Following a 49-10 blowout of rival Georgia last Saturday in Jacksonville, Florida visits Music City USA tonight to play Vanderbilt. The Commodores would like nothing better than to derail the Gators’ SEC and BCS championship hopes with their first victory in the series since 1988, which would make Vanderbilt bowl eligible for the first time since the 1982 season.
GAME 9: FLORIDA GATORS vs. VANDERBILT COMMODORES
WHEN: Today at 8 p.m. ET.
WHERE: Dudley Field at Vanderbilt Stadium (39,733), Nashville, Tenn.
RECORDS: Florida 7-1 overall, 5-1 SEC East; Vanderbilt 5-3 overall, 3-2 SEC East.
RANKINGS: Florida No. 5 BCS Standings, No. 4 Associated Press media, No. 5 USA Today coaches, No. 3 Legends Football Coaches Association, No. 4 Harris Interactive Poll. Vanderbilt not ranked.
COACHES: Florida, Urban Meyer, fourth season, 38-9 (overall 77-17, eighth season). Vanderbilt, Bobby Johnson, seventh season, 25-53 (overall 85-89, 15th season).
GATOR COUNTRY.COM: A pre-game show is tentatively planned. Check https://www.gatorcountry.com for the time and the format.
TV: ESNP2 (Mark Jones, play-by-play; Bob Davie, color analyst).
DELAYED TV: Sun Sports (Larry Vettel, play-by-play; Nat Moore, color: Steve Babik, sideline) will televise at 8:30 a.m. Sunday and 11 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11.
RADIO: Gator Radio Network (Mick Hubert, play-by-play; Lee McGriff, color; Steve Babik, sideline; Scot Brantley and Travis McGriff, pre-game). Pre-game show starts at 6 p.m.; post-game show concludes 90 minutes after game. WFXJ-AM 930 (Jacksonville) is flagship station; affiliates are WWBF-AM 1130 (Bartow), WPHK-FM 102.3 (Blountstown), WWJB-AM 1450 (Brooksville), WBGC-AM 1240 (Chipley), WAFC-FM 99.5 (Clewiston), WXCV-FM 95.3 (Crystal River), WDCF-AM 1350 (Dade City), WMYR-AM 1410 (Fort Myers), WRUF-FM 103.7 (Gainesville), WRUF-AM 850 (Gainesville), WKWF-AM 1600 (Key West), WUCR-FM 107.9 (Lake Butler), WNFB-FM 94.3 (Lake City), WDSR-AM 1340 (Lake City), WONN-AM 1230 (Lakeland), WQHL-AM 1250 (Live Oak), WMEL-AM 1300 (Melbourne), WFTL-AM 850 (Miami), WCNZ-AM 1660 (Naples), WSBB-AM 1230 (New Smyrna Beach), WMOP-AM 900 (Ocala), WMOP-FM 100.1 (Ocala), WFLF-AM 540 (Orlando), WPLK-AM 800 (Palatka), WFLF-FM 94.5 (Panama City), WDIZ-AM 590 (Panama City), WTKE-FM 98.1 (Pensacola), WPSL-AM 1590 (Port St. Lucie), WLSS-AM 930 (Sarasota), WWTK-AM 730 (Sebring), WAOC-AM 1420 (St. Augustine), WSTU-AM 1450 (Stuart), WUTL-FM 106.1 (Tallahassee), WDAE-AM 620 (Tampa), WEFL-AM 760 (West Palm Beach), WZHR-AM 1400 (Zephyrhills). Game also available on XM Satellite Radio channels 144 (Florida feed) and 200 (Vanderbilt feed).
SERIES:.Florida leads 30-9-2. Games at Gainesville: Florida leads 17-1-1. Games at Nashville: Florida leads 13-7-1. Games in Jacksonville: Vanderbilt leads 1-0. Longest Vanderbilt win streak: 3 (1945-46-49). Longest Florida win streak: 17 (1989-92-93-94-95-96-97-98-99-2000-01-02-03-04-05-06-07).
1945: Lost 0-7 at Gainesville; 1946: Lost 0-20 at Nashville; 1949: Lost 17-22 at Jacksonville; 1950: Won 31-27 at Nashville; 1951: Won 33-13 at Gainesville; 1952: Lost 13-20 at Nashville; 1955: Lost 6-21 at Nashville; 1956: Won 21-7 at Nashville; 1957: Won 14-7 at Gainesville; 1958: Tied 6-6 at Gainesville.
1959: Lost 6-13 at Nashville; 1960: Won 12-0 at Gainesville; 1961: Won 7-0 at Nashville; 1962: Won 42-7 at Gainesville; 1963: Won 21-0 at Nashville; 1966: Won 13-0 at Nashville; 1967: Won 27-22 at Gainesville; 1968: Tied 14-14 at Nashville; 1969: Won 41-20 at Gainesville; 1974: Lost 10-24 at Nashville.
1975: Won 35-0 at Gainesville; 1982: Lost 29-31 at Nashville; 1983: Won 29-10 at Gainesville; 1988: Lost 9-24 at Nashville; 1989: Won 34-11 at Gainesville; 1992: Won 41-21 at Nashville; 1993: Won 52-0 at Gainesville; 1994: Won 24-7 at Nashville; 1995: Won 38-7 at Gainesville; 1996: Won 28-21 at Nashville.
1997: Won 20-7 at Gainesville; 1998: Won 45-13 at Nashville; 1999: Won 13-6 at Gainesville; 2000: Won 43-20 at Nashville; 2001: Won 71-13 at Gainesville; 2002: Won 21-17 at Nashville; 2003: Won 35-17 at Gainesville; 2004: Won 34-17 at Nashville; 2005: Won 49-42 at Gainesville; 2006: Won 25-19 at Nashville; 2007: Won 49-22 at Gainesville.
RESULTS: Florida: beat Hawaii in Gainesville 56-10 Aug. 30; beat Miami (Fla.) in Gainesville 26-3 Sept. 6; beat Tennessee in Knoxville 30-6 Sept. 20; lost to Mississippi in Gainesville 30-31 Sept. 27; beat Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark., 38-7 Oct. 4; beat Louisiana State in Gainesville 51-21 Oct. 11; beat Kentucky in Gainesville 63-5 Oct. 25; beat Georgia in Jacksonville 49-10 Nov. 1. Vanderbilt: beat Miami (Ohio) in Oxford, Ohio, 34-13 Aug. 28; beat South Carolina in Nashville 24-17 Sept. 4; beat Rice in Nashville 38-21 Sept. 13; beat Mississippi at Oxford, Miss., 23-17 Sept. 20; beat Auburn in Nashville 14-13 Oct. 4; lost to Mississippi State in Starkville, Miss., 14-17 Oct. 11; lost to Georgia in Athens, Ga., 14-24 Oct. 18; lost to Duke in Nashville 7-10 Oct. 25.
GAMES REMAINING: Florida vs. South Carolina in Gainesville Nov. 15; vs. The Citadel in Gainesville Nov. 22; at Florida State in Tallahassee Nov. 29. Vanderbilt: at Kentucky in Louisville Nov. 15; vs. Tennessee in Nashville Nov. 22; at Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, N.C., Nov. 29.
TEAM RANKINGS: Florida is ranked 24th nationally in rushing offense (194.63 ypg), 63rd in passing offense (211.0 ypg), 31st in total offense (405.63 ypg), 7th in scoring offense (42.88 ppg), 13th in rushing defense (103.13 ypg), 32nd in pass defense (185.88 ypg), 10th in pass efficiency defense (101.01), 16th in total defense (289.00 ypg), 5th in scoring defense (11.63 ppg), 29th in net punting (36.85 net yards), 2nd in punt returns (20.14 yards per return), 18th in kickoff returns (24.35 yards per return), 1st in turnover margin (1.75 per game), 6th in passing efficiency (164.51), T34th sacks (2.25 per game), 97th in tackles for loss (4.75 per game), 32nd sacks allowed (1.38 per game), 11th in toughest schedule (47-31 past and future opposition). Vanderbilt is 63rd in rushing offense (144.25 ypg), 114th in passing offense (110.38 ypg), 117th in total offense (254.63 ypg), 92nd in scoring offense (21.00 ppg), 51st in rushing defense (129.00 ypg), 44th in pass defense (194.38 ypg), 28th in pass efficiency defense (109.47), 37th in total defense (323.38 ypg), 15th in scoring defense (16.50 ppg), 28th in net punting (36.88 net yards), 25th in punt returns (12.58 yards per return), 96th in kickoff returns (19.67 yards per return), 33rd in turnover margin (0.63 per game), 110th in passing efficiency (101.53), 9th in sacks (3.13 per game), 34th in tackles for loss (6.38 per game), 55th in sacks allowed (1.75 per game), 41st in toughest schedule (48-41past and future opposition).
INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS: Florida: Tim Tebow (10th in passing efficiency, 162.71); Tim Tebow (40th in total offense, 229.38 ypg); Percy Harvin (54th in receiving yards per game, 68.71); Ahmad Black (T10th in interceptions, .50 per game); Brandon Spikes (T88th in interceptions, .29 per game); Brandon James (3rd in punt returns, 20.17 yards per return); Brandon James (15th in kickoff returns, 28.29 yards per return); Jonathan Phillips (46th in field goals, 1.12 per game); Percy Harvin (15th in scoring, 9.43 ppg); Jonathan Phillips (T27th in scoring, 8.88 ppg); Brandon James (76th in all-purpose runners, 110.50 ypg); Percy Harvin (94th in all-purpose runners, 104.29 ypg); Carlos Dunlap (T48th in sacks, .62 per game); Brandon Spikes (T52nd in tackles, 8.43 per game). Vanderbilt: Ryan Hamilton (T31st in interceptions, .38 per game); Myron Lewis (T31st in interceptions, .38 per game); Brett Upson (58th in punting, 40.22 yards per kick); D.J. Moore (6th in punt returns, 16.40 yards per return); Sean Walker (49th in kickoff returns, 23.70 yards per return); Bryant Hahnfeldt (T75th in field goals, .88 per game); Broderick Stewart (T60th in sacks, .56 per game); Myron Lewis (T75th in sacks, .50 per game); Steven Stone (T75th in sacks, .50 per game); Patrick Benoist (T41st in tackles, 8.75 per game); Chris Marve (T48th in tackles, 8.50 per game); Broderick Stewart (T89th in tackles for loss, .94 per game).
’DORE STOPS: Vanderbilt will be seeking its first victory over Florida since a 24-9 triumph during the 1988 season in Nashville and an end to a three-game losing streak after starting the season 5-0, its best start since 1943. … A victory will make Vandy bowl eligible for the first time 1982 and put the Commodores within one more victory of ending a string of 25 straight losing seasons. … Vanderbilt is 2-0 in games televised by ESPN this season and 5-0 playing at night. … Junior Mackenzi Adams has completed 51 of 100 passes for 572 yards and five touchdowns with five interceptions, while senior Chris Nickson is 36-of-70 passing for 311 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions. … Junior Jared Hawkins leads the team in rushing with 441 yards and three touchdowns. … Nickson is next with 312 yards and six touchdowns. … Senior Sean Walker leads the team in receptions with 23 for 354 yards and two touchdowns.
GATOR CHOMPS: Florida will be seeking its 18th straight victory in the series and last lost to Vanderbilt 24-9 in Nashville during the 1988 season. … A victory will clinch the SEC East for Florida. … In last year’s 49-22 victory in “The Swamp,” the Gators outgained the Commodores 498-255 in total yards. … Tim Tebow completed 22 of 27 passes for 281 yards and three touchdowns and ran for two more, while Percy Harvin rushed for a game-high 113 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries and caught nine passes for 110 yards. … Since their 31-30 loss to Mississippi, Florida has outscored the opposition (Arkansas, LSU, Kentucky, Georgia) by a 201-43 margin. … The Gators have scored 92 points in the fourth, more than any other quarter. … Tebow has completed 114 of 177 passes for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns with just two interceptions. … “The Baby Backs” – freshmen Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey – have rushed for 376 and 333 yards, respectively, and six touchdowns. … Harvin leads the Gators in receiving with 29 receptions for 481 yards and seven touchdowns.