Gamecocks swamp Gators to take SEC East, 36-14

Gainesville, FL - South Carolina (7-3, 4-3) overcame the aura of an 0-12 record against the Florida Gators in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium ( "The Swamp") behind the rushing prowess of Frosh RB Marcus Lattimore to swamp the Gators in a game to take the SEC East title, 36-14.  The Gator offense struggled all night long gaining only 36 yards on the ground and 191 through the air while Lattimore used his blockers almost to perfection  to gain 212 yards and three TDs on 40 carries. The win sets up South Carolina in Atlanta against Auburn on December 4 for the SEC championship game, the first for the Gamecocks, but another notch in the belt for their Old Ball Coach and former Gator HC Steve Spurrier who is credited in Gator Gameday coming up with The Gator stadium's nickname.  Guest Game Analyst  (GGA) Scott Mittleman, a Florida grad and long-time fan who invited us to sit with him in his season seats in section 55, admitted that he could not remember a game in a long time where a visiting opponent dominated the Gators on their home turf the way the Gamecocks did.  They've now suffered three SEC losses at The Swamp this year, but neither of the others were as one-sided as this game.  Florida boasted a record of 113-13 at home since 1990.  It's easy to see how Scott can't remember.  For Collegefootballfan.com, it was our first trip to historic stadium.  Ben Hill Griffin became the 45th among all FBS venues we've now visited and seventh among the SEC schools. 

     The game certainly didn't start out indicating the surprising result.  It was quite the contrary as Andre Debose blasted off untouched with the opening kickoff for a 99-yrd touchdown to get the home crowd among 90,885  really rockin'.  Chas Henry's extra point made it a quick 7-0 lead, and it looked like the Gators would continue their home field domination of the Gamecocks.  The visitors weren't totally intimidated.  They countered right away with Spencer Lanning's 49-yard FG to make it 7-3.  "Cocky", the USC mascot led the visiting section of garnet and black in their rebuttal to the home crowd.  South Carolina forced the next Gator punt from the 15 to get great field position at the U of F 46.  Lattimore tallied his first TD of the day for the seven, but Lanning's kick bounced off the left upright for a 9-7 USC lead.  GGA's Andy Jacobson and Howie Kleinfeld agreed that this could turn out to be a critical missed extra point as we all figured this game would go down to the wire.  Going into the second period following no ball movement by the Gators, Andy remarked that QB John Brantley was certainly not a runner, but that he sure wasn't throwing very well either. 

    Lanning gave the visitors a 12-7 lead with a 46-yard FG in the second frame.  The SC defense pushed Florida in reverse again on its next series.  Before the half ended, with no time-outs, Lattimore effectively used his blockers on one particular running play, found holes, and ran out of bounds on the 13 of Florida to stop the clock with six seconds remaining before halftime.  Lanning put up another successful three to extend the Gamecock lead, 15-7.  By the end of the half, SC had outgained the Gators, 209-51 yards overall. Despite the glaring offensive statistic, we all knew that the Gators were one TD from being right back in this game, but the question remained which of their three QBs, Brantley, redshirt Freshman Jordan Reed, or Frosh Trey Burton, was going to be able to get them there.

     During the halftime ceremony as well as throughout the game, U of F honored veterans and the military on Veterans' Day weekend.  The scoreboard featured videos of Floridians on active duty all over the world displaying their Gator pride.  The Pride of the Sunshine - Florida's Fightin' Gators Marching band - honored our military heroes by playing "Taps", "Amazing Grace", and "America the Beautiful".  It was a fitting tribute on a comfortable, cool evening in Gainesville.

     SC started the first series of Q3 from their 28.  Instead of a FG this time, Lattimore ran it over the left side for a seven-yard TD run for a growing 22-7 lead for the Gamecocks.  Andy exhorted that Lattimore was the "real deal".  He follows his blockers as well as any runner that I can recall, and he always finishes each run fighting forward to get every inch that he can on every run.  He entered the game averaging 94 yards per game. He ran for a lot more tonight.  When we thought the 51 yards of total offense in the first half for the Gators was bad enough, it got worse!  Brantley's pass on a first down got knocked up into the air.  He caught it himself for a 10-yard loss.  It didn't get any better on the next Gator series when Head Coach Urban Meyer used all three of his QBs on three consecutive plays.  On  fourth down attempt, SC stopped the Gators and too back over on downs.  Brantley cannot run the ball, and it seems nether Reed nor Burton can pass very well, so the offense basically stays one-dimensional and predictable no matter who lines up at QB.  You could see it's quite a big adjustment for the Gator offense one year after the graduation of Tim Tebow.  Last year's offensive coordinator ( and defensive coordinator, Charlie Strong) left Gainesville after last season as well.  Before the period ended, another Brantley pass got tipped, but this time SC's Stephon Gilmore recorded the INT to take over at U of F's 28.

     The final period started with the Cocks still driving.  The final result was a 8-yard TD carry by Stephen Garcia (15 of 22 passing, 156 yards, 28 yards rushing).  The 29-7 lead had the best of the Gator fans heading down the exit ramps - Andy, Scott, and Howie included.  I had a two-hour drive back to Tampa ahead of me to fly out the next morning, but I stayed any way.  It was my first trip to Gatorland.  The Gators stirred a bit.  On a fourth and two at the SC 26,  Reed connected with WR Chris Rainey on the right flat where he picked up tow good blocks and sailed untouched into the end zone on the right side for a deceiving gap of 29-14.  The Gators still seemed to have some time though.  Meyer called all three of his time-outs during SC's next possession with over six minutes remaining.  Florida took over on a punt starting from their own 14.  However, Brantley fumbled and SC had the ball back on the Florida 26.  On second and goal at the 11, Lattimore finished the scoring once and for all to make the final, 36-14,  a big win for the Gamecocks.  They doused their Old Ball Coach with the big , orange Gatorade container filled with water in celebration of their first SEC East title.  The dominance of South Carolina left The Swamp in shock.  The running of Marcus Lattimore alone was one of the best individual performances we've witnessed in a long time.  SC, not the three-time, defending SEC East champs, would be heading for the championship in the Georgia Dome. 

     Next week, the Gators host FCS power, Appalachian State,  as a hopeful warm-up game before heading up to Tallahassee to play their big intrastate rival, Florida State.  South Carolina's warm-up game of choice is Troy State before heading to Clemson to play against their big annual intrastate rival.  CFF.com heads to Easton, Pennsylvania for the 146th meeting, most in college football, where 8-2 Patriot League champ Lehigh visits their big rival, Lafayette College (3-7).

Extra points:  I parked in a lot on SW 13th Street and Inland congregated by both Florida and South Carolina fans.  Younger fans parked next to me set up their official beer pong table.  They all expected a great, tight game today.  None were Florida grads, but they were all big Gator fans.  The one girl, a pretty brunette who had graduated from Stetson (the Hatters),  told me her Dad had played for the Gators back in 1974.  She talked of possibly going to Florida State when looking at schools, but her Dad told her that if she did, she was paying for it herself.  No way was she allowed to even consider that school as long as Bobby Bowden was still coaching there, she was told.  I later mentioned this to Scott.  When his daughter started looking at which college to go to, she refused to consider FSU even though it was in-state and offered her major.  Scott said he knew then that he had raised her right!  She went to Fashion Institute in New York.  I know they don't have a  football team, but I think Rhode Island School of Design is their big rival.  Andy is thankful that his daughter, Spencer, gave up the original idea of going to Georgia, and will graduate form North Carolina in Chapel Hill soon.  Florida and Georgia are rivals to the bitter end.

Parking at the Gainesville campus reminded me of parking in Baton Rouge for LSU games.  Find a  piece of dirt anywhere you can an park on it.  I got there later than a lot of other people and opted to pay $25 in a parking lot since I had no idea where else to go.

I dined cheaply on the way to the game at Gator Dining Services.  I initially stopped in to use the Men's room after finishing off a six-pack in the parking lot, but at $9.40 for all I could eat, what else should I have done. I couldn't have come up with a better deal - stroganoff, pizza, and shrimp with rice plus desert would tide me over through the game.   Andy, Scott, and Howie had made dinner plans, but I preferred to hang out to have a few beers and check out the local happenings of this new venue I was attending for the first time.

Andy got me into the swaying and singing of the Gators third quarter tradition of singing "We are the Boys from Old Florida".  The words were displayed on the scoreboard directly in front of us and my Mother's lived in Venice since the late 80's, so I figured what the hell.   

I had never thought of this before as pointed out the Gameday program: when I saw U of F defeat FSU in the 1996 Sugar Bowl, I watched the only Heisman winner to ever coach another Heisman winner when Spurrier coached the Gators with Danny Wuerffel at QB.

Despite leaving the Gators for the NFL and going on to coach South Carolina, Spurrier is still loved by Gator fans according to Scott.  He took a program that was down for many years and turned it into a powerhouse which it still is today since he arrived. 

At halftime, U of F's 1960 9-2 Gator Bowl team which defeated Baylor that year was introduced to celebrate their 50th anniversary of that season.  Andy marveled how those older guys, some who still looked to be in pretty good shape, must have been pretty tough players back in their days.  I agree.

I literally marched alongside the Fightin Gator band on the way out of the stadium after the game eventually to a small courtyard where they played the Fight Song followed by the Alma Mater.  Now in the dark and a little disoriented from moving along with the band, I wasn't sure how to find my rental car!  I asked about four people for directions to get me there remembering some specific landmarks.  I asked about directions to Museum Road, SW 13th, and a bank with a particular logo.  I found it eventually.  Thanks for all those Gator fans who helped me out with this.   By the time I left, traffic was light getting out of town on my way to Tampa.

Huskies slay Panthers to scramble frail Big East, 30-28

East Hartford, CT - The UConn Huskies (5-4,2-2) took advantage of big plays on special teams and the hard running of Jordan Todman who advanced the ball on the ground for 222 yards on 37 carries to knock Pitt off as the only undefeated team in Big East Conference play, 30-28. Nick Williams 95-yard kickoff return after a Pitt TD closed the score to 21-20.  UConn PK Dave Teggart stayed hot with three FGS, and after his third, a Pitt fumble on the ensuing kickoff set up UConn's game-winning score.  An unusual but gutsy call by UConn preserved the win at the end.  It was an exciting battle despite the insignificance of the Big East this year.  Whoever the conference champ may be should relinquish their BCS bowl bid this year so at least a more worthy, deserving, highly-ranked team can participate in one of the other four major BCS games.  For CFF.com, it was the first of game of a Thursday-Saturday weekend double-header which required us to scurry out of East Hartford to catch a 6 am flight to Tampa the next morning to see our first Florida Gator game at The Swamp.

     The Huskies got off to a rocky start when QB Zach Frazer ( 9 of 20, 100 yards, 1 INT, 2TDs) dropped the lateral on a flea-flicker on the opening play and lofted a pass intercepted by CB jarred Holley to set Pitt up on UConn's 48.  This prompted one Husky did-hard to allay everyone's fears nearby.  "We're better on defense any way."  Tino Sunseri's screen pass to Dion Lewis ( 77 yards in 13 carries, 2 TDs) went 30 yards to the five from where Lewis carried it in on the next play for six.  Dan Hutchins' extra point gave Pitt the early 7-0 lead.  I figured if this was going to be a blow-out, I could beat the traffic and get an early start to the hotel near Westchester airport for my early a.m. flight, but UConn had other ideas.  Frazer connected with Kashif Moore for a 36-yard TD to finish off an 83-yard drive .  Moore extended the ball with his right arm over the left pylon to make the score show up on the board, and with Teggart's kick, the score was tied at seven.  At the end of the period. UConn saluted and introduced local troops on active duty in honor of Veterans' Day.

     UConn took the lead early in Q2 on a 46-yard FG by Teggart after starting from their own 26, compliment's of Jerome Junior's INT.  The score remained 10-7 through halftime.  No penalty flags soared through the air during the first thirty minutes of play.

     The traffic to get to East Hartford turned out to be more horrific than expected during the mid-afternoon on this Thursday.  Though venturing a different route than for the WVU game two Fridays before, it was just as bad.  As I got off the exit to sit in traffic on the way into the Rentschler Field parking lots, I figured that it isn't worth the effort to attend future night games here, especially for the putrid Big East.  Sitting in the car on Silver Lane at a  red light leading eventually into the  Rentschler parking lots to park far up the old Pratt-Whitney runways, I wondered if it was worth parking at one of the homes offered by the neighbors across the street.   Right then, I decided to take a quick left to cross the street and into a local driveway leading into the backyard offered by a neighbor for $10.  I saved $2 and avoided a longer wait to park.  Would I save as much time on the way out?  I crossed tailgate lots to have dinner at Cabela's, the big outdoor, outfitter chain located adjacent to the Rent's airfields converted to parking lots.  I bought a discount ticket from a local entrepreneur and sat in section 210 right above the visiting team's tunnel and behind the very energetic UConn student section.  Their student body along with the band and cheerleaders really gets into the Husky football games.

     UConn scored first in the second half on Teggart's 39-yard FG to extend their lead, 13-7.  Later in the period, Pitt regained the lead 14-13 on a 1-yard run by Lewis capping a 75-yard drive.  With :13 left in the third, Lewis's brother, Ray Graham, scored on a run from five yards out to put Pitt up, 21-13.  As time expired in the period, the momentum swung right back to UConn as Nick Williams  started left, blazed through some holes, and sped down the right hash mark untouched for his team's 19th point.   Why UConn didn't try for two,  it's hard to understand.  The quarter ended 21-20 in favor of Pitt, but "Big Mo" was now on the side of the Huskies. 

     To start the fourth, Pitt punted after losing seven yards on three plays.  UConn's D forced another three-and- out to take back the ball.  The takeover resulted in a Teggart  25-yard FG to retake the lead, 23-21.  On this ensuing kickoff, Graham mishandled the football resulting in a recovery by tough, Husky FB Robbie Frey who carried piles of Panthers downfield on several occasions.  UC now had the ball at Pitt's 26.  From the 18, Frazer connected with his other WR Moore, Isaiah, for his second TD pass of the evening.  With 6:19 left, the Huskies protected their 30-21 lead.  Pitt's offense got going.  Sunseri (20 of 28, 220 yards, 2 INTs, 1 TD) completed a pass to Jon Baldwin at the back of the end zone directly under my seat up in 210 for a pass ruled incomplete.  I knew they would review it.  I wasn't 100% sure that he didn't drag his second foot just in.  To my surprise, and to the UConn fans' chagrin, to say the least, the officials reversed the call. It was good from 20 yards out.  The play seemed to be under review long enough, so I'm sure there was reason beyond doubt to reverse the call, but of course, that wasn't the way 35,390 hometown fans saw it ( I was added as "1" for the official attendance).  They were pissed!  With 4:35 remaining in the game, the Huskies led 30-28.  Their next possession started from their own ten and Pitt used its first two time-outs to control the clock.  Then with a fourth and one from his own 19, Head Coach Randy Edsall made a gutsy call to go for the first with 2:50 left.  Jordan Todman took the handoff and followed the left side of his line who pushed back Pitt defenders for a five-yard gain for a fresh set of downs.  Pitt took it's last time-out,  and they were done.  With the win, UConn is 2-2 in the Big East while Pit fell to 3-1.  The next few weeks will be big to determines who goes to the BCS among the "Big Least" teams.  Pitt plays at South Florida next followed by WVU and at Cincinnati.  The Huskies travel to Syracuse next before hosting the Bearcats and then heading down to play USF in Tampa.  It's a wide-open Big Least,  but does any team want to win it?  Does any team deserve it?  Does anyone outside the conference really care? 

     I admit that I'm selfish.  My concern is that the winner may head to the Fiesta Bowl where we've got tickets.  No one in the Big East will be able to compete with any other team (maybe other than the ACC) deserving a BCS bid.  They haven't beaten anyone of significance outside the conference this season.  How can any of them compete in a BCS bowl?  I doubt any Big East fans would find it enticing to head out to Arizona to see their school get creamed against competition they can't play against in a game they don't deserve to be in.  I think more would be apt to head to Florida for at least a beach vacation (hint, hint, hint).

    With less than a minute to play and the game decided, I beat the crowd into the men's room and into the parking lot to get into my a car at 600 Silver Lane to beat the pending traffic jam.  I headed to the traffic light where the cops controlled the flow of car and pedestrian traffic.  While waiting to cross, two big, black SUVs sped down Sliver and turned across from us on to Simmons.  In the back seats, fans could see the black and white-striped jerseys of the game officials.  I never saw that before, but they got them out in a hurry, especially after that late call reversal.  I guess they figure some people don't forget those issues despite the final result.   We crossed.  I was one of few cars remaining in the backyard.  I pulled into the drive way and turned right quickly to find I-91 South as a horde of about 500 fans was crossing the street and coming my way.  I beat it out of there with no problem to get out of town to head down to the hotel for my 6 am flight.  If I had started out a few minutes later, I'd be stuck in traffic to get out of town a lot longer.  My strategy to park offsite paid off.  When the Big East gets better and UConn plays in some significant night games, I would only consider it with the plan to park across the street from "The Rent:"