It isn’t common for Florida to face an opponent whose coach roots for the Gators. Then again, Gainesville used to be home for Steve Spurrier.
The South Carolina coach will face his former team for the fifth time when No. 1 Florida (9-0, 7-0 Southeastern Conference) heads to Columbia for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff Saturday.
“I pull for the Gators, sure,” Spurrier said this week. “Almost all their games are on TV, and we’re usually a night team.
“We realize we’re pretty big underdogs and the Gators are a very good team. But they know we’re going to try to win.”
Florida quarterback Tim Tebow will face the Ol’ Ball Coach and the Gamecocks (6-4, 3-4 SEC) for the final time. The first two meetings have been memorable, although likely more for Tebow than Spurrier.
In 2007, Tebow completed 22 of 32 passes for 304 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 120 yards and five touchdowns as Florida won 51-31.
Last year, he threw for 173 yards and two touchdowns and added another score on the ground as the Gators handed Spurrier his worst loss in The Swamp, 56-6.
“It’s just the way it worked out. I think it’s cool,” Tebow said. “Last SEC game and it’s versus coach Spurrier, who’s done so much for the SEC and just changed the SEC in a lot of different ways, especially early on in the ‘90s and what he’s done for the SEC and for college football in general.
“Anytime you go against a coach like that it’s going to be special.”
While Florida has won 17 of the last 18 matchups, South Carolina proved to be a pest in 2005 (30-22 South Carolina win) and ‘06 (17-16 UF win) — Spurrier’s first two years.
Despite having already clinched the SEC East, the Gators aren’t losing focus. If anything, they can see the finish line with two of their biggest goals still left — an undefeated season and a third national title in four years.
“It gets easier when you’re playing for championships,” UF coach Urban Meyer said. “We’ve been pretty fortunate here. We’ve been playing for championships pretty much every year. I’ve been on staffs in places where it’s really hard when you’re not playing for (anything). It actually gets easier (here). Our focus is pretty good.”
