sports - 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.

Sports

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.

Left tackle Xavier Nixon (73) blocks South Carolina linebacker Shaq Wilson (54) during Florida’s 44-11 win against the Gamecocks on Saturday in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

Sports

Notebook: UF wants points, not yards

By ADAM PINCUS | Oct. 23, 2012

Jeff Driskel threw four touchdowns against South Carolina, but he couldn’t reach triple-digit passing yards.

Jeff Driskel gets sacked during UF’s 44-11 win against South Carolina on Saturday in The Swamp. Although Driskel failed to eclipse 100 passing yards for the third straight game, he has only one interception in 2012.

Sports

Ball security strong for Driskel, Gators offense in 2012

By GREG LUCA | Oct. 23, 2012

When Jeff Driskel drops back to pass in practice, offensive coordinator Brent Pease becomes a pass rusher.

Gators coach Will Muschamp has Florida at 7-0 heading into its matchup against Georgia on Saturday. He has reenergized a team that went 15-11 after winning two national titles the previous four seasons.

Sports

Column: Muschamp’s energy reviving UF football

By ADAM PINCUS | Oct. 22, 2012

At Auburn, he said “Boom, mother f#@%*!” on national television after his defense forced a punt in the third quarter.

Damien Jacobs (4) gets helped off the field during Florida’s 44-11 win against South Carolina on Saturday in The Swamp. Jacobs is expected to practice today.

Sports

Notebook: Gators still downplaying hype of No. 2 BCS ranking

By JOE MORGAN | Oct. 22, 2012

When Florida was ranked second in the initial BCS standings, coach Will Muschamp had one message for his team: ignore the polls.

Sports

Sophomore healthy after battling injuries

Oct. 22, 2012

Kayla Lewis has had trouble staying on the court during her first two seasons with the Gators.

Junior Will Yeguete poses during UF’s media day on Oct. 10. Yeguete added muscle during the offseason to prepare for time at center.

Sports

Gators' Will Yeguete ready to play center

By LANDON WATNICK | Oct. 22, 2012

While the Gators were practicing on the court before the NCAA Tournament, Will Yeguete was busy in the weight room.

Senior T.J. Vogel and the Gators finished 25th at the NCAA Championships in Woodstock, Ga.

Sports

UF men's golf in third after trio of strong outings

By CHARLES KINGSBURY | Oct. 22, 2012

The Gators fired the lone under-par score in the second round of the Isleworth Collegiate Invitational on Monday to move within four strokes of first-place California.

Sports

Junior wins first singles title for Florida men's tennis

Oct. 22, 2012

After competing in 36 NCAA singles matches, Florida junior Florent Diep won his first tournament championship on Monday.

Sports

Gators men's golf struggles at Isleworth Collegiate Invitational

By CHARLES KINGSBURY | Oct. 21, 2012

Florida’s final tournament of the fall has proven to be the toughest.

With Josh Evans (9) looking on in celebration, Chris Johnson reaches for the end zone after recovering a fumble in the second quarter of Florida’s 44-11 win against South Carolina on Saturday at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

Sports

One win from Atlanta: Turnovers key rebound for Gators

By JOE MORGAN | Oct. 21, 2012

Sharrif Floyd had one message for his teammates before Saturday’s game: FNB.

Sports

Gators swim team places in top-5 at SMU Classic

By ROBERT JUDIN | Oct. 21, 2012

The Gators capped off the SMU Classic in Dallas with a third-place showing. Florida tallied 289 points, which trailed first place USC’s 366 and North Carolina’s 292.5.

Omarius Hines (20) celebrates after making a one-handed touchdown catch that was called back in UF’s 44-11 win against South Carolina on Saturday.

Sports

Column: Shortcomings not important as Florida football closes in on title

By GREG LUCA | Oct. 21, 2012

The time to be critical is over. Let’s put to bed all of the questions about whether Florida’s success is sustainable. It just doesn’t matter.

Jeff Driskel (6) attempts a pass against South Carolina in UF’s 44-11 win on Saturday in The Swamp. Driskel failed to reach 100 yards passing for the third game in a row.

Sports

Notebook: UF's Christy shines in second year; Driskel sets career high

By ADAM PINCUS | Oct. 21, 2012

He’s always taken a back seat to Jeff Driskel on campus.

Loucheiz Purifoy (right) forces South Carolina’s Bruce Ellington to fumble during a kick return in the first quarter of Florida’s 44-11 win on Saturday in The Swamp. Ellington recovered the fumble.

Sports

Cornerback Loucheiz Purifoy sparks turning point in Florida’s rout

By JOSH JURNOVOY | Oct. 21, 2012

After struggling to get on the board early in games this season, Florida’s offense took a 7-0 lead less than a minute into Saturday’s contest, and it had a defensive back to thank for it.

Forward Erika Tymrak pushes the tempo against Kentucky in a game last season. Tymrak broke Florida's scoreless drought during the weekend with a goal in the 51st minute against Vanderbilt.

Sports

Florida follows scoreless drought with offensive barrage in win

By ADAM LICHTENSTEIN | Oct. 21, 2012

The Gators needed 140 minutes to score this weekend. But when senior midfielder Erika Tymrak sent a shot from the left side into the far post netting, the floodgates opened.

Junior middle blocker Chloe Mann hits the ball over the net in Florida’s 3-0 win against Arkansas on Oct. 5, 2012, in the O’Connell Center.

Sports

Junior middle blocker ignites rally in comeback victory

By JONATHAN CZUPRYN | Oct. 21, 2012

For the second time in five matches, Florida fell behind 2-0. And, for the second time in five matches, Chloe Mann was at the center of the Gators’ come-from-behind win.

Sports

Cercone reaches Round of 16 at ITA Southeast Regional

Oct. 20, 2012

Despite positing a 66-19 career singles record, Florida junior Alexander Cercone has hasn’t duplicated that kind of success in her junior season.

Coach Becky Burleigh and the Gators lost their first match since Sept. 14 on Friday in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Alabama defeated Florida 1-0 using primarily a bunker defense.

Sports

'Bama snaps Gators' winning streak

By ADAM LICHTENSTEIN | Oct. 20, 2012

The Gators came into Friday night’s match against Alabama on a nine-game winning streak and having never lost to Alabama before.

Florida libero Taylor Unroe (5) serves during Florida’s 3-0 win against Missouri on Sept. 21 in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Unroe's 18 digs against Alabama on Friday her second-highest total in a three-set match.

Sports

Unroe's career defensive day leads Gators in 'Bama sweep

By JONATHAN CZUPRYN | Oct. 20, 2012

The Taylor Unroe of the past was nowhere to be found Friday night when the No. 11 Gators took on Alabama in Tuscaloosa.