Gators win 45-12.
- Was I the only one disappointed that Urban called for a kneel down with under two minutes to go? We ran it up against Tennessee and South Carolina, but not FSU? One more TD and we'd have 52, a number FSU has had experience with against UF.
- I got so much pleasure in seeing Eugene Hayes on the sidelines while FSU's was on the field. For a guy who talked a lot of smack, his play said otherwise. He was credited with only one tackle, and routinely had UF players, notably Percy, running through his arms. And that's if he even got in the play. Usually, he was eliminated a few seconds after the snap.
- I have to admit, Hayes did have me worried. In this rivalry, FSU is always the ones with late hits or trying to injure someone. So when Tebow broke out and scored the first TD, there was a little sense of relief that our boy isn't worried and we shouldn't be either.
- I know there are some Gator fans who don't think Cornelius Ingram will be legit threat, but Saturday proved CI has potential. He was the leading receiver with five catches and 75 yards, plus seemed to be open every play. You can't cover him with a LB because he is too fast, and he's bigger than a DB. I know I was screaming at Bowden to put his headset on to figure out how to stop CI. But, I was in row 26, so I don't think he heard me.
- It was awesome to see Bubba score and then chuck the ball into the stands. This is a guy who gave everything he had to this program in a tradition started by his brother. If we didn't have the depth at receiver, we would be screwed next year. During the game, I thought of when Bubba broke his leg against Tennessee. Maybe that was a blessing in disguise. By being able to stick around, he got to mentor the young guys, including Lou Murphy who on the postgame show credited Bubba with keeping him focused at the end of the season.
- Look at these numbers in 10 games; 50 catches, 781 yards, 3TDs, 70 rushes, 624 yards, 5TDs. Tebow has to win the Heisman this season, because next year a healthy Percy Harvin will win it. Percy averaged about 12 yards a touch. That is insane.
- At several points this season, I wrote that Drew Miller and Eric Rutledge were Tebow's bodyguards. That's why it was so great that those two left the field with Tebow after the kid was done high-fiving the crowd.
- As for Tebow, I don't know what else to say. I'm sure I'll have something later, but all I know now is that he loves God and the Gators. And that's all I really need to know about him. But, he better win a national championship.
- The losses to Auburn and Georgia were disappointing, and we had LSU, but in the final picture, I'm really proud of this team. Since the Georgia game, the Gators (to use Urban's line) nutted up and played well down the stretch, outscoring opponents 204-85. In the FSU game, we finally saw how the defense was supposed to work all season; bend-don't break. That defense then pitched a shutout in the second half, erasing all hopes of a comeback. There is so much youth on this team that if they can get to 10 wins, it might be a season we can build off of. I actually feel more confident about the future after this win than I did in 2005. Give credit to Urban and his staff for keeping the young players focused and not letting things get out of hand. As fans, we wonder about strategy sometimes (Mullen's playcalling, corner blitzes on 3rd down), but they have done a wonderful job playing psychologist and building the kids up.
- By the way, look at the 2008 schedule. I don't want to jinx anything, but I think at least a BCS bowl is possible next season. Unfortunately, it seems like the Citrus or Outback Bowl in January.