Sports: Columns - The Independent Florida Alligator

Coach Will Muschamp reacts to a pass interference penalty during the second half of Florida’s 24-20 loss to Georgia on Oct. 29, 2011. The Gators have a chance to avenge last year's loss against the Bulldogs on Saturday in Jacksonville.

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Call Florida-Georgia what it is: The biggest game of the year

By JOE MORGAN | Oct. 23, 2012

On Saturday, a football game played in Jacksonville will actually matter.

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Picks: South Carolina

Oct. 18, 2012

After a weekend of debauchery in Nashville, Tenn., the alligatorSports crew comes home to Gainesville. We’re worn out from country music and Coyote Ugly saloons, but we’re just as excited to see College GameDay on campus as everyone else is for one reason: Erin Andrews.

Wide receiver Frankie Hammond Jr. watches after a pass deflects off his hands in the end zone during Florida's 20-17 win at Texas A&M on Sept. 8.

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Column: Drops costly in Florida's sub-par passing offense

By JOE MORGAN | Oct. 15, 2012

Dropped passes are the only thing keeping Jeff Driskel from making West Virginia’s Geno Smith green with envy.

Coach Will Muschamp walks toward the sideline after a timeout against Vanderbilt on Saturday. Florida erased a first quarter deficit en route to a 16-point victory.

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Column: Florida may not be great, but good enough to win it all

By GREG LUCA | Oct. 14, 2012

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Florida won again, and as usual it wasn’t pretty.

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Picks: Vanderbilt

Oct. 11, 2012

The alligatorSports crew will pile into the car today for a road trip to Nashville, Tenn., to watch Florida take on Vanderbilt. While we're on the road to the "Music City," what better way is there to pay homage to the county seat of Davidson County than by putting together a killer playlist for the ride? We could always crank up a little Elvis as we make detour to Graceland. Perhaps we'll all sit in stony silence as "Party in the U.S.A." plays on the radio while secretly freaking out in our minds. Nashville native Miley Cyrus is still hip, right? And then, who knows? We've been on the road at all hours of the night covering this beat like a bunch of "Ramblin' Men" and "Midnight Rider(s)," just like the Nashville-based Allman Brothers Band. There will be music, and there will be football. Nashville seems like a nice place.

Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn yells to the defense during UF's 37-20 victory against Tennessee on Sept. 15. at Neyland Stadium. Florida faces Vanderbilt and versatile quarterback Jordan Rodgers this Saturday.

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Column: Mobile quarterbacks like Jordan Rodgers a threat

By JOSH JURNOVOY | Oct. 10, 2012

To the naked eye, the Florida defense has been dominant this season.

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Picks Column: LSU

Oct. 4, 2012

On Wednesday night, living rooms across the country hosted two heavyweights fighting it out for supremacy. As expected, Barack Obama and Mitt Romney traded jabs and zingers, trying to win over as many voters as possible. But the real battle begins on Saturday.

LSU junior quarterback Zach Mettenberger (8) and sophomore wide receiver Odell Beckham (3) congratulate each other after Mettenberger threw Beckham a 53-yard touchdown pass in the second half against Towson on Saturday. The No. 4 Tigers visit the No. 10 Florida Gators this weekend in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. LSU fumbled five times last week.

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Column: LSU's flaws give UF hope

By GREG LUCA | Sep. 30, 2012

Florida's matchup against LSU on Saturday naturally evokes memories of last season's 41-11 beatdown, but this isnít the same Tigers team.

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Picks Column: Bye Week

Sep. 27, 2012

On Thursday night, the NFL welcomed back referees who are actually qualified to officiate professional football games. What a concept!

Gators coach Will Muschamp shakes hands with Kentucky coach Joker Phillips after the game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday. Kentucky moved to 23-57 in conference play since 2002.

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Column: Time for SEC football weaklings to go

By JOE MORGAN | Sep. 23, 2012

Florida defeated Kentucky for the 26th straight time on Saturday. The last time the Wildcats beat the Gators, UF coach Will Muschamp was 15 years old.

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Picks Column: Kentucky

Sep. 20, 2012

After two weeks on the road, we here at alligatorSports will finally spend a weekend in Gainesville. But instead of catching up with school work and cleaning up the hell holes our rooms have become during our absence, we plan on getting wasted on whatever’s cheapest and introducing ourselves by our column names to numerous unimpressed females at Midtown.

UF head coach Will Muschamp reacts to a penalty during UF's 37-20 win against Tennessee at Neyland Stadium on Saturday.

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Column: Gators should ditch gimmicks

By GREG LUCA | Sep. 19, 2012

Only one thing is keeping coach Will Muschamp from fully establishing Florida as a team known for toughness and physicality: his foolish, stubborn insistence on trick plays.

Sophomore quarterback Jacoby Brissett (12) waits on the sidelines during UF's 37-20 victory over Tennessee at Neyland stadium on Saturday.

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Column: Driskel’s the guy, Gators must put Brissett talk to bed

By ADAM PINCUS | Sep. 18, 2012

In a quarterback-driven sport, Florida has two guys capable of playing under center.

Receiver Frankie Hammond Jr. (85) shoves aside a defender on his way to scoring a career-long 75-yard touchdown at Neyland Stadium.

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Rally: Does UF have enough playmakers to beat top-flight teams?

By JOSH JURNOVOY | Sep. 17, 2012

Josh: The biggest question about Florida entering the season was whether it would have enough effective skill

Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel (6) attempts a pass over the Tenneesee defense during a 37-20 victory against Tennessee on Saturday at Neyland Stadium.

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Column: Driskel ready to carry Gators

By JOSH JURNOVOY | Sep. 16, 2012

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — When Will Muschamp named Jeff Driskel his starting quarterback the Monday after Florida’s season-opening 27-14 win over Bowling Green, his reasoning for doing so seemed obvious.

Defensive end Dominique Easley takes on Tyler Bray and the Tennessee offense on Saturday at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. Florida has generated four sacks this season while the Volunteers have allowed just one.

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Column: Gators’ pass rush will disappoint against Vols

By JOE MORGAN | Sep. 12, 2012

When Tennessee quarterback Tyler Bray takes his first snap on Saturday, Florida needs to get after him. The Gators’ pass rush — particularly the defensive line — has been quiet for too long.