travisduncan
Gator Fan
The overwhelming sentiment is that a Gator win is better than a Gator loss any day and so finishing the season at 7-6 puts a positive spin on the doubts which linger regarding the football program.
After the 24-17 win in front of over 60,000 fans, mostly Gator fans, Muschamp gave what might be the first of tens of speeches highlighting the improvement which he expects will happen in the not too distant future.
"7-6 is not acceptable at the University of Florida," Muschamp said.
Though with the win, the Gators have now had 24 consecutive winning seasons, the longest active streak in the country.
He continued, "We've had a staff and a guy that won two National Championships, a heck of a football coach. We're one game's difference from last year. We're 7-6, we were 8-5 last year. So sometimes I think you've got to put your realistic glasses on where you are as a program right at
this point. It's not where we're going to be very long. I can assure you of that. Moving in the right direction. "
"The realization of this whole thing if you want to see big pictures in the last two years of the University of Florida, we're 15-11, that's unacceptable. That's what we are."
Special teams coach D.J. Durkin, a hold over from Urban Meyer's staff, at one point this season was taking the blame for some of the mishaps on special teams, but that tune changed significantly after the game, after a blocked punt for a TD and kickoff return for a score.
"D.J. Durkin does the best job in the country on special teams," said Muschamp. "Week-in, week-out momentum changers and putting our guys in situations to be successful."
One of the great things to see in the win over Ohio State was the defensive pressure which was mounted against the Buckeyes QB. The Gators had a season-high six sacks and tackled the Buckeyes 12 times for a loss. They held the Buckeyes to 2 of 10 on third-down conversions.
Offensively the Gators didn't look much different than they did during the SEC schedule, which is to say the the offense was stagnant at times. The Gators generated 132 yards total passing with 131 on the ground. They were 6 for 12 on third down and committed three turnovers.
John Brantley didn't exactly go out with a bang, but did go out with a win. In his final game in a Gator uniform, Brantley passed for 132 yards on 12 of 16 passing with 1 TD and 1 INT.
"Yeah, we had our ups and downs," Brantley said after the game.
"The last couple of years haven't been the best. But I just stuck with my teammates and coaches, and we made the best out of it. Just to get a good win against a good team like Ohio State, it almost makes the season kind of worth it. Just to go out with a high note, for those young guys to go into the off-season."
Other Notes:
-Sophomore Andre Debose was named the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl MVP after he posted a 99-yard KO return for a touchdown, 128 total KO return yards and one catch for nine yards.
-Muschamp became the 15th of UF’s 22 head coaches to finish with a winning record in his first full season leading the Gators.
-Sharrif Floyd recorded his first career sack when he brought down Ohio State’s Braxton Miller,
for a loss of two yards in the first quarter.
-Chris Rainey’s blocked punt was his second of the season and the sixth of his career. Rainey is both the school and SEC record holder for blocked punts, and is the active leader, nationally.
Rainey said after the game, via the Palm Beach Post, "The thing I’m most proud of is we won and I’m done with school. No more school for the rest of my life."
