get into the red zonethe Oklahoma 10-yard linethey were unable to score a TD and settled for a 27-yard made field goal, putting the Gators back in the lead. Although the Gators finished the game with 25 less yards of offense (398 vs. 373), the Gators were able to force four turnovers (1 fumble, 3 interceptions) and capitalized off of them. Turnovers continued for the Bulldogs with their next drive ending with a Cam Turner pass intercepted by Gator DB Wondy Pierre-Louis. The Gators' first offensive drive only had to travel 60 yards resulting in a Tim Tebow touchdown pass to wide receiver Louis Murphy while in the red-zone. The Gators' offense collected 705 total yards, with 394 coming on the ground. This game is also the first regular season meeting between the two teams since 2003 where the then #18 Gators nearly upset the #3 Miami Hurricanes at the Orange Bowl. The Gators, however, were able to score another touchdown with an 81-yard drive capped off with a Tim Tebow 1-yard rushing touchdown, his first of the season. 8 Georgia, 49-10", "Meyer 'Trying to Win Game' With Timeouts", "Gators' win streak, division on the line against Vandy", "Gators Clinch SEC East With 42-14 Win Over Vanderbilt", "Tebow, Gators secure SEC championship game berth with drubbing of Vanderbilt", "With Spurrier in town, Florida looks to continue recent dominance", "No. The second quarter featured scores by the Gators on offense, defense, and special teams. While unable to capitalize on the Dustin Doe interception, the Gators scored a TD off of Ahmad Black's interception with only one play, a 25-yard Tim Tebow pass to Percy Harvin. This drive only took two plays in 22 seconds. Ole Miss was the first score on their ensuing 70-yard drive with a touchdown. The Volunteers had their second fumble, which was recovered by Gators defensive lineman Carlos Dunlap, and led to another Florida field goal extending the lead to 200. Second only to Tennessee's streak over Kentucky as well. ESPN Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. [46], The final game of the regular season for the Florida Gators featured a matchup against in-state rival Florida State in Tallahassee, Florida. . The Gators started the game on offense at the Tennessee 44-yard line and quickly started where they left off the last time they played the Volunteers. Kentucky got on the board with a field goal with 5:03 left in the half. This is the first time the Gators had played the Rebels at home since their loss in 2003 against the Eli Manning-led Rebels squad. Zach Goodall is the publisher of Sports Illustrated-FanNation's AllGators.com, serving as a beat reporter covering football, recruiting, and occasionally other sports. This game is Florida's ninth appearance in the game and have a record of 6-2 before kickoff. [15], Tennessee received the ball to start the second half and quickly went three and out giving the ball back to Tim Tebow and the Gators' offense. This is the first of a two-game home-and-home series on the rotating SEC West opponent schedule with next year's meeting taking place in Gainesville, Florida. The Gators competed in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and played their home games in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on the university's Gainesville, Florida, campus. They were led by fourth-year head coach Urban Meyer. This was Percy's second rushing TD of the game. "[32], The Bulldogs started the game on offense after Florida deferred to the second half. Our Process. The Sooners' ensuing drive called for four running plays by RB Chris Brown who was able to take the ball one yard shy of the goal line on a 4th and goal. Arkansas' Michael Smith fumbled the ball, which was recovered by Florida's Brandon Jamesthe first of his career. Alabama's P.J. We were hoping for an undefeated season. They were able to get to the 1-yard line setting a 2nd and Goal situation, but Florida received a 5-yard penalty for sideline interference. On the first play of the drive, Dustin Doe and Carlos Dunlap sacked Sam Bradford, dropping him for a four-yard loss. The Florida Gators landed a big win on the recruiting front on Wednesday's Early Signing Period by adding Naples (Fla.) four-star defensive back Devin Moore to their 2022 class. On the change of possession, the Gators capitalized with a 5-minute 80-yard drive finished off with a Percy Harvin rushing touchdown. On a 1st and 10, senior QB John Parker Wilson was intercepted by sophomore DB Joe Haden.

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