Gators Just Want To Have Fun
Having had a week off to sort through the quarterback situation, Florida coach Steve Spurrier calls today’s game against Georgia the start of the second half of the season.
It could prove to be the most critical game, too.
Not only are the 14th-ranked Bulldogs once again a legitimate threat to Florida’s supremacy in the Southeastern Conference, the No. 6 Gators need to prove the Fun ‘N’ Gun still has some fire left for the stretch drive.
After leading the nation in scoring after five games and taking hold of the No. 1 ranking, the Gators have put together their worst two-game stretch offensively since 1992.
“We’re just not good right now,” Spurrier said. “We’re very normal.”
A year ago, Florida’s problems on offense began during its 47-7 victory over the Bulldogs when center Jeff Mitchell broke his ankle.
Today in Jacksonville, the Gators (6-1, 4-1 SEC) will try to solve them.
“We’re in a position that we have to play our best if we’re going to beat these teams we’re playing, simple as that,” Spurrier said.
It starts with Doug Johnson, who threw 20 touchdown passes in his first five games, then four interceptions in a 28-21 loss at LSU. Johnson was suspended for the 24-10 victory at Auburn for missing curfew, and Spurrier waited until Tuesday before declaring that Johnson had won his starting job back.
Only it came with strings attached.
“As long as everything goes well, it will be his game,” Spurrier said.
If not, fifth-year senior Noah Brindise will get another chance, or maybe even Canadian freshman Jesse Palmer.
Spurrier once replaced Terry Dean, a Heisman Trophy candidate at the time, in the middle of the season, and he says he won’t be shy about doing it again.
“The way our quarterback situation is, we may need more than one to get through the season,” he said.
Georgia (6-1, 4-1), boasts a balanced attack behind the passing of Mike Bobo, the running of Robert Edwards and the versatility of receiver Hines Ward.
Michigan to retire Howard’s No. 21
The University of Michigan will retire Desmond Howard’s uniform No. 21 next season, the school said.
Howard, a wide receiver with the National Football League’s Oakland Raiders, caught 134 passes for 2,146 yards and 32 touchdowns during his three seasons at Michigan. He also won the 1991 Heisman Trophy, given to college football’s best player.
Howard, 27, tied an NCAA record in ‘91 by catching touchdown passes in 10 consecutive games. The school went 10-1 that season, winning the Big Ten Conference before losing in the Rose Bowl to the University of Washington.
Howard will be the seventh Michigan football player to have his number retired and the first since Oct. 8, 1994, when the school retired No. 48 worn by former President Gerald Ford, the team’s Most Valuable Player in 1934.
FSU tackle reinstated
Florida State postponed a one-semester suspension for Julian Pittman, clearing the way for the fifth-year senior to rejoin the football team Friday.
The suspension will now take effect in January when the second semester begins.
Pittman, a defensive tackle, entered a no contest plea in September to illegally entering the apartment of a former girlfriend, then using her credit card without authorization.
FSU coach Bobby Bowden said he planned to break Pittman in slowly today against North Carolina State.
xxxx TOP 25 AT A GLANCE vs. opp. Team Rec T25 Rec. Today, Time Quick kicks 1. Nebraska 7-0 2-0 25-20 v. Oklahoma,12:30p Two straight shutouts 2. Penn St. 6-0 1-0 16-24 at N’west., 9:30a 3-1 vs. Northwestern 3. Fla. St. 7-0 3-0 23-20 vs. NC St., 12:30p 7 straight wins over NC St 4. Michigan 7-0 3-0 22-24 vs. Minne., 9:20a Best start since 1986 5. N. Car. 7-0 1-0 18-27 d. Ga. Tech 12-4-1 vs. GT since 1980 6. Florida 6-1 2-1 30-15 vs. Georgia, 12:30p 7 str. wins over UGa 7. Washingtn 6-1 2-1 27-17 vs. USC, 12:30p 14-15-2 at home vs. USC 8. Tennessee 5-1 1-1 29-8 vs. S. Carol., 9:30a 8-0 at home vs. SC 9. Ohio St. 7-1 1-1 30-26 at Mich. St., 12:30p 9-4 at MSU 10. Wash. St. 7-0 1-0 22-24 at Ariz. St., 7p Best start since 1930 11. Auburn 7-1 1-1 35-16 vs. Miss. St., 11a 8-2 last 10 vs. MSU 12. UCLA 6-2 1-1 28-21 at Stanford, 3:30p QB McNown leads nation 13. Kan. St. 6-1 1-1 29-19 at Tex. Tech, 9:30a 1-3 vs. Texas Tech 14. Georgia 6-1 0-1 25-22 at Florida, 12:30a Bobo struggled vs. Ky. 15. Iowa 5-2 0-2 19-25 vs. Purdue, 9:30a 3 games over 60 points 16. LSU 5-2 1-1 26-19 at Kentucky, 3:30p 13-9 at Lexington, Ky. 17. W. Va. 6-1 1-0 19-27 at Syracuse, 4:30p 7-3 last 10 vs. Syr. 18. Purdue 6-1 2-0 24-26 at Iowa, 9:30a Last winning year ‘84 19. Okla. St. 6-1 1-0 20-27 at Texas A&M 1-4 at College Station 20. Ariz. St. 5-2 2-1 25-18 vs. WSU, 7 p 1-4 in 1990s vs WSU 21. Mich. St. 5-2 0-1 21-27 vs. Ohio St., 12:30p 2-8 last 10 vs. OSU 22. Toledo 7-0 0-0 22-28 vs. Miami,O., 10a QB Wallace record 5 TDs 23. Va. Tech 5-2 0-1 20-28 vs. UAB, 11a First meeting vs. UAB 24. So. Miss. 5-2 0-2 18-26 at Cincy, 12:30p Shaw 3 TDs vs. Tulane 25. Tex. A&M 5-2 1-1 19-25 vs. Okla. St., 4p 8-4 vs. Oklahoma St.