2006 Florida Gators football team

101st football season in school history; second national championship victory February 2026 August 2023 2006 Florida Gators football Florida Gators script logo.svg Southeastern Conference Eastern Division SEC 1 1 13–1 7–1 Urban Meyer 2nd Dan Mullen 2nd Spread Greg Mattison 2nd Charlie Strong 4th 4–3 Dallas Baker Jemalle Cornelius Earl Everett Billy Latsko Chris Leak Ray McDonald Ben Hill Griffin Stadium Consensus national championSEC championSEC Eastern Division champion SEC Championship Game W Won 38–28 vs. Arkansas BCS National Championship Game W Won 41–14 vs. Ohio State The 2006 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Gators competed in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and played their home games at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on the university's Gainesville, Florida campus. The season was the second for head coach Urban Meyer, who led the Gators to an SEC Championship, a BCS National Championship, and an overall win–loss record of 13–1 (.929). Their one loss coming from an upset by the Auburn Tigers. Florida overcame the toughest schedule in the nation by opponent winning percentagehttp://web1.ncaa.org/d1mfb/2006/Internet/toughest%20schedule/ia_9games_cumm.pdf NCAA Official Stats, 2006 Toughest Schedule, Sorted on Cumulative Opposition January 10, 2007 January 16, 2009 January 4, 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20070104011321/http://web1.ncaa.org/d1mfb/2006/Internet/toughest%20schedule/ia_9games_cumm.pdf live http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/9849513 Florida Gators, NCAA Football, Michigan Wolverines, Ohio State Buckeyes - CBSSports.com June 30, 2007 January 28, 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20070128210151/http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/9849513 live NCAA Football - Arkansas Razorbacks/Florida Gators Preview Saturday December 2, 2006 - Yahoo! Sportshttps://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2007/03/20070319-2.html President Bush Welcomes the 2006 NCAA Football Champion Florida Gators to the White House August 25, 2017 June 10, 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160610155634/http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2007/03/20070319-2.html live to become national champions. The Gators won their seventh SEC title by defeating the Arkansas Razorbacks 38–28 in the SEC Championship Game on December 2, 2006,http://www.secsports.com/index.php?url_channel_id=2&url_article_id=8045&url_subchannel_id=&change_well_id=2 Gators win 2006 SEC Championship Game 2008-01-20 https://web.archive.org/web/20071013160445/http://secsports.com/index.php?url_channel_id=2&url_article_id=8045&url_subchannel_id=&change_well_id=2 2007-10-13 dead then defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes 41–14 in the BCS National Championship Game on January 8, 2007, beginning the SEC's streak of seven consecutive national championships. The 2006 Florida Gators remain the last team to win a national championship averaging under 30 points per game with 29.8. During the 2006 season, the Gators also celebrated two milestones in their history: the tenth anniversary of their first national football championship in 1996, and 100 years of Florida football dating to their first season in 1906.http://www.gatorzone.com/football/misc.php?p=100th%2F100th Gators celebrate 100 years of football 2019-04-20 https://web.archive.org/web/20150924043100/http://www.gatorzone.com/football/misc.php?p=100th%2F100th 2015-09-24 dead In addition, with the men's basketball team winning the 2006 and 2007 NCAA men's basketball national championships, the University of Florida became the first Division I school to ever win the football and men's basketball titles during the same year.2007-01-09 Florida first to hold football, hoops titles at same time https://www.espn.com/college-football/bowls06/news/story?id=2724897 2025-07-10 ESPN.com Associated Press en January 24, 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20250124004051/https://www.espn.com/college-football/bowls06/news/story?id=2724897 live Coincidentally, the Gators again faced and defeated Ohio State in the 2007 NCAA basketball championship game, also marking the first time in college sports history that identical matchups and results have occurred in both football and basketball championships. Schedule 2006 AP September 2 w y 7 Southern Miss Ben Hill Griffin Stadium Gainesville, FL PPV 34–7 90,043 September 9 w y 7 UCF Ben Hill Griffin Stadium Gainesville, FL PPV 42–0 90,210 September 16 w y 7 Tennessee 13 Neyland Stadium Knoxville, TN rivalry CBS 21–20 106,818 September 23 w 5 Kentucky Ben Hill Griffin Stadium Gainesville, FL rivalry ESPN 26–7 90,292 September 30 w 5 Alabama Ben Hill Griffin Stadium Gainesville, FL rivalry CBS 28–13 90,671 October 7 w y 5 LSU 9 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium Gainesville, FL rivalry, College GameDay CBS 23–10 90,714 October 14 l y 2 Auburn 11 Jordan–Hare Stadium Auburn, AL rivalry, College GameDay ESPN 17–27 87,451 October 28 w y 9 Georgia 25 Alltel Stadium Jacksonville, FL rivalry CBS 21–14 84,572 November 4 w y 7 Vanderbilt Vanderbilt Stadium Nashville, TN LFS 25–19 38,134 November 11 w 6 South Carolina Ben Hill Griffin Stadium Gainesville, FL CBS 17–16 90,703 November 18 w y 3 Western Carolina Ben Hill Griffin Stadium Gainesville, FL PPV 62–0 90,233 November 25 w y y 4 Florida State Doak Campbell Stadium Tallahassee, FL rivalry ABC 21–14 83,507 December 2 w y 4 Arkansas 8 Georgia Dome Atlanta, GA SEC Championship CBS 38–28 73,374 January 8, 2007 w y y 2 Ohio State 1 University of Phoenix Stadium Glendale, AZ BCS National Championship Game, College GameDay Fox 41–14 74,628 2012 Florida Football Media Guide https://web.archive.org/web/20130527130648/http://web.gatorzone.com/football/media/2012/media_guide.pdf 2013-05-27 , University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 114 & 116 (2012). Retrieved September 16, 2012.GatorZone.com, Football, History, Florida Football 2006 https://web.archive.org/web/20120404104424/http://www.gatorzone.com/football/history/2006/team.pdf 2012-04-04 . Retrieved November 25, 2011. Rankings 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings AP 0 15 7 7 7 5 5 5 2 9 9 7 6 3 4 4 2 1 (64) Coaches 0 15 8 7 6 5 5 5 3 (1) 10 8 7 6 3 4 4 2 1 (63) Harris 4 14 6 5 (1) 3 (1) 9 9 7 6 4 4 4 2 (1) BCS 7 14 6 6 4 4 4 4 4 2 Before the season Most polls had Florida listed as one of the top 10 teams entering the season. The Gators had their best pre-season ranking from College Football News, which listed them at No. 2, behind only defending champion Texas.http://www.collegefootballnews.com/2006/Rankings/PrePreSeason_NationalTitleContenders.htm 2006 Pre-preseason Rankings CollegeFootballNews.com July 28, 2006 January 25, 2006 https://web.archive.org/web/20060721002429/http://www.collegefootballnews.com/2006/Rankings/PrePreSeason_NationalTitleContenders.htm July 21, 2006 thumb|left|alt=Urban Meyer, standing on the field with his arms folded|150px|Urban Meyer and the Gators celebrated 100 years of Florida football. Most of the starters returned from a 2005 team that went 9–3 and they were bolstered by a top-rated recruiting class the previous February. The Gators' schedule included a four-game stretch against teams likely to be in the top-15 teams, starting with Alabama on September 30.Edgerton Brett SEC East spring recap: Gators eyeing title ESPN.com 2006-05-10 https://www.espn.com/college-football/news/story?id=2439839 2024-11-11 December 23, 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231223043516/https://www.espn.com/college-football/news/story?id=2439839 live Ten-year national championship anniversary The Gators celebrated the ten-year anniversary of winning their 1996 national championship in football during the opening game against Southern Miss. Among the attendees was Steve Spurrier, who coached the team to its only championship that season who was at the time coaching at the University of South Carolina. Many people had speculated that because of Spurrier's hiring as the South Carolina Gamecocks coach he would be booed, but instead he received a very loud ovation during the ceremony.https://archive.today/20130131215043/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/1121642671.html?dids=1121642671:1121642671&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Sep+03,+2006&author=ANTONYA+ENGLISH&pub=St.+Petersburg+Times&desc=Spurrier+still+a+crowd+favorite+Series:+FLORIDA+34,+SOUTHERN+MISS+7&pqatl=google "Spurrier still a crowd favorite" St. Pete Times, September 3, 2006 100 year anniversary The Gators also celebrated 100 years since the start of their football program in 1906. Game summaries Southern Miss Southern Miss at Florida So. Miss 7 0 0 0 Florida 7 7 7 13 September 2 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, Florida The season opened in the Swamp against the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles. The Gators scored the last 34 points of the game after surrendering a touchdown with 12:40 to play in the 1st quarter. Chris Leak's third pass attempt of the game was intercepted by the Golden Eagles, who scored on a 6-yard Damion Carter pass to Jeremy Young 3 plays later. Leak rebounded to finish 21-of-30 for 248 yards and 3 touchdowns. DeShawn Wynn and Tim Tebow each rushed for a touchdown for the Gators. Central Florida Central Florida at Florida UCF 0 0 0 0 Florida 7 27 8 0 September 9 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, Florida Despite giving up four turnovers and forcing none, the Gators easily beat the spread for the second time this season. By forcing a safety in the third quarter, the Gator defense outscored the blanked Golden Knights offense. It was the Gators' first shutout since blanking Mississippi State on September 29, 2001. Visiting Central Florida averaged just 2.6 yards per play and 153 total yards in the game.https://www.usatoday.com/sports/scores106/106252/NCAAF701469.htm Gators beat UCF August 23, 2017 July 13, 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20120713141442/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/scores106/106252/NCAAF701469.htm live Florida quarterback Chris Leak was 19-of-29 for 352 yards and four touchdowns. Freshman receiver Percy Harvin had a coming-out game with a 58-yard touchdown reception to open the scoring, en route to a 4-catch, 99-yards receiving day. Andre Caldwell caught two touchdowns, and Dallas Baker added one more for the Gators. Florida reserve QB Tim Tebow led the game in rushing, with 61 yards. Tennessee Florida at Tennessee Florida 7 0 7 7 Tennessee 3 7 7 3 September 16 Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, Tennessee Florida traveled to Knoxville to face the Tennessee Volunteers. Florida jumped out to an early 7–0 lead, but the Vols quickly took the momentum back when wide receiver Lucas Taylor threw a 47-yard touchdown pass to LaMarcus Coker. The Volunteers shot out of the gate in the second half with an impressive touchdown drive capped by a one-yard touchdown run by Montario Hardesty, giving the Vols a 17–7 lead. Chris Leak rallied the Gators to within a field goal when he found Dallas Baker for a four-yard touchdown. Tennessee pulled ahead by six when James Wilhoit hit a 51-yard field goal early in the fourth. Leak again rallied the team, but it was freshman Tim Tebow who made a huge play when he converted a crucial fourth down inside Tennessee territory. Leak came back into the game, and continued his strong play, finding Baker again for a 21-yard touchdown pass which would eventually prove to be the game winning score. The following drive, Junior quarterback Erik Ainge threw an interception to Reggie Nelson to seal a Gator victory. The win made the Gators No. 5 in the AP and Coaches polls. Kentucky Kentucky at Florida Kentucky 0 7 0 0 Florida 6 6 7 7 September 23 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, Florida The Gators quickly jumped out to a 6–0 lead on a trick play that led to a Chris Leak pass to Jemalle Cornelius for a touchdown just over two minutes into the game. From there, the Gators offense stagnated for most of the first half. The Wildcats took the lead briefly with a touchdown with under two minutes to play in the half, but the Gators responded with a touchdown of their own on a DeShawn Wynn run with :26 left in the half to take a 12–7 lead. Both Gator PATs were blocked in the half. The second half of the game was more of a defensive struggle for both teams, but the Gators scored two more touchdowns (and made both PATs) to make the final score 26–7. Freshman Tim Tebow—the backup quarterback—led the Gators in rushing for the second time in four games with 73 yards on six rushes. The week prior to the game, it was announced that DT Marcus Thomas was indefinitely suspended after failing a drug test. He appealed the suspension, but missed the Kentucky game while awaiting word on the appeal.http://www.gatorsports.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060921/GATORS01/209210352 UF hands out indefinite suspension Gainesville Sun September 21, 2006 September 21, 2006 https://web.archive.org/web/20070928083725/http://www.gatorsports.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20060921%2FGATORS01%2F209210352 September 28, 2007 dead Alabama 2006 Alabama Crimson Tide football team Alabama–Florida football rivalry Florida Gators 2; text-align:center collapsed Alabama Crimson Tide (3–1) at Florida Gators (4–0) September 30 3:30 p.m. Alabama 7 3 0 3 Florida 0 7 7 14 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida 90,671 Mostly sunny • 84 F C • Wind NE 6 mph km/h knot Penn Wagers CBS Box Score Alabama John Parker Wilson21/40, 240 Yds, 3 INT Kenneth Darby14 Rush, 76 Yds DJ Hall6 Rec, 117 Yds Florida Chris Leak14/20, 174 Yds, 2 TD DeShawn Wynn12 Rush, 50 Yds Jemalle Cornelius4 Rec, 79 Yds Florida went with a throwback uniform style for the game, wearing uniforms from the mid-1960s as a part of the 100-year celebration of Florida Football. Prior to the game, Florida also unveiled its four initial entries into the Gator Football Ring of Honor—Emmitt Smith, Danny Wuerffel, Steve Spurrier, and Jack Youngblood.Gators induct 4 into ring of honor Florida entered the game hoping to avenge a 31–3 loss in Tuscaloosa, Alabama the previous season, and end a rare three-game losing streak against a conference opponent. The Gators trailed for nearly the entire first three quarters. After a botched snap between center Steve Rissler and quarterback Chris Leak, Alabama's Prince Hall returned the fumble for the Crimson Tide's only touchdown of the game. The Tide added a field goal to take a 10–0 lead that held until just before the half. Late in the first half, Chris Leak had a career-long 45-yard run. Three plays later, a Tim Tebow designed sneak scored from 2 yards out, putting the Gators on the board with 1:45 left in the half. The Gators took their first lead with 2:39 left in the third quarter on a Leak pass to Andre Caldwell, making it 14–10. The Tide kept it close, kicking a 26-yard field goal to make it a 1-point game in the fourth quarter. Leak found Dallas Baker on a 21-yard touchdown pass to strengthen Florida's lead, and safety Reggie Nelson picked off John Parker Wilson's pass and took it 70 yards for the score to put the game out of reach. ALA FLA collapsed 1 2:47 Alabama FumbleTD Prince Hall 50 good Jamie Christensen run/pass good/failed/incomplete 7 0 2 12:44 Alabama 7 40 2:45 FG 21 Jamie Christensen 10 0 2 1:45 Florida 12 95 5:28 RushTD Tim Tebow 2 good Chris Hetland run/pass good/failed/incomplete 10 7 3 2:39 Florida 7 80 2:35 RecTD Andre Caldwell Chris Leak 16 good Chris Hetland run/pass good/failed/incomplete 10 14 4 12:47 Alabama 12 54 4:52 FG 26 Jamie Christensen 13 14 4 6:47 Florida 3 34 1:36 RecTD Dallas Baker Chris Leak 21 good Chris Hetland run/pass good/failed/incomplete 13 21 4 4:19 Florida IntTD Reggie Nelson 70 good Chris Hetland run/pass good/failed/incomplete 13 28 13 28 LSU LSU at Florida LSU 7 0 0 3 Florida 7 7 9 0 October 7 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, Florida Verne Lundquist, Gary Danielson & Tracy Wolfson CBS ESPN's College GameDay was on campus for the Top-10 tilt between the LSU Tigers and the Gators.http://www.lsusports.net/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5200&ATCLID=622081 ESPN College Gameday heading to Gainesville January 20, 2008 October 20, 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20121020065720/http://www.lsusports.net/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5200&ATCLID=622081 live The attendance of 90,714 was two shy of the stadium record. Like in their other 3 SEC victories, the Gators fell behind in the first half, allowing an LSU touchdown drive after a fumble on the opening drive. After the Tigers muffed on a Gator punt a drive later, reserve freshman QB Tim Tebow scored on a QB sneak from one yard out to tie the game. The Gators also scored right before halftime on Tebow's first touchdown pass, where he faked a leap over the pile and threw the ball to a falling Tate Casey. Tebow added a more conventional touchdown pass to Louis Murphy early in the third quarter. The Tigers' Early Doucet fumbled the second half kickoff into the end zone for a safety, which led to the long Tebow throw on the next drive. An LSU field goal early in the fourth quarter would cut the Florida lead to 23–10. The Tigers drove deep into Gator territory on two other occasions in the fourth quarter, but the Gator defense intercepted LSU quarterback Jamarcus Russell on both drives to seal the victory. Starting QB Chris Leak, despite going 17-of-26 passing, was held without a touchdown for the first time this season. Auburn Florida at Auburn Florida 3 14 0 0 Auburn 3 8 7 9 October 14 Jordan–Hare Stadium, Auburn, Alabama Mike Patrick (play-by-play), Todd Blackledge (color) & Holly Rowe (sideline reporter) ESPN ESPN's College GameDay was at Jordan–Hare Stadium to cover the critical SEC matchup between the number two ranked Gators and the number eleven ranked Auburn Tigers. Both Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit picked the Gators to defeat the Tigers. The game was broadcast on ESPN Full Circle. The Tigers scored early, taking the opening drive to the Gators' 5-yard-line before being forced to kick a field goal. The Gators responded with a field goal, their first of the season for a 3–3 tie at the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter, with a touchdown pass from Chris Leak to Dallas Baker the Gators took a 10–3 lead. Soon thereafter, the Gators seemingly averted danger when they stripped the ball from the Tigers at the goal line. One play later, however, a Jim Tartt holding penalty in the end zone forced a safety, giving Auburn the ball back and two points. With about 5 minutes left in the 2nd quarter Auburn kicked another field goal to make the score 10–8. The Gators strengthened their lead to 17–8 on a Tim Tebow run. Auburn kicked one additional field goal with 30 seconds in the quarter to cut the Gator lead to 17–11 at the half. The second half belonged entirely to the Tigers, as they shut Florida out in the half and blocked a punt for a score to take the lead by one point in the third quarter. The Gators threatened to take the lead midway through the fourth until a controversial Leak fumble caused by Tray Blackmon of the Tigers gave Auburn the ball. A late field goal put Auburn up four points with just over 30 seconds to go in the game. In desperation, Florida responded on the last play of the game with a failed hook and lateral play, which Auburn's defense was able to pick up and return for a score as time expired. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-128021209611956091 last play of Auburn vs. Florida SEC football, October 14, 2006 Personal video David Gunnells Hoover, Alabama September 6, 2007 October 16, 2007 Georgia 2006 Georgia Bulldogs football team Florida–Georgia football rivalry Florida Gators 2; text-align:center collapsed Florida Gators (6–1) vs. Georgia Bulldogs (6–2) October 28 3:30 p.m. Florida 7 7 7 0 Georgia 0 0 7 7 Alltel Stadium • Jacksonville, Florida 84,572 Partly cloudy • 69 F C • 17 mph km/h knot W/NW Steve Shaw CBS Verne Lundquist, Gary Danielson, and Tracy Wolfson Box Score Florida Chris Leak14/28, 163 Yds, TD, INT Percy Harvin8 Rush, 37 Yds Andre Caldwell8 Rec, 88 Yds, TD Georgia Matthew Stafford13/33, 151 Yds, 2 INT Kregg Lumpkin11 Rush, 43 Yds, TD Brannan Southerland3 Rec, 31 Yds As the Gators came into their annual rivalry game with Georgia, they were heavily favored. Florida scored on their first possession of the game, moving the ball very effectively with a blend of running and passing. Wide receiver Andre Caldwell capped off the drive with a 12-yard touchdown run off a reverse. Florida's defense, which had been touted as one of the best in the SEC, lived up to their billing, stifling the Georgia offense for the entire first half. The Gators added another touchdown before halftime, when Chris Leak threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Caldwell for his second touchdown of the game. Florida's defense again came up huge in the second half, when on the first play of the half, Georgia tailback Kregg Lumpkin fumbled the ball and defensive tackle Ray McDonald recovered the fumble and returned it for a touchdown, giving the Gators a commanding 21–0 lead. Florida's defense continued to stifle Georgia throughout the second half, until late in the third quarter. After a Leak interception, true freshman quarterback Matthew Stafford led the Bulldogs to a touchdown which he capped off on a 13-yard touchdown run off a quarterback draw, cutting the deficit to fourteen points. Florida's offense was stuffed on the following drive but got a muffed punt by Georgia to regain the ball. However, Florida was unable to capitalize on the turnover, as Chris Hetland again missed a field goal. Georgia was unable to score on the following drive, but freshman Tim Tebow fumbled on Florida's 10-yard line to give Georgia a shot at drawing within seven points. On third down from the 5-yard line, Lumpkin took a draw play and fought his way for a Georgia touchdown to bring the Bulldogs to within seven points. The Gators and the Bulldogs traded possessions, with the Gators getting the ball back with a little over three minutes in the game. Florida needed a first down on third and five to seal their victory and elected to give Caldwell a carry off a reverse. The play was stopped well short, but Georgia was called for a controversial face mask penalty which gave Florida a first down. Running back DeShawn Wynn, who saw limited action in the game, was able to pick up another first down to seal Florida's seventh win of the season. The Gators have now won fifteen of the last eighteen against their hated rivals from Georgia. The win also moved the Gators into fourth place in the BCS rankings. FLA UGA collapsed 1 9:11 Florida 9 62 5:49 RushTD Andre Caldwell 12 good Chris Hetland run/pass good/failed/incomplete 7 0 2 9:37 Florida 1 40 0:33 RecTD Andre Caldwell Chris Leak 40 good Chris Hetland run/pass good/failed/incomplete 14 0 3 14:28 Florida FumbleTD Ray McDonald 9 good Chris Hetland run/pass good/failed/incomplete 21 0 3 4:40 Georgia 6 52 2:17 RushTD Matthew Stafford 14 good Andy Bailey run/pass good/failed/incomplete 21 7 4 8:17 Georgia 3 14 0:54 RushTD Kregg Lumpkin 8 good Andy Bailey run/pass good/failed/incomplete 21 14 21 14 Vanderbilt Florida at Vanderbilt Florida 8 7 10 0 Vanderbilt 6 0 0 13 November 4 Vanderbilt Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee The Gators clinched their trip to the SEC Championship Game with a sloppy win over Vanderbilt. Chris Leak struggled throughout the game, going 18 of 25 passing for 237 yards and one touchdown. Leak threw three interceptions, all of which came with the Gators controlling the flow of the game. Florida got very strong play from its defense and special teams, as they were able to block two punts and force an interception. Before the game, it was announced that star defensive lineman Marcus Thomas was kicked off the team for the remainder of the year. Coach Urban Meyer stated during the game that "Marcus did not meet his responsibilities and obligations to remain on the team." thumb|left|250px|An image from the South Carolina game South Carolina South Carolina at Florida S. Carolina 7 0 0 9 Florida 0 7 0 10 November 11 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, Florida In one of the most anticipated games of the season, former Gator head coach and current Florida quality control assistant Steve Spurrier returned to The Swamp as South Carolina's head coach. Spurrier had made two well-received public visits to the stadium earlier in the year as a part of the national championship anniversary celebration and to be enshrined in the Gators' Ring of Honor. In a game, lineman Jarvis Moss blocked an extra point and a potential game winning 48-yard field goal with only eight seconds remaining in the game to ensure a Gator victory. Ray McDonald also notably blocked a field goal earlier in the game. Leading the Gators on offense was Chris Leak, who with 258 yards passing in the game, eclipsed Danny Wuerffel as the All-Time passing yards leader in Gators history. DeShawn Wynn added 86 yards on the ground to help the Gators maintain a steady attack. Freshman Tim Tebow continued his strong season, rushing for a 13-yard touchdown which proved to be the game winning score. Tebow also converted a critical fourth down play inside Gator territory. Kicker Chris Hetland continued to struggle, missing a 28-yard field goal. He did, however, kick a 22-yard field goal.Blocked Field Goal Keeps Florida Title Hopes Alive (Published 2006) The New York Times https://web.archive.org/web/20220712053558/https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/12/sports/ncaafootball/12GATORS.html 2022-07-12 live https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/12/sports/ncaafootball/12GATORS.html thumb|left|255px|The Florida Gators take on the Western Carolina Catamounts. Western Carolina Western Carolina at Florida W. Carolina 0 0 0 0 Florida 14 20 14 14 November 18 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, Florida The third-ranked Gators had little trouble disposing of the 1-AA Western Carolina Catamounts 62–0. Chris Leak, who played in his final game at The Swamp, went 9–12 for 98 yards and one touchdown in the first half. Freshman Tim Tebow took over for the majority of the second half, going 10–12 passing, for 200 yards, and two touchdowns. Tebow added two touchdowns rushing along with 47 yards. The Gators used the game to give young players some playing time. A slew of freshmen played, including Jarred Fayson, who saw time at quarterback and wide receiver. Riley Cooper, yet another freshman, added three receiving touchdowns in the game. Freshman Mon Williams rushed for 97 yards on nine carries. Brandon James also added a 77-yard touchdown from a punt return. Overall, the Gators finished with more points(62) than the Catamounts had yards (59). Florida State Florida at Florida State Florida 7 7 0 7 FSU 0 0 7 7 November 25 Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, Florida To beat the struggling Florida State Seminoles, Chris Leak threw for 283 yards and two touchdowns, Percy Harvin ran for a score and the fourth-ranked Gators won 21–14 on Saturday to stay in the national title hunt. Florida (11–1) won its third straight against Florida State and improved to 6–0 against its three main rivals—Tennessee, Georgia and Florida State—in Meyer's two seasons. The victory did not help much in the Bowl Championship Series standings, leaving the Gators looking for assistance to get to the title game, which would come the following weekend. Arkansas SEC Championship Arkansas 0 7 14 7 Florida 3 14 7 14 December 2 Georgia Dome, Atlanta 6:00 p.m. EST CBS yes 1 6:10 FLA Chris Hetland 33-yard field goal FLA 3-0 2 8:54 FLA Chris Leak 9-yard run (Chris Hetland kick) FLA 10-0 2 4:02 FLA Percy Harvin 37-yard pass from Chris Leak (Chris Hetland kick) FLA 17-0 2 1:55 ARK Marcus Monk 48-yard pass from Casey Dick (Jeremy Davis kick) FLA 17-7 3 12:06 ARK Felix Jones 2-yard pass from Darren McFadden (Jeremy Davis kick) FLA 17-14 3 8:33 ARK Antwain Robinson 40-yard interception return (Jeremy Davis kick) ARK 21-17 3 3:47 FLA Wondy Pierre-Louis recovered blocked punt in end zone (Chris Hetland kick) FLA 24-21 4 14:22 FLA Percy Harvin 67-yard run (Chris Hetland kick) FLA 31-21 4 12:29 ARK Felix Jones 29-yard pass from Cedric Washington (Jeremy Davis kick) FLA 31-28 4 9:04 FLA Tate Casey 5-yard pass from Andre Caldwell (Chris Hetland kick) FLA 38-28 yes The fourth ranked Gators took on the eighth ranked Arkansas Razorbacks in the 2006 SEC Championship Game. Both teams were looking to end their respective SEC Championship droughts, with Florida having not won the title since 2000, and the Razorbacks losing in their previous two title game appearances. The Gators came into the game favored by three points. Both teams traded three and outs before Florida exploded in the second quarter. Up 3–0, Chris Leak called a rare quarterback draw which he converted by fighting into the endzone, giving the Gators a 10–0 lead. On the next Florida drive, Leak found game MVP Percy Harvin on a perfectly thrown 37-yard touchdown pass. However, the Razorbacks came back with a touchdown of their own. Razorbacks quarterback Casey Dick, who had struggled mightily in the past few games, threw a perfect pass to Marcus Monk who caught the pass for a 47-yard touchdown. The Gators led 17–7 heading into the half. thumb|Percy Harvin in 2007 At halftime, in a stunning development, the second-ranked USC Trojans lost in a shocking upset to rival UCLA.USC loses to UCLA With this turn of events, Florida could give themselves a strong chance to overtake No. 2 Michigan and play in the BCS National Championship Game with a win. However, Arkansas came out firing in the second half. Using the unusual "Wildcat Formation", All American tailback Darren McFadden threw a quick two-yard touchdown to fellow tailback Felix Jones. On the next offensive series, Leak was intercepted on an attempted shovel pass which was returned by Antwain Robinson for a touchdown, giving the Razorbacks a stunning 21–17 lead. Florida regained the ball but was stuffed by the Arkansas defense. Coach Urban Meyer decided to run a fake punt on his own 15-yard line, which proved to be a good call, as receiver Jemalle Cornelius scampered for a 16-yard gain. Even with this swing of momentum, the Gators were unable to capitalize and elected to punt from midfield. The momentum changed yet again, this time in Florida's favor. Arkansas punt returner Reggie Fish muffed the punt after trying to field it over his shoulder; the ball was recovered in the endzone by Gator freshman Wondy Pierre-Louis, giving the Gators a 24–21 lead.https://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/03/sports/ncaafootball/03sec.html The New York Times Chance Nearly Slips Away, but Florida Makes Its Case Ray Glier December 3, 2006 April 22, 2010 March 21, 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20170321165914/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/03/sports/ncaafootball/03sec.html live The Gators took the three-point lead into the fourth quarter knowing with a win, they will have made their case to play in the BCS National Championship Game. Harvin gave Florida a ten-point lead when he bolted through the Arkansas defense for a 67-yard touchdown. On the following Arkansas offensive series, the momentum of the game appeared to change yet again, when receiver Cedric Washington threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Jones on another trick play. Knowing the field goal lead wouldn't be enough, the Gators came out firing on their offensive series. Florida drove to the Arkansas five-yard line, when freshman sensation Tim Tebow came into the game. Tebow appeared to be running yet again, but he pitched the ball to wide receiver Andre Caldwell who then threw a touchdown pass to tight end Tate Casey which proved to give the Gators a big enough lead to win their first conference championship in six years. The victory catapulted the Gators over second ranked Michigan in the BCS standings, giving the Gators the right to play Ohio State in the BCS National Championship Game.2006-12-03 BCS picks Gators to meet Ohio State in Glendale https://www.espn.com/college-football/news/story?id=2685119 2025-01-12 ESPN.com Associated Press en February 24, 2024 https://web.archive.org/web/20240224154033/https://www.espn.com/college-football/news/story?id=2685119 live Ohio State BCS National Championship Florida 14 20 0 7 Ohio State 7 7 0 0 January 8 University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona 8:00 p.m. EST Fox yes 1 14:44 OSU Ted Ginn Jr. 93-yard kickoff return (Aaron Pettrey kick) OSU 7-0 1 10:31 FLA Dallas Baker 14-yard pass from Chris Leak (Chris Hetland kick) Tied 7-7 1 5:51 FLA Percy Harvin 4-yard run (Chris Hetland kick) FLA 14-7 2 14:56 FLA DeShawn Wynn 2-yard run (Chris Hetland kick) FLA 21-7 2 13:32 OSU Antonio Pittman 18-yard run (Aaron Pettrey kick) FLA 21-14 2 6:00 FLA Chris Hetland 42-yard field goal FLA 24-14 2 1:53 FLA Chris Hetland 40-yard field goal FLA 27-14 2 0:23 FLA Andre Caldwell 1-yard pass from Tim Tebow (Chris Hetland kick) FLA 34-14 4 10:20 FLA Tim Tebow 1-yard run (Chris Hetland kick) FLA 41-14 yes The Florida Gators ended their season with a stunning 41–14 upset of the number one ranked Ohio State Buckeyes, giving them the school's second national championship in ten years. The game did not start well for the Gators, however. Florida won the toss and elected to defer the option to the second half, giving Ohio State the ball first. On the opening kickoff, Ted Ginn Jr. sprinted for a 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, turning the largely Ohio State crowd into a frenzy and giving the Buckeyes a 7–0 lead 16 seconds into the game. However, Ginn injured his foot celebrating the touchdown, leaving the Buckeyes without his deep threat for the rest of the game. Coach Urban Meyer, who was coaching in his first national championship game, took a timeout to compose his team after the inauspicious start. It appeared to work, as senior Chris Leak went 5–5 on the first drive of the game.https://www.espn.com/college-football/playbyplay?gameId=270080194&confId=null ESPN – Florida Gators vs. Ohio State Buckeyes Play-by-Play, January 8, 2007 – NCAA College Football July 15, 2024 June 7, 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20250607031638/https://www.espn.com/college-football/playbyplay?gameId=270080194&confId=null live Leak found three different receivers on the drive, which culminated with a lob pass to fellow senior Dallas Baker. The Buckeyes then got their first offensive possession of the game. Led by Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith, the Buckeye offense was widely considered to be the best offense in college football. The Gators, however, had one of the top defenses in the nation. The Gators blitzed Smith multiple times on the first drive, leading to a three and out, forcing Ohio State to punt. Florida had great field position, following a personal foul penalty on Ohio State. Leak led the Gators back on the field, starting from the Ohio State 35-yard line. Florida again used a variety of offensive looks to keep the Ohio State defense off balance, which also included using freshman phenom Tim Tebow as a power rusher. On second down and goal, from the Ohio State four-yard line, Florida ran an option play, in which Leak pitched the ball to freshman star Percy Harvin who fought his way in for a four-yard touchdown. Harvin appeared to be down at the one-yard line, but after further review, it was determined that Harvin did reach the endzone. The score gave the Gators a surprising 14–7 lead. The Buckeyes came back on their next possession, trailing by a touchdown. Still, the Gator defense managed to put Smith under heavy pressure. On third down, following a sack, the Gators blitzed, hit Smith as he threw the ball, and cornerback Reggie Lewis intercepted the pass. Following the interception, the Gators continued to use unorthodox formations and plays to keep Ohio State off balance. Leak remained extremely sharp, going four of five passing on the drive, for 44 yards. On the Ohio State 7-yard line, Tebow came into the game and powered his way to the Buckeye 2-yard line. On the following play, running back DeShawn Wynn rumbled in for a two-yard touchdown, giving the Gators a stunning 21–7 lead. The Buckeyes however, remained composed. Using their power running game, and a 13-yard scramble from Smith, the Buckeyes drove to the Gators' 18-yard line. Tailback Antonio Pittman weaved through the Gators' defense on the next play, for an 18-yard touchdown run, pulling the Buckeyes to within a touchdown. Florida moved the ball with some success on their next possession but were held for the first time all night by the Ohio State defense, forcing a Florida punt. Smith and the Buckeyes marched back on the field, hoping to tie the game. However, Florida's stifling defensive line continued to put heavy pressure on Smith, forcing bad throws and incompletions, ultimately leading to a three and out. The Gators got the football back, hoping to restore their two-touchdown lead. Florida did move the ball successfully but was unable to move the ball inside the redzone. Much to the displeasure of many Gator fans, Florida elected to send kicker Chris Hetland on to attempt a 40-yard field goal. Hetland had missed 9 of 13 attempts on the season, but split the uprights, giving the Gators a 24–14 lead. Ohio State was now in a deep hole, trailing by ten with six minutes to go in the half. The Buckeyes attempted to establish a power running game with Pittman and Chris Wells, but the Gator defense was up to the task. In perhaps one of the most stunning decisions of the game, Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel decided to go for it on fourth and 1 from his own 29. The decision backfired, and Wells was stopped short of the first down, giving the Gators great field position. thumb|right|The team is honored as BCS champions by President George W. Bush at the White House. With the swing in momentum, the Gators were again unable to score a touchdown and settled for another Hetland 40-yard field goal, pushing the Gator lead to 27–14. The game changed for good, on the next Ohio State possession. Under extreme pressure yet again, Smith attempted to scramble outside of the pocket, but was caught by defensive end and special teams hero Jarvis Moss, who stripped Smith of the football. Defensive game MVP Derrick Harvey recovered the fumble and returned it for 9 yards, to the Ohio State five-yard line. After two Tebow runs up the middle, Florida faced a third down and goal on the Ohio State one-yard line. Florida used a timeout to draw up a play for Tebow, who remained in the game. Tebow faked his usual quarterback run up the middle, ran left and flipped an easy one-yard touchdown pass to a wide open Andre Caldwell. This score gave the Gators a shocking 34–14 halftime lead. Leading 34–14 heading into the third quarter, the Gators appeared to be conservative on offense, which resulted in a quick three and out on the first possession of the half. The Gator defense, however, remained their brilliant play, in suffocating Smith and pressuring him relentlessly and forcing him into bad decisions. The teams traded three and outs, and punts, throughout the third quarter, which gave the Gators a 20-point lead heading into the fourth quarter. Fifteen minutes from a national championship, the Gators were determined not to have a defensive lapse, like many had so often seen under former coach Ron Zook. The Gators again continued their relentless pressure on Smith, sacking him several times, and pressuring him into bad throws. right|300px|thumb|The Florida football team celebrating their championships at the White House with President Bush On their next offensive possession, the Gators were determined to put the game out of reach. Urban Meyer again used a balanced attack of rushing and passing to drive the Gators down to the Ohio State one-yard line. Faced with a fourth-and-goal on the Ohio State 1-yard line, many fans knew what was coming. Tebow was again brought into the game and powered his way off the right side for a touchdown, giving the Gators a commanding 41–14 lead. Troy Smith continued to have the worst game of his Buckeye career, as he was sacked for a 14-yard loss on the drive, putting Ohio State into a 3rd and 29-hole. Ohio State ran a draw play on 3rd down and punted on the following play. With eight minutes remaining in the game, the Gators were determined to end the game and give the school a national championship. Wynn, who was in Urban Meyer's doghouse early in Meyer's tenure at Florida, carried the ball 8 times on the drive, picking up several key first downs to keep the clock running. However, Wynn was stopped on a 3rd and 8 play, for only 2 yards. Meyer elected to go for it, and Leak passed to Harvin, who barely made the first down. Knowing this had sealed the win, Meyer began pumping his fist, and gesturing the Florida crowd to get noisy. Leak took a final knee on fourth down, ending his illustrious career as a Gator on top of the college football world. Leak would later be named the game's most valuable player. With the Gators winning the 2007 national championship in men's basketball three months later (coincidentally beating Ohio State), the University of Florida holds the distinction of being the only school to ever hold both the unshared men's basketball national championship and unshared football championship in the same academic year (2006–07) and in the same calendar year (2007). Awards and honors Associated Press All-SEC All-SEC First Team Reggie Nelson, DB Ryan Smith, CB All-SEC Second Team Earl Everett, LB Brandon Siler, LB SEC Freshman of the Year Percy Harvin, WR Coaches All-SEC All-SEC First Team Steve Rissler, C Dallas Baker, WR Ray McDonald, DT Earl Everett, LB Reggie Nelson, DB All-SEC Second Team Drew Miller, OL Phil Trautwein, OL Chris Leak, QB Derrick Harvey, DE Brandon Siler, LB Ryan Smith, CB SEC Freshman of the Year: Percy Harvin, WR Freshman All-SEC Team Percy Harvin, WR Brandon James, KR Tim Tebow, QB AP All-America All-America First Team: Reggie Nelson, FS All-America Second Team: Ryan Smith, CB All-America Third Team: Brandon Siler, LB First-round draft picks Reggie Nelson, 21st pick to Jacksonville Jaguarshttps://archive.today/20130123052012/http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/news-article.aspx?storyid=81001 Jaguars draft Reggie Nelson Jarvis Moss, 17th pick to Denver Broncoshttp://blogs.denverpost.com/broncos/2007/04/28/no-17-florida-de-jarvis-moss/ Broncos select Jarvis Moss, Denverpost.com January 20, 2008 October 12, 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20071012084031/http://blogs.denverpost.com/broncos/2007/04/28/no-17-florida-de-jarvis-moss/ live Personnel Coaching staff Urban Meyer – head coach – 1 year at UF Steve Addazio – Tackles/tight ends – 1 year Stan Drayton – Running backs – 1 year Billy Gonzales – Wide receivers – 1 year Chuck Heater – Recruiting coordinator/cornerbacks – 1 year John Hevesy – Centers/guards – 1 year John "Doc" Holliday – Associate head coach/safeties – 1 year Greg Mattison – Co-defensive coordinator/defensive line – 1 year Dan Mullen – Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks – 1 year Charlie Strong – Assistant head coach/co-defensive coordinator/linebackers – 6 years Roster 2006 Florida Gators rosterQuarterbacks 3 Michael Guilford – Freshman 4 Matt Anderson – Freshman 12 Chris Leak – Senior 14 Andrew Blaylock – Freshman 15 Tim Tebow – Freshman 16 Butch Rowley – 10px|Redshirt Sophomore Running backs 2 Markus Manson – 10px|Redshirt Sophomore 21 DeShawn Wynn – 10px|Redshirt Senior 25 Brandon James – Freshman 27 Mon Williams – Freshman 28 Chevon Walker – Freshman 33 Kestahn Moore – Sophomore H-Backs 29 Eric Rutledge – Junior 42 Billy Latsko – 10px|Redshirt Senior Fullbacks 45 Bo Howard – Freshman 49 Andrew Johnson – 10px|Redshirt Freshman Wide receivers 5 Andre Caldwell – 10px|Redshirt Junior 6 Jemalle Cornelius – 10px|Redshirt Senior 8 Percy Harvin – Freshman 9 Kenneth Tookes – 10px|Redshirt Senior 11 Jarred Fayson – Freshman 17 Nyan Boateng – Sophomore 23 Cade Holliday – 10px|Redshirt Freshman 37 Tim Higgins – Senior 39 Joey Sorrentino – 10px|Redshirt Freshman 81 Dallas Baker – 10px|Redshirt Senior 82 Louis Murphy – Sophomore 83 David Nelson – 10px|Redshirt Freshman 86 Riley Cooper – Freshman 87 Justin Williams – Freshman 88 Cam Brewer – Sophomore Tight ends 7 Cornelius Ingram – 10px|Redshirt Sophomore 80 Trent Pupello – Freshman 84 Tate Casey – Junior 89 Derek Baldry – 10px|Redshirt Sophomore Offensive line 57 Carl Johnson – Freshman 63 Jim Tartt – 10px|Redshirt Sophomore 64 Kyle Newell – 10px|Redshirt Freshman 65 Brad Heirs – 10px|Redshirt Freshman 67 Drew Miller – Junior 68 Jim Barrie – 10px|Redshirt Freshman 69 Eddie Haupt – 10px|Redshirt Freshman 70 Ronnie Wilson – 10px|Redshirt Freshman 71 Corey Hobbs – Freshman 73 Carlton Medder – 10px|Redshirt Junior 74 Maurice Hurt – Freshman 75 Phil Trautwein – Junior 76 Marcus Gilbert – Freshman 77 Jason Watkins – 10px|Redshirt Sophomore 78 Simon Codrington – 10px|Redshirt Freshman 79 Steve Rissler – Senior Defensive line 20 Joe Cohen – Senior 47 Brandon Antwine – Freshman 48 Javier Estopiñan – 10px|Redshirt Sophomore 49 Jermaine Cunningham – Freshman 52 Darryl Gresham Jr. – 10px|Redshirt Freshman 59 John Fairbanks – Freshman 61 Vernon Shelton – 10px|Redshirt Sophomore 90 Lawrence Marsh – Freshman 91 Derrick Harvey – 10px|Redshirt Sophomore 92 Terron Sanders – Freshman 93 Steven Harris – 10px|Redshirt Senior 94 Jarvis Moss – 10px|Redshirt Junior 95 Ray McDonald – 10px|Redshirt Senior 98 Clint McMillan – 10px|Redshirt Junior 99 Lutrell Alford – Junior Linebackers 13 Brian Crum – 10px|Redshirt Senior 16 A.J. Jones – Freshman 30 Earl Everett – Senior 32 Dustin Doe – Freshman 35 Eric Sledge – 10px|Redshirt Freshman 40 Brandon Siler – Junior 41 Ryan Stamper – 10px|Redshirt Freshman 50 Chris Pintado – Freshman 51 Brandon Spikes – Freshman 53 Jamaal Deveaux – 10px|Redshirt Freshman 54 Roderick Blackett – 10px|Redshirt Freshman 55 Jon Demps – Sophomore 56 Darryon Robinson – Senior 45 Harold Pryor, Jr.- "Sophomore" Defensive backs 1 Reggie Nelson – Junior 27 Telly Concepcion - 10px|Redshirt Sophomore 42 Miguel Carodine – Freshman Cornerbacks 4 Wondy Pierre-Louis – Freshman 18 Tremaine McCollum – 10px|Redshirt Senior 22 Reggie Lewis – 10px|Redshirt Senior 23 Jacques Rickerson – Freshman 26 Jermaine McCollum – 10px|Redshirt Senior 28 Ryan Smith – Junior 33 Moise Paul – 10px|Redshirt Junior 34 Lamont Sheppard – 10px|Redshirt Sophomore 36 Nick Brooks – 10px|Redshirt Senior 37 Markihe Anderson – Freshman Safeties 3 Kyle Jackson – Junior 7 Jamar Hornsby – Freshman 12 Cody Worton – Freshman 17 Curtis Carr – Sophomore 19 Tony Joiner – Junior 24 John Curtis – 10px|Redshirt Sophomore 31 Bryan Thomas – Freshman 34 Dorian Munroe – 10px|Redshirt Freshman Punters 10 Eric Wilbur – Senior Placekickers 14 Eric Nappy – 10px|Redshirt Senior 38 Jonathan Phillips – Sophomore 39 Chris Hetland – 10px|Redshirt Senior 85 Andrew Fritze – 10px|Redshirt Freshman 92 Bobby Kane – 10px|Redshirt Freshman 98 Joey Ijjas – 10px|Redshirt Junior Long snappers 16 Butch Rowley – 10px|Redshirt Sophomore 43 James Smith – 10px|Redshirt Sophomore 58 Mike Williamson – 10px|Redshirt Freshman Depth chart +Offense WR WR Jemalle Cornelius Andre Caldwell Percy Harvin Louis Murphy LT LG C RG RT Phil Trautwein Jim Tartt Steve Rissler Drew Miller Carlton Medder Ronnie Wilson Maurice Hurt Eddie Haupt Simon Codrington Jason Watkins TE Tate Casey Cornelius Ingram WR Dallas Baker Kenneth Tookes QB Chris Leak Tim Tebow TB DeShawn Wynn Kestahn Moore FB Billy Latsko Eric Rutledge + Defense CB Reggie Lewis Markihe Anderson DE DT DT DE Derrick Harvey Ray McDonald Steven Harris Jarvis Moss Ray McDonald Joe Cohen Javier Estopiñan Joe Cohen CB Ryan Smith Tremaine McCollum FS Reggie Nelson Kyle Jackson Will LB Middle LB Sam LB Earl Everett Brandon Siler Brian Crum Ryan Stamper Brandon Spikes Jon Demps SS Tony Joiner Dorian Munroe https://web.archive.org/web/20070929111019/http://www.gatorzone.com/football/media/2006/pdf/42.pdf Pre-season Unofficial Depth Chart Team statistics UF OPP Scoring 416 189 Points per game 29.7 13.5 First downs 285 216 Rushing 117 81 Passing 152 114 Penalty 16 21 Total offense 5,545 3,576 Avg per play 6.3 4.3 Avg per game 396.1 255.4 Fumbles-lost 25–10 21–8 Penalties-yards 116–888 81–595 Avg per game 63.4 42.5 UF OPP Punts-yards 55–2,244 77–2,904 Avg per punt 40.8 37.7 Time of possession/game 31:08 28:49 3rd down conversions 74/167 61/186 4th down conversions 9/18 6/18 Touchdowns scored 57 23 Field goals-attempts 6–15 10–19 PAT-attempts 50–54 19–20 Attendance 632,866 316,000 Games/avg per game 7/90,409 4/79,000 Neutral site games 3/77,525 Scores by quarter Opponents 47 39 42 61 Gators 90 150 83 93 Player statistics Offense Rushing Name # GP Att Gain Loss Net Avg TD Long Avg/G Wynn, D. 21 14 143 721 22 699 4.9 6 26 49.9 Tebow, T. 15 14 89 478 9 469 5.3 8 29 33.5 Harvin, P. 8 13 41 437 9 428 10.4 3 67 32.9 Moore, K. 33 14 54 289 7 282 5.2 2 28 20.1 Fayson, J. 11 13 14 126 0 126 9.0 1 27 9.7 Caldwell, A. 5 14 21 126 24 102 4.9 1 27 7.3 Williams, M. 27 8 13 101 0 101 7.8 0 25 12.6 Leak, C. 12 14 77 238 208 30 0.4 3 45 2.1 Cornelius, J. 7 14 4 27 7 20 5.0 0 17 1.4 Manson, M. 2 12 4 17 2 15 3.8 0 9 1.2 Rowley, B. 16 14 1 3 0 3 3.0 0 3 0.2 James, B. 25 13 3 4 3 1 0.3 0 4 0.1 Higgins, T. 37 1 1 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 Wilbur, E. 10 13 1 0 2 –2 –2.0 0 0 –0.2 Team Total 14 476 2,567 327 2,240 4.7 24 67 160.0 Passing Name # GP Effic Cmp-Atm-Int Pct Yds TD Lng Avg/G Leak, C. 12 14 144.94 232–365–13 63.6 2,942 23 66 210.1 Tebow, T. 15 14 201.73 22–33–1 66.7 358 5 55 25.6 Caldwell, A. 5 14 472.00 1–1–0 100.0 5 1 5 0.4 Team Total 14 150.46 255–399–14 63.9 3,305 29 66 236.1 Receiving Name # GP No. Yds Avg TD Long Avg/G Baker, D. 81 14 60 920 15.3 10 33 65.7 Caldwell, A. 5 14 57 577 10.1 6 66 41.2 Cornelius, J. 6 14 34 523 15.4 3 34 37.4 Harvin, P. 8 13 34 427 12.6 2 58 32.8 Ingram, C. 7 14 30 380 12.7 1 38 27.1 Moore, K. 33 14 8 58 7.2 1 16 4.1 Casey, T. 84 14 6 58 9.7 2 22 4.1 Wynn, D. 21 14 6 58 9.7 0 15 4.1 Nelson, D. 83 4 5 76 15.2 0 23 19.0 Cooper, R. 86 13 4 92 23.0 3 55 7.1 Tookes, K. 9 13 4 55 13.8 0 20 4.2 Latsko, B. 42 14 4 38 9.5 0 18 2.7 Murphy, L. 82 12 2 42 21.0 1 35 3.5 Total 14 255 3,305 13.0 29 66 236.1 Defense Name # GP Tackles Sacks Pass defense Fumbles Solo Ast Total TFL-Yds No-Yds BrUp QBH Int.-Yds TD Rcv-Yds FF Blkd Kick Saf Everett, E. 30 13 50 35 85 6.0–11 1.0–5 2 4 Siler, B. 40 13 50 27 77 10.0–40 3.0–21 3 3 1–0 1 Joiner, T. 19 14 31 28 59 4.5–9 6 2–0 1 1 Moss, J. 94 13 42 14 56 11.0–68 7.5–60 4 12 4 2 Smith, R. 28 14 43 11 54 3.5–11 8 8–44 2 Nelson, R. 1 14 34 17 51 2.0–6 5 6–70 1 1–0 2 McDonald, R. 95 14 19 17 36 4.5–16 3.0–15 5 2 1–9 1TD 1 Harvey, D. 91 14 24 11 35 13.0–95 11.0–89 8 3–9 1 Crum, B. 13 14 13 18 31 3.0–7 0.5–4 1 1 Lewis, R. 22 14 18 9 27 1.5–3 6 1 4-35 McCollum, T. 18 14 16 10 26 1 1 1–1 Cohen, J. 20 14 10 16 26 2.0–11 0.5–8 1 1 1 Thomas, M. 44 5 13 13 26 5.5–32 4.0–31 1 Doe, D. 32 14 14 8 22 1.0–1 Munroe, D. 34 14 11 5 16 1.0–2 Spikes, B. 51 9 9 6 15 1.0–2 2 Harris, S. 93 13 6 9 15 4.5–17 1.5–11 2 Brooks, N. 36 14 8 5 13 Jackson, K. 3 14 7 4 11 Smith, J. 43 14 5 3 8 Anderson, M. 37 13 7 1 8 1 McCollum, J. 26 13 4 4 8 1 Pierre-Louis, W. 4 12 3 4 7 1–0 1TD Estopinan, J. 48 6 1 4 5 1 Antwine, B. 47 8 1 3 4 1 Curtis, J. 24 6 2 2 4 1 Stamper, R. 41 2 3 1 4 1.0–2 Cooper, R. 86 13 2 2 4 1 Blackett, R. 54 10 3 1 4 Robinson, D. 56 13 2 1 3 1.0–1 Alford, L. 99 10 3 3 2.0–9 1.0–6 1–0 Murphy, L. 82 12 3 3 Phillips, J. 38 4 1 1 2 Williams, M. 27 8 2 2 Fritze, A. 85 3 2 2 Ijjas, J. 98 12 1 1 2 Cunningham, J. 49 7 2 2 McMillan, C. 98 14 1 1 2 1.0–8 1.0–8 Miller, D. 67 14 1 1 Gresham, D. 52 1 1 1 Leak, C. 12 14 1 1 Brewer, C. 88 1 1 1 Fayson, J. 11 13 1 1 1 Rissler, S. 79 14 1 1 Harvin, P. 8 13 1 1 Baker, D. 81 14 1 1 Total 14 472 295 767 79–351 34–258 50 34 21–150 1 8–18 2TD 9 8 2 Special teams Kicking Name # Punting Kicking No. Yds Avg Long TB FC I20 Blkd No. Yds Avg TB OB FG XP Wilbur, E. 10 53 2,244 42.3 64 5 12 22 1 Ijjas, J. 98 65 3,755 57.8 11 2 Phillips, J. 38 13 770 59.2 2 0 5–5 Hetland, C. 39 6–15 43–45 Nappy, E. 14 2–4 Total 55 2,244 40.8 64 5 12 22 2 78 4,525 58.0 13 2 6–15 50–54 Returns Name # Punt returns Kick returns No. Yds Avg TD Long No. Yds Avg TD Long James, B. 25 33 363 11.0 1 77 21 383 18.2 0 38 Nelson, R. 1 12 93 7.8 0 21 Fayson, J. 11 3 30 10.0 0 16 Smith, R. 28 1 13 13.0 0 13 Moore, K. 33 4 63 15.8 0 26 Cornelius, J. 6 1 9 9.0 0 9 Total 49 499 10.2 1 77 26 455 17.5 0 38 The Automated ScoreBook https://web.archive.org/web/20091222085829/http://www.gatorzone.com/football/history/2006/team.pdf Players drafted into the NFL 2007 NFL draft Florida Gators Round Pick Player Position NFL club 1 17 Jarvis Moss DE Denver Broncos 1 21 Reggie Nelson S Jacksonville Jaguars 3 97 Ray McDonald DE San Francisco 49ers 4 121 Marcus Thomas DT Denver Broncos 4 135 Joe Cohen DE San Francisco 49ers 6 206 Ryan Smith CB Tennessee Titans 7 227 Dallas Baker WR Pittsburgh Steelers 7 228 DeShawn Wynn RB Green Bay Packers 7 240 Brandon Siler LB San Diego Chargers Source: 2007 NFL Draft Listing https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2007/draft.htm 2025-02-08 Pro-Football-Reference.com en November 3, 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20181103015035/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2007/draft.htm live References Bibliography 2009 Southeastern Conference Football Media Guide, Florida Year-by-Year Records, Southeastern Conference, Birmingham, Alabama, p. 60 (2009). Carlson, Norm, University of Florida Football Vault: The History of the Florida Gators, Whitman Publishing, LLC, Atlanta, Georgia (2007). 0-7948-2298-3. Florida Category:Florida Gators football seasons Category:BCS National Champions Category:Southeastern Conference football champion seasons Florida Gators football