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This Date in College Football Belt History – September 22
The 3rd ranked, 3-0 Florida Gators of coach Urban Meyer traveled to Mississippi for a meeting with the 1-2 Rebels & coach Ed Orgeron. The Gators were coming off a big win over Tennessee & next week they were scheduled to meet Auburn, the only team to beat them the previous season. The meeting with Mississippi, a 21 ½-point underdog, may have been a classic set-up for a Florida letdown. Gators’ Heisman Trophy winning, All-American QB Tim Tebow rushed for 2 touchdowns, threw for 2 touchdowns, & Florida overcame 14 penalties for 127 yards as they held on the a 30-24 victory over the Rebels to retain The Belt. The sluggish start for the Gators allowed Mississippi to take a 3-0 lead when Rebels’ PK Joshua Shene connected from 40 yards. Late in the opening quarter, Florida put together a 10-play, 77-yard drive to take the lead. Tebow’s 19-yard touchdown pass to WR Percy Harvin came on the first play of the 2nd quarter giving the Gators a 7-3 lead. The Rebels again stalled in the red zone & settled for a 32-yard field goal from Shene but still trailed 7-6. Florida’s next drive was dominated by Tebow as the Gators drove 98 yards in 14 plays with Tebow rushing for 40 of the yards & throwing for 26 more. The touchdown came on a 9-yard run by Tebow for a 14-6 advantage. Mississippi had another chance at a field goal late in the quarter but Shene’s 48-yard attempt was short. Florida pushed the lead to 21-6 after a 10-play, 70-yard drive finished by Tebow’s 6-yard touchdown run. After Rebels’ QB Seth Adams connected with WR Michael Hicks for a 51-yard gain to the Florida 5-yard line, the Gators defense stiffened & forced another field goal from Shene; this one was good from 22 yards & left Mississippi trailing 21-9. Things seemed secure for Florida when Tebow threw a 37-yard touchdown pass to WR Louis Murphy for a 27-9 lead but the Rebels’ were not going away. Adams threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to WR Shay Hodge & a 77-yard touchdown pass to WR Mike Wallace. After the successful 2-point conversion, Mississippi trailed only 27-24 as the 4th quarter started. Gators’ S Tony Joiner intercepted Adams early in the final quarter & the Gators turned it into a 25-yard field goal by PK Joey Ijjas with just 4:59 to play. The Rebels’ last chance ended when they tried a fake punt from their own 33-yard line. Mississippi’s P Justin Sparks completed the pass to WR Robert Lane but he only gained 8 yards when 11 were needed. Tebow finished with 262 yards passing with 2 touchdowns as well as 164 yards rushing, a Florida quarterback record, with 2 touchdowns while Harvin added 11 catches for 123 yards to his touchdown. For the Rebels, Adams threw for 302 yards with 2 touchdowns but an interception. Mississippi finished 3-9 in Orgeron’s final season while Florida finished the season 9-4, 13th ranked nationally. Mississippi would play for The Belt again in 8 weeks.
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