Nov. 4, 2006
Vanderbilt will be looking to avenge last season’s tough, double-overtime loss to Florida and secure their second Southeastern Conference win of the year when they play host to the Gators Saturday at 11:30 a.m. CST. The game will be televised by Lincoln Financial Sports.
Players to Watch:
#12 Chris Leak: Senior Quarterback (6-0, 207). A four-year starter for Vanderbilt, Leak has completed 69 of 95 passes for 743 yards and six touchdowns in his three previous starts against Vanderbilt. He has rushed for at least one touchdown in each of his three previous starts against the Commodores and his two rushing touchdowns last year against Vanderbilt matched a single-game career high. Overall in 2006, Leak has passed for 16 touchdowns which is 18th best nationally and just four shy of the 20 touchdown passes he threw in all of 2005.
#12 Tim Tebow: Freshman QB (6-3, 229). A highly touted freshman coming into the year, Tebow has earned regular playing time despite being listed behind Leak on the Florida depth chart and likely will see some action Saturday. Though he has thrown just 14 passes on the year, two of those throws have gone for touchdowns. His 282 rushing yards on 50 carries is second on the team, and his 5.6 average yards per carry is 45th nationally among all players and third in the nation among quarterbacks. His 4.3 yards per carry against top-25 teams this year is tops in the country.
#21 DeShawn Wynn: Redshirt Senior RB (5-11, 238). Wynn is the Florida’s leading rushing in 2006, having gained 444 yards on 83 carries and three touchdowns. His 5.3 yards per carry is second on the team and he is averaging over 54 yards per game on the ground overall. Wynn’s average of 60.5 yards per game in total offense is also second on the team.
#81 Dallas Baker: Redshirt Senior WR (6-3, 207). Baker leads the team with 37 catches for 596 yards and six touchdowns. He is averaging more than 16 yards per catch on the team, and his average of 74.5 receiving yards per game not only leads the team in that category but also is tops on the team in total all-purpose yards as well. Over Florida’s past nine games dating back to last year, Baker has caught eight touchdowns – one of 13 players nationally to do so – and his 743 receiving yards in that span ranks 16th nationally.
#91 Derrick Harvey: Redshirt Sophomore DE (6-5, 262). Harvey’s total of seven sacks on the year leads not only the Gators, but is first in the SEC as well. Though he came into the year with just one sack to his credit, he now needs just two more to break onto the Florida all-time single season list.
Talking Points:
Saturday will mark the 40th meeting between the Florida and Vanderbilt football teams. Overall, Florida owns a 28-9-2 series edge, has won each of the past 15 games between the two and has a 24-3-1 record in the past 28 games of the series.
Florida and Vanderbilt were both charter members of the SEC when it was formed in 1933, but did not play in football until 1945 when the Commodores beat the Gators 7-0 in Gainesville.
Florida is looking to move to 8-1 on the season for the first time since 2001.
Florida Head Coach Urban Meyer’s 55-12 career record is the third best nationally among coaches with five or more years of head coaching experience.
Twenty-six of Florida’s 44 rushing plays that have gone for 10 or more yards this year have come from a quarterback or wide receiver.
Florida has scored on its opening drive in four of its first eight games. It scored on its opening drive in only three of its games in all of 2005.
Florida has overcome 10-point deficits twice this season, the first time it has done so that many times since 1995.
Thirteen true freshmen have seen game action this year for the Gators, the 14th most in the nation and the most among teams ranked in the top five in the country.
Six different Gators have averaged five yards per carry or more this season, and Florida has outrushed all eight of its opponents in 2006. Since Urban Meyer’s arrival in Gainesville last season, Florida has outrushed 18 of its 20 opponents.
Florida is one of four teams nationally to have a pair of quarterbacks with a long rush of 20 yards or more.
Chris Leak is in a position to lead the Gators in passing for a fourth straight year, and would become just the fourth Gator quarterback to do so since 1955.
Leak’s 26 touchdown passes against teams ranked in the AP top-25 since 2003 are the most by any active quarterback in that time span.
The Florida defense has surrendered just seven touchdowns all year, which is tied for the lowest total in the country. The unit has allowed just one fourth quarter touchdown all year.