Welcome to the 25th anniversary of the Outback Bowl in the third meeting between Florida and Penn State. Florida has an all-time lead head to head, 2-0. Florida defeated Penn State in the 1962 Gator Bowl, 17-7, in a game that game featured an assistant coach named Joe Paterno and a young quarterback named Galen Hall–the same Galen Hall that coached the Gators from 1984 to 1989 to a 40-18-1 record. Galen Hall led the Gators through at least part of three of its best seasons that were all tainted by NCAA infractions–the 1984 and 1985 would-be SEC or national championship seasons, and the vacated 1990 SEC championship. Florida also defeated Penn State in the 1998 Citrus Bowl, 21-6 in a game where Spurrier rotated two quarterbacks and tried to show off a bit with trick plays. It was the steady grinding of Fred Taylor’s 243 yards in a very Big 10-like game that won it for the Gators, not the trick plays or the quarterback rotation. The mis-direction, counters, draws, and tremendous defense virtually shut down the Lions.
Both teams are 7-5 going into this bowl game. The Gators have a multitude of issues leading to the disappointing season: penalties, snap issues, lack of leadership at QB, dissension amongst younger and older players, injuries, lack of production at running back, poor special teams, dropped passes, no vertical attack, predictable play calling and lack of discipline. Throw in a coach retiring after six years and we have ourselves a soap opera! On the other side of the field, we have Joe Paterno in his 61st year as a coach (46th as head coach) on the Penn State staff, with no signs of retiring anytime soon.
Penn State has used two QBs this season, FR Rob Bolden and SO Matt McGloin, but not in an alternating fashion in a single game. Bolden boasts a 118.52 RAT on 112/193 (58%), 1360 YDS, 5 TD/ 7 INT. McGloin has a higher 142.65 RAT on 101/174 (58%), 1337 YDS, 13 TD/ 3 INT. Neither is a threat to run. Florida has three QBs in its rotation–#8 FR Trey Burton, #11 rFR Jordan Reed, and #12 rJR John Brantley–and has rotated all three in one game. History will dictate it would be a bad idea to rotate QBs in a game against Joe Paterno. Brantley is probably going to be the starter with a 118.79 RAT on 194/316 (61.4%), 2020 YDS, 9 TD/9INT. Dual-threat QB Jordan Reed has a 127.36 RAT on 18/33 (54.5%), 192 YDS, 3 TD/ 1 INT plus 263 YDS, 4.9 YPA and 5 TD on the ground. Everything-back Trey Burton has seen limited action and has accumulated a 179.44 RAT on 4/5, 83 YDS, 0/1 with 347 YDS, 11 TD rushing for 4.8 YPA on the ground and 188 YDS REC, 1 TD in the air. Penn State boasts #22 RB Evan Royster (188 ATT, 916 YDS, 6 TD, 4.9 YPA). Florida employs speedsters #3 WR Chris Rainey (22 REC, 198 YDS, 3 TD/ 45 ATT, 300 YDS, 6.7 YPA) and #2 RB Jeff Demps (89 ATT, 531 YDS, 3 TD, 6.0 YPA)–what they lack in size they make up for in speed…when they are not injured or suspended.
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Team Stats
Florida
Passing
Player Name Pct Yds TDs Int
Brantley 61.4 2020 9 9
Rushing
Player Name Att Yds Avg TDs
Jeff Demps 89 531 6.0 3
Trey Burton 73 347 4.8 11
Receiving
Player Name Rec Avg TDs Yds
Thompson 36 15.2 1 548
Carl Moore 27 12.9 1 349
Penn State
Passing
Player Name Pct Yds TDs Int
Rob Bolden 58.0 1360 5 7
Rushing
Player Name Att Yds Avg TDs
Evan Royster 188 916 4.9 6
Silas Redd 69 424 6.1 2
Receiving
Player Name Rec Avg TDs Yds
Derek Moye 48 16.8 7 806
Brackett 37 13.4 5 497
UF 356.8 yds/gm Total offense – advantage PSU PSU 374.1 yds/gm
UF 191.3 yds/gm Pass offense – advantage PSU. PSU 231.3 yds/gm
UF 165.6 yds/gm Run offense – advantage UF PSU 142.8 yds/gm
UF 29.3 yds/gm Pts/gm offense – advantage UF PSU 24.6 yds/gm
UF 302.9 yds/gm Total defense – advantage UF PSU 352.5 yds/gm
UF 173.0 yds/gm Pass defense – advantage UF PSU 187.9 yds/gm
UF 129.9 yds/gm Run defense – advantage UF PSU 164.6 yds/gm
UF 21.1 yds/gm Pts/gm defense – Close call PSU 22.6 yds/gmThe Outback Bowl victor has flipped back and forth between the SEC and Big 10, so it could be the Big 10′s turn this year. Neither team scored a signature victory in 2010, and both struggled mightily against their one common foe, the Alabama Crimson Tide, with PSU going down 4-23 and UF going down 6-31. Penn State boast the more disciplined team–they are the third-least penalized team in NCAA football. Contrast that to Florida, which is one of the most penalized teams in America, especially when using the three-quarterback system. Penn State’s former #3 QB, Patrick McGloin, battled his way to the starting role and led the team to victory in four of six matches.
Young coach Urban Meyer needs to formulate a simple plan with one quarterback, explosive plays on offense, a lot of running, and great defense. John Brantley will need to pitch a better game than he has late in the season. The Gators have the talent to win in what could be considered a home game, but we saw this year that a team cannot win on talent alone…not even at home. The Gators will be playing without their #1 cornerback, Janoris Jenkins, DT Terron Sanders, DT Lawrence Marsh, and OT Maurice Hurt, and may be without defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, who just got out of the hospital on Monday.
Why the Lions should win: The Gators are reeling and have failed to live up to expectations all year. Joe Pa is the greatest coach of all time.
Why the Gators should win: The Gators might win one for Meyer in his last game, especially in front of a virtual home crowd.
Vegas has the Gators by a touchdown. Lindsy Sports calls it 31-27, Penn State. CBS gives the game to the Gators. ESPN gives the edge to the Gators on talent alone. Can the Gators overcome key injury losses on defense and give Urban Meyer a victory in his final game? E-94 thinks so. Gators, 23-13.
It’s great to be a Florida Gator!
