This makes me nervous and excited to start the season. I think I'd have placed LSU ahead of the semis.
Oliver Barry, CRS, GRI Real Estate Broker Bob Parks, LLC 1517 Hunt Club Blvd Gallatin TN 37066 615-972-4239 615-826-4040 Sent from my iPhone Begin forwarded message: > From: Shane Ford <[email protected]> > Date: June 23, 2012 11:09:22 AM GMT-04:00 > To: GatorNews <[email protected]> > Subject: [gatornews] Gainesville Sun GatorNews For 6/23, Football Edition > Reply-To: [email protected] > > Ranking football's toughest tests > Rob C. Witzel/Staff photographer > UF coach Will Muschamp will have plenty of tough opponents to deal with in > his second season at the helm. > Jun 23, 2012 > By Robbie Andreu / > Gainesville Sun Staff writer > > In degree of difficulty, Florida’s 2011 schedule was, say, about an 11 on a > scale of one to 10. It’s not as daunting this season, mainly because Alabama > is not on it. > But it’s a demanding schedule nonetheless, and the challenges come early and > often. > In the past, the Gators usually have had two preseason-type games against > lesser opponents to ease into the season. This season, they pretty much dive > right in. > UF opens with what should be a fairly competitive home game against Bowling > Green, one of Urban Meyer’s old schools, then begins SEC play on the road at > Texas A&M, followed by a trip to Tennessee a week later. > UF’s offseason motto is: Start fast. If the Gators don’t, this is a schedule > that could put a hurtin’ on them. > Here’s a look at the schedule, ranking the games in order of toughness, > starting with easiest: > 12. Jacksonville State, Nov. 17, Gainesville: Athlon has Jacksonville State > ranked 25th in its preseason poll — FCS poll that is. This is a pretty > talented team that competed well against Kentucky last season before falling > 38-14. Two years ago, the Gamecocks almost upset FSU in Tallahassee. The > Gamecocks will be led by running back Washaun Ealey, a transfer from Georgia. > 11. Bowling Green, Sept. 1, Gainesville: The Falcons have gradually lost > momentum over the past few seasons, but this is still a talented team that > should give the Gators a true opening-night test. Quarterback Matt Schilz > threw for 3,024 yards and 28 touchdowns last season, so he’ll be winging it > all over The Swamp. > 10. Louisiana-Lafayette, Nov. 10, Gainesville: This probably won’t be the > late-season walkover that many are assuming. The Ragin’ Cajuns went 9-4 and > won the New Orleans Bowl last season and have a real up-and-comer coach in > Mark Hudspeth, whose wide-open passing offense rolled up 32.3 points a game > in 2011. Coming off an eight-game SEC grind, the Gators probably can’t afford > to be flat in this one. > 9. Kentucky, Sept. 22, Gainesville: Some were thinking the Wildcats had a > chance to end their 24-game losing streak to UF last season in Lexington, but > the ’Cats didn’t even come close, getting blown out 48-10. The beat should > continue in The Swamp this season. > 8. Missouri, Nov. 3, Gainesville: Will Muschamp knows all about this former > Big 12 team and all the funky (and innovative and successful) things the > Tigers do with their version of the spread offense. The game should be a > stern test for Dan Quinn and the UF defense, and a very tight and intense SEC > game. > 7. Vanderbilt, Oct. 13, Nashville: The consensus seems to be that if last > year’s UF-Vandy game had been played in Nashville, the ’Dores would have > pulled the upset, like they almost did in The Swamp. This is a Vandy team on > the rise, with an improving offense under QB Jordan Rodgers. Early upset > alert issued on this one. > 6. Tennessee, Sept. 15, Knoxville: The Vols and Gators are both expected to > be improved this season. We’ll find out which team has improved the most in > this early and difficult road test for the Gators. With the return of wide > receiver Justin Hunter, who was hurt in the loss to the Gators last season, > quarterback Tyler Bray will have a chance to put up some big passing numbers > this season. Playing in Neyland is never easy for the Gators. > 5. Texas A&M, Sept. 8, College Station: This is perhaps the most crucial > second game of the season the Gators have been involved with in a long time. > It could determine what direction UF’s season goes. The Gators will be facing > a very talented A&M team that is extremely excited about new head coach Kevin > Sumlin, whose offense could be tremendous this season if he gets good > quarterback play from a new starter. With the 12th Man and all those other > Aggie traditions, this could be the toughest environment the Gators play in > all season. > 4. South Carolina, Oct. 20, Gainesville: Steve Spurrier finally has a QB he > can love and trust again (Connor Shaw) and one of the elite offensive players > in college football (Marcus Lattimore, who is coming back from knee surgery). > Many think this could be Spurrier’s best USC team — and he’s beaten his old > school two years in a row. > 3. Georgia, Oct. 27, Jacksonville: Catching a break from the schedule gods > for the second consecutive year, the Bulldogs are favored by many to win the > Eastern Division again. They seem pretty sound all around, led by quarterback > Aaron Murray, who seems primed to have a big junior season. The ’Dogs broke > the Jacksonville jinx last year (barely), but this is a game that seems to > bring out the best in the Gators. > 2. LSU, Oct. 6, Gainesville: This may be the best overall talent and the best > team the Gators will face this season, but they get the Tigers at home, which > is a huge advantage — and the reason this ranks as only the second-toughest > game on the UF schedule. The Florida defense should be stout enough to cause > some problems for new starting quarterback Zach Mettenberger and keep the > Gators in the game heading into the fourth quarter, where anything can happen > (especially with The Hat on the LSU sideline). > 1. Florida State, Nov. 24, Tallahassee: The Gators have lost two in a row to > the Seminoles and this is an FSU team that is a consensus preseason top 10 > team with plenty of depth and talent — and an experienced senior quarterback > in E.J. Manuel. Even though UF has won three of the last four in Tallahassee, > the Gators have a history of struggling in Doak Campbell Stadium. It adds up > to this being the toughest game on Florida’s schedule. > > > > No. 24 Matt Elam > Jun 23, 2012 > By Robbie Andreu / > Gainesville Sun Staff writer > > Gatorsports.com counts down the Top 25 players in the Southeastern Conference. > NO. 24 MATT ELAM > Florida junior safety > Height: 5-foot-10 > Weight: 210 lbs > Why he's No. 24: Elam is one of the most consistent and battle-tested > defensive players in the SEC. He plays with great instinct and can cover > receivers man-to-man and also is strong defending the run. He was UF's best > defensive player the second half of last season and has a chance to emerge as > one of the league's elite defenders in 2012. > College career: Elam started all 13 games as a true sophomore last season and > has appeared in every UF game the past two years (26). Last season, he led > the Gators in tackles for loss (11), pass break-ups (seven) and forced > fumbles (two). He has 100 career tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, eight pass > break-ups and two interceptions. > Fun fact: If the Gators ever need someone to step up and carry the football > in an emergency situation, Elam could be the guy. While an All-America > defensive player in high school, Elam was also a pretty fair tailback, > rushing for 1,883 yards and 27 touchdowns his senior season at West Palm > Beach Dwyer. In the state championship game his senior year, he rushed for > 187 yards and four touchdowns to lead Dwyer to a victory over Niceville. > > > > No. 24 Arizona State at Ole Miss > Jun 23, 2012 > By Robbie Andreu / > Gainesville Sun Staff writer > > Gatorsports.com counts down the top 25 games in the SEC for the 2012 season. > NO. 24 — ARIZONA STATE AT OLE MISS > When: Sept. 15 > Where: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium (Oxford, Miss.) > Why it's No. 24: Certainly, this is one of the most interesting > non-conference matchups in the SEC this season. It's very rare for Arizona > State trek into this part of the country for a football game. This is a game > that will feature two evenly matched teams that are coming off losing seasons > and are led by first-year coaches — Hugh Freeze at Ole Miss and Todd Graham > at ASU. A victory would be a huge early boost for both teams. > Series history: This will be the first time the two schools have met in > football. > Rivalry on a scale of 1-100: 1. The Rebels and Sun Devils have never played. > With zero history, there's just about zero rivalry. > > > > > Tickets available for five UF home games > Jun 22, 2012 > By Robbie Andreu / > Gainesville Sun Staff writer > > The Florida ticket office announced Friday that there are still single-game > tickets available for five home games this season. > Tickets are available on a first-come, first-serve basis until they are sold > out. > The games that still have tickets remaining are Sept. 1 against Bowling > Green, Sept. 22 against Kentucky, Nov. 3 against Missouri, Nov. 10 against > Louisiana-Lafayette and Nov. 17 against Jacksonville State. > Call the Gator Ticket Office at (352) 375-4683, ext. 6800, for more > information or online at gatorzone.com. > > > > > > > > > > > > Sent From Shane's iPhone > Go Gators! & Skol Vikes! > -- > GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! > 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions > 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions > 2008 National Football Champions | > Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), > Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us -- GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us
