Gator Country

After sealing the University of Florida's 17-16 win over South Carolina by blocking both an extra-point attempt and the Gamecocks' last-second field-goal try, UF junior defensive end Jarvis Moss (Denton, Texas) has been named the Southeastern Conference Special Teams Player of the Week, the league office announced Monday.

The selection marks the second conference honor is as many weeks for Moss, who earned SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week accolades after his seven-tackle, one-sack performance at Vanderbilt on Nov. 4.

Moss batted down South Carolina kicker Ryan Succop’s 48-yard field-goal attempt with eight seconds remaining in Saturday’s game, preserving the one-point lead that senior kicker Chris Hetland (Leesburg, Ga.) secured for the Gators with a successful point-after try following a tough 12-yard touchdown run from freshman quarterback Tim Tebow (Jacksonville, Fla.). UF was able to take the lead on Tebow’s score because Moss blocked Succop’s extra-point attempt after USC scored a touchdown to take a 16-10 lead with less than seven minutes left to play.

The Denton, Texas, native also registered a career-high eight tackles against South Carolina, giving him 15 over the Gators’ last two games. In 23 career outings, Moss has accumulated 76 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, a dozen sacks and three forced fumbles. He is one of seven Florida players who have earned a total of eight SEC weekly honors this season, and he is the only Gator to garner multiple awards. This week’s recognition gives Florida an SEC Player of the Week for the third-consecutive week, as Moss and senior defensive lineman Ray McDonald (Belle Glade, Fla.) took conference Defensive Lineman of the Week honors following the Vanderbilt and Georgia games, respectively.

Florida’s 2006 SEC Players of the Week (as of Nov. 13)

* Percy Harvin (Virginia Beach, Va.) * Freshman of the Week after the UCF game (9/11/06)
* Earl Everett (Webster, Fla.) * Defensive Player of the Week after the Tennessee game (9/18/06)
* Reggie Nelson (Melbourne, Fla.) * Defensive Player of the Week after the Alabama game (10/2/06)
* Tim Tebow (Jacksonville, Fla.) * Freshman of the Week after the LSU game (10/9/06)
* Eric Wilbur (Winter Park, Fla.) * Special Teams Player of the Week after the LSU game (10/9/06)
* Ray McDonald (Belle Glade, Fla.) * Defensive Lineman of the Week after the Georgia game (10/30/06)
* Jarvis Moss (Denton, Texas) * Defensive Lineman of the Week after the Vanderbilt game (11/6/06)
* Jarvis Moss (Denton, Texas) * Special Teams Player of the Week after the USC game (11/11/06)

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