An LSU field goal early in the fourth quarter would cut the Florida lead to 2310. On the opening kickoff, Ted Ginn Jr sprinted for a 93-yard kick off return for a touchdown, turning the largely Ohio State crowd into a frenzy and giving the Buckeyes a 70 lead 16seconds into the game. The season opened in the Swamp against the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles. Tebow added two touchdowns rushing along with 47 yards. Houston Oilers offensive tackle David Williams (73). Despite giving up four turnovers and forcing none, the Gators easily beat the spread for the second time this season. Smith and the Buckeyes marched back on the field, hoping to tie the game. The Gators and the Bulldogs traded possessions, with the Gators getting the ball back with a little over three minutes in the game. Florida quarterback Chris Leak was 19-of-29 for 352 yards and four touchdowns. The momentum changed yet again, this time in Florida's favor. Using the unusual "Wildcat Formation", All American tailback Darren McFadden threw a quick two yard touchdown to fellow tailback Felix Jones. Bowl Game: Won BCS Championship 38-24 versus Ohio State More Team Info ", In one of the most anticipated games of the season, former Gator coaching head coach and current South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier returned to The Swamp. In perhaps one of the most stunning decisions of the game, Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel decided to go for it on fourth and 1 from his own 29. Florida had great field position, following a personal foul penalty on Ohio State. Florida did move the ball successfully, but was unable to move the ball inside the redzone. On their next offensive possession, the Gators were determined to put the game out of reach. 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 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on the university's Gainesville, Florida campus. Both Gator PATs were blocked in the half. Tebow. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Much to the displeasure of many Gator fans, Florida elected to send kicker Chris Hetland on to attempt a 40-yard field goal. Florida again used a variety of offensive looks to keep the Ohio State defense off balance, which also included using freshman phenom Tim Tebow as a power rusher. Braun was a brick wall in protection to begin his career, allowing only one pressure on 75 pass-blocking snaps according to Pro Football Focus. Big Ten, . The Gators' schedule included a four-game stretch against teams likely to be in the top-15 teams, starting with Alabama on September 30. The win also moved the Gators into fourth place in the BCS rankings. However, Florida was unable to capitalize on the turnover, as Chris Hetland again missed a field goal. Using their power running game, and a 13-yard scramble from Troy Smith, the Buckeyes drove to the Gators' 18-yard line. The Buckeyes however, remained composed. Ohio State ran a draw play on 3rd down, and punted on the following play. The Gators again continued their relentless pressure on Smith, sacking him several times, and pressuring him into bad throws. [16], Florida went with a throwback uniform style for the game, wearing uniforms from the mid-1960s as a part of the 100-year celebration of Florida Football. Anthony Nesty. The Florida football team celebrating their championships at the White House with President Bush. Sign up for the Gators Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. Florida won the toss and elected to defer the option to the second half, giving Ohio State the ball first. Record: 13-1 (2nd of 119) (Schedule & Results), Bowl Game: Won BCS Championship 41-14 versus Ohio State. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Florida quarterback Chris Leak was 19-of-29 for 352yards and four touchdowns. With the Gators winning the 2007 national championship in men's basketball three months later (coincidentally beating Ohio State), the University of Florida holds the distinction of being the only school to ever hold both the unshared men's basketball national championship and unshared football championship in the same academic year (2006-07) and in the same calendar year (2007). Ray McDonald also notably blocked a field goal earlier in the game. As the Gators came into their annual rivalry game with Georgia, they were heavily favored. The Tide added a field goal to take a 100 lead that held until just before the half. Tennessee pulled ahead by six when James Wilhoit hit a 51-yard field goal early in the fourth. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. However, the Razorbacks came back with a touchdown of their own. After the Tigers muffed on a Gator punt a drive later, reserve freshman QB Tim Tebow scored on a QB sneak from one yard out to tie the game. Florida's offense was stuffed on the following drive but got a muffed punt by Georgia to regain the ball. As such, the official record for Alabama is 0-7 (0-6 in conference). [9], Most of the starters returned from a 2005 team that went 93 and they were bolstered by a top-rated recruiting class the previous February. American Football Database is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. Tennessee pulled ahead by six when James Wilhoit hit a 51-yard field goal early in the fourth. Florida scored on their first possession of the game, moving the ball very effectively with a blend of running and passing. Tebow also converted a critical fourth down play inside Gator territory. Some school's results have been altered by retroactive NCAA penalties. On the following Arkansas offensive series, the momentum of the game appeared to change yet again, when receiver Cedric Washington threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Jones on another trick play. Ohio State was now in a deep hole, trailing by ten with six minutes to go in the half. Record: 13-1 (2nd of 119) (Schedule & Results), Bowl Game: Won BCS Championship 41-14 versus Ohio State, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Monday, May 1, 6:49AM. Leak took a final knee on fourth down, ending his illustrious career as a Gator on top of the college football world. Two national championship rings and a Heisman Trophy. DeShawn Wynn and Tim Tebow each rushed for a touchdown for the Gators. The Tide kept it close, kicking a 26-yard field goal to make it a 1-point game in the fourth quarter. Scoreboard; Box Scores; Previews; Injury Report; Maurkice Pouncey was the foundation of the offensive line that protected Tebow who went on to become an All-Pro and Pro-Bowler for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Chris Leak threw for 283yards and two touchdowns, Percy Harvin ran for a score and the fourth-ranked Gators beat struggling Florida State 2114 on Saturday to stay in the national title hunt. Tebow added a more conventional touchdown pass to Louis Murphy early in the third quarter. Florida jumped out to an early 70 lead, but the Volunteers quickly took the momentum back when wide receiver Lucas Taylor threw a 47-yard touchdown pass to LaMarcus Coker. However, Arkansas came out firing in the second half. I must include my favorite Gators player of all time because he is in the argument for the greatest Gators receiver of all time. [18], at Alltel Stadium Jacksonville, Florida. With 8minutes remaining in the game, the Gators were determined to end the game and give the school a national championship. Freshman Tim Tebowthe backup quarterbackled the Gators in rushing for the second time in four games with 73yards on six rushes. Brandon James also added a 77-yard touchdown from a punt return. Florida School History; Schedule & Results; Roster; Game Logs; Splits; . He appealed the suspension, but missed the Kentucky game while awaiting word on the appeal. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Do you have a blog? The 2006 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2006 college football season. Florida scored on their first possession of the game, moving the ball very effectively with a blend of running and passing. Florida moved the ball with some success on their next possession but were held for the first time all night by the Ohio State defense, forcing a Florida punt. As the Gators came into their annual rivalry game with Georgia, they were heavily favored. Both teams traded three and outs before Florida exploded in the second quarter. Florida jumped out to an early 70 lead, but the Vols quickly took the momentum back when wide receiver Lucas Taylor threw a 47-yard touchdown pass to LaMarcus Coker. The Gators quickly jumped out to a 60 lead on a trick play that led to a Chris Leak pass to Jemalle Cornelius for a touchdown just over two minutes into the game. It appeared to work, as senior Chris Leak went 55 on the first drive of the game. In desperation, Florida responded on the last play of the game with a failed hook and lateral play, which Auburn's defense was able to pick up and return for a score as time expired.[20]. ESPN's College GameDay was at JordanHare Stadium to cover the critical SEC matchup between the number two ranked Gators and the number eleven ranked Auburn Tigers. Chris Leak led the Gators back on the field, starting from the Ohio State 35-yard line. Hetland had missed 9 of 13 attempts on the season, but split the uprights, giving the Gators a 2414 lead. After two Tebow runs up the middle, Florida faced a third down and goal on the Ohio State one-yard line. The play was stopped well short, but Georgia was called for a controversial face mask penalty which gave Florida a first down. ESPN's College GameDay was on campus for the Top-10 tilt between the Tigers and Gators. Get a summary of the Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Florida Gators football game. 101st football season in school history; second national championship victory, Ten-year national championship anniversary, 2006 Florida Gators footballconsensus national champions, 2006 Southeastern Conference football standings, 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings, 2007 national championship in men's basketball, https://web.archive.org/web/20070929111019/http://www.gatorzone.com/football/media/2006/pdf/42.pdf, https://web.archive.org/web/20091222085829/http://www.gatorzone.com/football/history/2006/team.pdf, "NCAA Official Stats, 2006 Toughest Schedule, Sorted on Cumulative Opposition", Florida Gators, NCAA Football, Michigan Wolverines, Ohio State Buckeyes - CBSSports.com, NCAA Football - Arkansas Razorbacks/Florida Gators Preview Saturday December 2, 2006 - Yahoo! However, Wynn was stopped on a 3rd and 8 play, for only 2 yards. DeShawn Wynn added 86 yards on the ground to help the Gators maintain a steady attack. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Florida used a timeout to draw up a play for Tebow, who remained in the game. Soon thereafter, the Gators seemingly averted danger when they stripped the ball from the Tigers at the goal line. Under extreme pressure yet again, Smith attempted to scramble outside of the pocket, but was caught by defensive end and special teams hero Jarvis Moss, who stripped Smith of the football. Florida (111) won its third straight against Florida State and improved to 60 against its three main rivalsTennessee, Georgia and Florida Statein Meyer's two seasons. Or write about sports? Riley Cooper, yet another freshman, added three receiving touchdowns in the game. Aaron Hernandez. On the next offensive series, Gators quarterback Chris Leak was intercepted on an attempted shovel pass which was returned by Antwain Robinson for a touchdown, giving the Razorbacks a stunning 2117 lead. The Gators won their seventh SEC title by defeating the Arkansas Razorbacks 3828 in SEC Championship Game on December 2, 2006,[5] then defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes 4114 in the BCS National Championship Game on January 8, 2007, beginning the SEC's streak of six consecutive national championships. Urban Meyer again used a balanced attack of rushing and passing to drive the Gators down to the Ohio State one-yard line. The team is honored as BCS champions by President George W. Bush at the White House. Florida's defense continued to stifle Georgia throughout the second half, until late in the third quarter. Coach Urban Meyer elected to go for it, and Chris Leak passed to Percy Harvin, who barely made the first down. Assistant Coach Men's and Women's Swimming. Of those 109, more have exited via the transfer portal (38) than remain (37). The Gators trailed for nearly the entire first three quarters. Troy Smith and the Buckeyes marched back on the field, hoping to tie the game. Offensive tackle David Conner hit the transfer portal after redshirting his freshman year at Florida, and now he'll play for Deion (). With about 5minutes left in the 2nd quarter Auburn kicked another field goal to make the score 108. Jason Odom started all four years at Florida, earning the senior team captainship in 1995 along with first-team All-SEC selections in 1994 and 1995, and a unanimous first-team All-American selection in 1995. From there, the Gators offense stagnated for most of the first half. Many people had speculated that because of Spurrier's hiring as the South Carolina Gamecocks coach he would be booed, but instead he received a very loud ovation during the ceremony. Record: 9-4 (20th of 119) ( Schedule & Results ) Rank: 13th in the Final AP poll. Both Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit picked the Gators to defeat the Tigers. The Narrative. On the following play, running back DeShawn Wynn rumbled in for a two-yard touchdown, giving the Gators a stunning 217 lead. Troy Smith continued to have the worst game of his Buckeye career, as he was sacked for a 14-yard loss on the drive, putting Ohio State into a 3rd and 29-hole. Errict Rhett holds the all-time record for most career yards rushing in a Gators uniform. Do you have a sports website? Find out more. The play was stopped well short, but Georgia was called for a controversial face mask penalty which gave Florida a first down. Florida overcame the toughest schedule in the nation by opponent winning percentage[2][3][4][5] to become national champions. On the Ohio State 7-yard line, Tebow came into the game and powered his way to the Buckeye 2-yard line. Late in the first half, Chris Leak had a career-long 45-yard run. https://gatorswire.usatoday.com/lists/florida-football-all-time-roster-offensive-starters-and-backups/. Record: 12-2 (3rd of 119) (Schedule & Results) Rank: 1st in the Final AP poll Conference: SEC (West Division) Conference Record: 6-2 Coach: Les Miles (12-2) Points For: 541 Points/G: 38.6 (11th of 119) Points Against: 279 Opp Pts/G: 19.9 (17th of 119) SRS: 18.41 (2nd of 119) . After a botched snap between center Steve Rissler and quarterback Chris Leak, Alabama's Prince Hall returned the fumble for the Crimson Tide's only touchdown of the game. Much to the displeasure of many Gator fans, Florida elected to send kicker Chris Hetland on to attempt a 40-yard field goal. Chris Leak's third pass attempt of the game was intercepted by the Golden Eagles, who scored on a 6-yard Damion Carter pass to Jeremy Young 3 plays later. Tebow also converted a critical fourth down play inside Gator territory. Some school's results have been altered by retroactive NCAA penalties. After being released from the program midseason, this former Gator still managed to sign on with an NFL team. Fifteen minutes from a national championship, the Gators were determined not to have a defensive lapse, like many had so often seen under former coach Ron Zook. Florida's defense, which had been touted as one of the best in the SEC, lived up to their billing, stifling the Georgia offense for the entire first half. In one of the most anticipated games of the season, former Gator head coach and current Florida quality control assistant Steve Spurrier returned to The Swamp as South Carolina's head coach. Visiting Central Florida averaged just 2.6 yards per play and 153 total yards in the game.[14]. By forcing a safety in the third quarter, the Gator defense outscored the blanked Golden Knights offense. The Gators again continued their relentless pressure on Troy Smith, sacking him several times, and pressuring him into bad throws. All rights reserved. Tebow added two touchdowns rushing along with 47yards. ESPN's College GameDay was at Jordan-Hare Stadium to cover the critical SEC matchup between the number two ranked Gators and the number eleven ranked Tigers. On second down and goal, from the Ohio State four-yard line, Florida ran an option play, in which Leak pitched the ball to freshman star Percy Harvin who fought his way in for a four-yard touchdown. Spurrier had made two well-received public visits to the stadium earlier in the year as a part of the national championship anniversary celebration and to be enshrined in the Gators' Ring of Honor. On the next Florida drive, Leak found game MVP Percy Harvin on a perfectly thrown 37-yard touchdown pass. Florida football has a rich history of success on the offensive side of the line of scrimmage stretching back to the late 1960s when head coach Ray Graves assembled one of the best all-time teams to take the field for the Gators. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? 19 Caleb Sturgis K 5-11 192 Fr St. Augustine, Florida 20 Christopher Scott RB 6-0 205 Jr Englewood, Florida 20 Dorian Munroe S 5-11 205 Jr Miami, Florida 21 Major Wright S 6-0 200 So Miramar,. Freshman Mon Williams rushed for 97 yards on nine carries. The Wildcats took the lead briefly with a touchdown with under two minutes to play in the half, but the Gators responded with a touchdown of their own on a DeShawn Wynn run with :26 left in the half to take a 127 lead. Andre Caldwell caught two touchdowns, and Ryan Williams added one more for the Gators. The Gators took the three point lead into the fourth quarter knowing with a win, they will have made their case to play in the BCS National Championship Game. All rights reserved. To beat the struggling Florida State Seminoles, Chris Leak threw for 283 yards and two touchdowns, Percy Harvin ran for a score and the fourth-ranked Gators won 2114 on Saturday to stay in the national title hunt. Starters are marked with an asterisk (*). Do you have a blog? [8] Coincidentally, the Gators again faced and defeated Ohio State in the 2007 NCAA tournament, also marking the first time in college sports history that identical matchups and results have occurred in both football and basketball championships. Even with this swing of momentum, the Gators were unable to capitalize and elected to punt from midfield.
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