South Carolina No Match for the Gator Machine

By JC De La Torre

Steve Spurrier has seen many blowouts at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, the place that he nicknamed "The Swamp". He's seen the Gators completely dominate overmatched opponents time and time again. Spurrier has never been beaten in the Swamp the way the Gators unleashed on South Carolina today. #3 Florida demolished the 25th ranked Gamecocks 56-6, churning up 516 yds of offense and limiting Spurrier's offense to 173 yds and 4 turnovers. The fifty point loss was the worst for South Carolina since 1995, when Spurrier's Gators ripped the Cocks 63-7.

The Gators opened up the scoring when Brandon Spikes intercepted SC QB Chris Smelley and returned it for a touchdown to make it 7-0. After receiving the ball back, Smelley would be picked off again, this time by Ahmad Black, who returned it to the South Carolina 26 yd line. From there, Percy Harvin took over, running the remainder for the score and a quick 14-0 advantage. Spurrier thought his team needed a spark, so he called for a trick play on the ensuing kickoff. After fielding the kickoff, Deion LeCorn attempted to lateral the ball to a waiting Chris Hail, but the ball sailed over his outstretched hands, where Gators special teamer James Smith would recover and rumble to the goal line for an apparent touchdown. After review, Smith was ruled down at the one, but it would only delay the inevitable as Florida QB Tim Tebow would plunge it in from a yard out to make it 21-0.

In the 2nd quarter, Tebow would connect with Deonte Thompson 46 yds for a score to balloon the advantage to 28-0. South Carolina would finally get on the board with 2:36 left in the first half with a 42 yd field goal by Ryan Succop. Florida led 28-3 at halftime.

The Gators received the kickoff to start the second half and on their first play from scrimmage, Harvin would take a handoff and race 80 yds for a touchdown - 35-3 Gators. South Carolina responded with their best drive of the game, going 56 yds in 11 plays and capping it with a 44 yd Ryan Succop field goal to narrow the Florida advantage to 35-6. The Gators would come right back, driving 82 yds in 6 plays with Jeff Demps going the to the house on a 38 yd jaunt. 42-6 Florida.

On the first play of the 4th quarter, Aaron Hernandez's circus catch in the back of the endzone capped a 40 yd 6 play drive to add another 7 points to the Gator lead. Chris Rainey would take on another score late to provide the final margin, 56-6.

Florida ran for 346 yards, 167 of those by Percy Harvin with the two touchdowns. South Carolina was the 11th best team in the country against the run, allowing just over 101 yards. Since losing to Ole Miss back in September, the Gators have outscored their opponents 299-63 and has won each game by at least 28 points.

After yet another destruction of a ranked team, it will be interesting to see if the pollsters continue to have Texas ranked over the Florida juggernaut. As I type this, Alabama is struggling with Mississippi State and Florida State is in a dogfight with Boston College. Both may eventually come back to win their games but these are the two teams that stand in the way of the Gators advancing to the BCS Title game.

Tonight, its great to be a Florida Gator.

JC De La Torre is an author of Science Fiction/Fantasy and other realms of Speculative Fiction - check out his latest works at JC Delatorre.com

Ol' Ball Coach Back at the Swamp Again

By JC De La Torre

Storm clouds are on the horizon for the Swamp. 40% chance of rain threatens the Florida-South Carolina matchup at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field today, but there's a larger cloud looming. Its that of South Carolina Head Coach and former Gator great Steve Spurrier returns to the place he named the Swamp, trying to derail the Gators freight train to the BCS Championship game.

For the Gators, its all about style points right now. The Gators need to win and do it impressively to try and jump Texas, putting them in the driver seat for a BCS Championship game berth. Since Spurrier has arrived in South Carolina, Florida has had trouble distancing themselves from the Gamecocks. Spurrier won his first meeting against Urban Meyer in 2005, ending a fourteen game winning streak against South Carolina. In the National Championship season of 2006, it took a blocked extra point in the closing seconds of the game for the Gators to escape the Gamecocks and go on to win the BCS title. Last season, South Carolina lead 14-13 after the first quarter before finally succumbing to the Gators in a 51-31 shoot out.

If the Gators can get by Spurrier's hot South Carolina squad (they have won six of their last seven after starting the season 1-2), Florida State is all that stands in the way of Florida's having a meaningful showdown with Top Ranked Alabama in the SEC Championship game for the right to play for the national title.

Florida has the better atheltes on both sides of the ball and it will be difficult for the Gamecocks to keep up with the Gators in this one. Florida has been dominant since being upset by Ole Miss in September. I don't look for a let down against SC - Florida should win this one handily.

JC De La Torre is an author of Science Fiction/Fantasy and other realms of Speculative Fiction - check out his latest works at JC Delatorre.com

After the Humiliation of Georgia, the Gators in Striking Distance

By JC De La Torre

The University of Florida destroyed one of their biggest rivals, the Georgia Bulldogs 49-10 (rubbing it in a little bit with a couple time outs at the end of the game - revenge for last year's team celebration by Georgia) and thanks to the impressive win against a top 10 team, the Gators find themselves a bit closer to a BCS title berth, as they jumped several 1 loss teams, jumping to #5 in the BCS Standings. Alabama is #1, with Texas Tech at #2, Penn State #3, and Texas dropping to #4.

While they definitely hoped to hop Texas, one thing is certain, the Gators National Championship hopes were boosted with their dominant performance and the loss by Texas to Texas Tech.

Texas Tech still has tough games against Oklahoma State and Oklahoma, plus the Big 12 Championship game to get threw. The Gators, if they win out, would get their shot at #1 Alabama. A Texas Tech stumble would put the Gators fate into their own hands. Penn State may have the clearest path to the title game with only one game remaining against a ranked opponent (Michigan State). Alabama still have a trip to Death Valley to face LSU and the annual war with Auburn left. Florida still has pesky Vanderbilt and South Carolina before their war with Florida State. Texas does have a tough game on the road against Kansas, but likely will need to win out and hope to see Texas Tech drop two to get to the Big 12 championship game. If Texas doesn't reach the Big 12 Championship, its definitely possible because of the Gators strength of schedule, Florida could jump them.

I think if the Gators run the table and win the SEC Championship, they will be in the title game, likely facing Penn State.

Gators, Tigers in Crucial SEC Showdown

By JC De La Torre

USF may be on the bye, but it doesn't mean there won't be some huge College Football games this week that effect the bay area. In a match up of the nation's last two National Champions, the Florida Gators host the LSU Tigers at the swamp for a huge SEC game.

#11 Florida suffered an early upset at the hands of Ole Miss, while #4 LSU remains undefeated and has won four of the last six meetings with the Gators (including two of the last three in Gainesville). For the Gators, this is a must-win game if the harbor any national title aspirations. For LSU, they can really make a statement if they can go into hostile territory and pull out a victory against a solid opponent.

It should be an interesting game. For the Gators, its all about Tebow and Harvin. These two players are the engine of the offense, but they can't be expected to do it alone. Florida's going to need to be able to run the football with their three-headed attack of Rainey, Demps, and Moody. The Florida defense, which has been solid most of the season, will have a stiff test with the Tigers offense.

I think Florida defends the swamp in a nailbiter.