APP @ Florida

[AZGrizFan]

Opening line is -24.5 Florida.

That's a terrible line, IMHO, unless someone has info that App will do wholesale resting of starters.

Agreed. I'll take Appy and the points all day long with that spread.

[Appaholic]

Agree.

[Ivytalk]

Opening line is -24.5 Florida.

That's a terrible line, IMHO, unless someone has info that App will do wholesale resting of starters.

Agreed. I'll take Appy and the points all day long with that spread.

Me too! The Gators better not take the 'Neers lightly.

[Skjellyfetti]

We're not a clown show!! We've finally arrived!!!!!

Meyer taking App. State seriously. "This isn't some clown show now. This is the real one."

http://twitter.com/osgators" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Ivytalk]

We're not a clown show!! We've finally arrived!!!!!

Meyer taking App. State seriously. "This isn't some clown show now. This is the real one."

http://twitter.com/osgators" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If Meyer is feeling under the weather, does that make him ... Sub-urban Meyer?
If Meyer loses his job after losing to ASU, does that make him ... Ex-Urban Meyer?
If Meyer enters the priesthood after losing his job after losing to ASU, could that make him ... Pope Urban Meyer?

Just askin'...

[tampajag]

Agreed. I'll take Appy and the points all day long with that spread.

Me too! The Gators better not take the 'Neers lightly.

No, they need to take them very lightly, I want a demoralized Gator team to come into Tallahassee

[93henfan]

If Meyer loses his job after losing to ASU, does that make him ... Ex-Urban Meyer?

I think it makes him Double-boUrbon Meyer.

[AppStateAlumQC]

Whether or not App beats Florida, Urban Meyer is still a dick

[clenz]

Whether or not App beats Florida, Urban Meyer is still a dick

[mountain_man]

Big win Saturday. Big game this Saturday at The Swamp...

UF had a hard time beating SC's zone blocking scheme. The Gators can look to see more of the same Saturday, as I'm sure Shawn has already been on the horn to Moore and company (he gets a chance to beat the Gators two weeks in a row). We don't have the size the Cocks have, but I think we will do just fine. Also, Garcia isn't a great runner, and DP is very dangerous. Devon Moore is looking good, and Cadet is an animal. I look to see App move the ball well against the Gator D on the ground. Another thing I noticed Saturday night is the tall receivers for SC racking up big catches against the Gator secondary. Kind of reminds me of someone ASU has in their receiver corp. With as dangerous a set of receivers as ASU has, we could have a nice day through the air as well.

On the defensive side of things, UF is struggling with their downfield passing game. Our secondary is suspect at times. This will be the key matchup IMO. Look for a lot of blitz packages to rattle the shaky QB situation that exists. If we do this successfully, we can contain the speed advantage UF has at receiver. As for the run game, if we play our game up front and keep the O-line off our backers, DJ could have a very big day. I think our run D will shine Saturday.

One other thing I think that helps App this weekend is the fact that we get to see current game film. I years past, we always play these $$$ games at the first of the year. The only info we have to go from is the previous years game films. We never get to see the wrinkles that are added in the offseason, or the current talent. Our coaching staff gets to see this years Florida team to prepare for Saturday. At times I wonder how prepared we are, but I never worry about the big game (see Wofford 07, 10/WCU 05/Deleware 07/Michigan 07/LSU 05/ Elon 09/Richmond 09/Montana 09, to name a few). Our coaches are just as much "gamers" as our kids are.

Win or lose (and i think we have a very good chance of winning this thing), I think App will represent the SoCon and the FCS well this Saturday.

[Skjellyfetti]

GAINESVILLE – The company line likely would have been the same had Florida beaten South Carolina on Saturday.

Appalachian State is a good team. We're taking it one game at a time. We want to send our seniors out with a win.

But after a loss to the Gamecocks, the Gators (6-4, 4-4 SEC) head into Saturday's game against the Mountaineers with a little more sincerity in what is normally clichéd coach speak.

"Make no mistake about it, the team we're playing, this isn't some clown show now," said coach Urban Meyer. "This is a real one."

If Meyer seems concerned, he should. Facing one of the best Football Championship Subdivision teams, the struggling Gators don't want to risk an embarrassing loss on their home field.

Statistically, Football Bowl Subdivision teams beat FCS teams the majority of the time. Only four FCS teams have pulled off the upset this year.

Of course, when one of these Davids brings down a Goliath, it's big news. Appalachian State knows about that.

Appalachian State sent the sleepy mountain town of Boone, N.C. into a delirium after upsetting No. 5 Michigan in the 2007 season opener, sparking a celebration that rivaled those of their national championships.

Of those, the Mountaineers have three. Appalachian State won the FCS titles in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

The Mountaineers (9-1, 7-1 Southern Conference) have continued to have success this season with their sixth consecutive SoCon title.

Coach Jerry Moore, in his 22nd season at the school, has a team that Meyer said looked familiar.

"I know that coach very well. He's been down here a bunch," Meyer said. "You watch their style of play. I'd like to say it resembles when we were at our highest level, it resembles us. Ridiculous effort on punt block, ridiculous effort on special teams."

Lately, though, Florida hasn't looked like Florida.

The Gators offensive struggles that led to three consecutive losses in October seemed to be fixed in wins over Georgia and Vanderbilt. But South Carolina showed that output was likely the result of the level of competition and not actual improvement by the Gators.

Florida managed just 226 yards of offense against the Gamecocks, with 35 coming on the ground. They were 2 of 14 on third down.

And the defense gave up 395 yards and struggled to stop South Carolina's run game.

The Gators own concerns are enough. But against an Appalachian State team that averages nearly 40 points and more than 400 yards per game, the Gators are trying to avoid yet another embarrassing loss this season.

"There is always a chance. I never doubt that," said quarterback John Brantley. "We're going to work hard this week. We're going to treat it like any other game, just like an SEC school. We're not going to take them lightly in a preparation aspect."

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/c ... 8564.story" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Gil Dobie]

App St wins by 3

Unless Reed is the starting QB.

[g-webb1994]

UF 41
APP 23

Points a plenty....you'll see more of Reed than Brantley I have a hunch.

[ASUG8]

Wow....some of these guys are despondent.

http://collegefootball.rivals.com/showm ... 44&style=2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[AppStateAlumQC]

I think Gator fans are gettin shook

[89Hen]

I'd love to see the Gators go down. Good luck App!

[mebison]

Wow....some of these guys are despondent.

http://collegefootball.rivals.com/showm ... 44&style=2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yikes, 2 of the first 5 posts say "I hope we lose...", and they are UF people! Poor guys.

[mountain_man]

Wow....some of these guys are despondent.

http://collegefootball.rivals.com/showm ... 44&style=2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I love it!

Several months ago, my wife made plans to go to Disney World. Leaving Johnson City Thursday, coming home next Tuesday. In other words, I'll be in Florida, but won't be at the game...

How cruel can one woman be?

[Aho Old Guy]

UF 41
APP 23

Points a plenty....you'll see more of Reed than Brantley I have a hunch.

Yup. Not sure it will be 50/50 but Reed will get a fair share of snaps. They will certainly continue to up-tempo their up-tempo and hustle things up. We just don't want our guys worn out and out of position trying to make something heroic happen -- more likely to get burned (or hurt) that way. I don't believe Meyer will run up the score but he will certainly keep the playbook open and look at all of his guys --- that in itself could lead to a *track meet*.

It's pretty much UFla by as much as they want. The Gator passing game will leave scorch marks in the Appalachian secondary all day long --- especially with Legree on the mend.

There is no reason for the Mountaineers to get fancy on either side of the ball; why would we want to give away any special schemes prior to the playoffs? No blitz (OR, do some goofy stunts never to be seen again), no trickeration (see the blitz comment), and try to limit our excessive celebrations (don't want to p-off the home team). If we return a kick for a score, no flips (but maybe a few celebratory cartwheels we need some new schtick ... )

UFla is just not a good match up for ASU. We can't really pound the ball at them like SC (unless we line up in a double-wing, 2 tightend Wildcat - LOL - that would give folks in the playoffs something to think about). SC was 2:1 run/pass. That's not the (best) way we roll. SC was 2:1 time-of-possession. Not us, either.

If UFla wants to implode on their own, we'll take it --- but I suspect they will be playing for their schollies. Game film don't lie, and these guys will not want to let down their teammates, coaches and fans.

We can happily take our big check back to the big side of the mountain, and prepare for a big time playoff week after Thanksgiving (assuming we are blessed with a week off by the committee).

[AppStateAlumQC]

Wow....some of these guys are despondent.

http://collegefootball.rivals.com/showm ... 44&style=2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I love it!

Several months ago, my wife made plans to go to Disney World. Leaving Johnson City Thursday, coming home next Tuesday. In other words, I'll be in Florida, but won't be at the game...

How cruel can one woman be?

That is cruel man. You have to get to a bar

[mountain_man]

I love it!

Several months ago, my wife made plans to go to Disney World. Leaving Johnson City Thursday, coming home next Tuesday. In other words, I'll be in Florida, but won't be at the game...

How cruel can one woman be?

That is cruel man. You have to get to a bar

Already made contact with the ESPN Club. We are doing Animal Kingdom that day, which sucks. I'll get to ride Everest a couple times, then I'll be ready to belly up to the bar, glued to the big screen, drinking overpriced suds...

[Skjellyfetti]

GAINESVILLE — Florida’s players don’t seem too worried — at least publicly — about their game against Appalachian State on Saturday.

They’re concerned about senior day, stopping a three-game losing streak at Florida Field, and trying to fix an offense that has struggled all season. But there doesn’t seem to be too much anxiety about the Mountaineers.

“We watched them on film, and they’re really good,” Gators cornerback Cody Riggs said. “We just have to be on our game, and we’ll handle business.”

That’s probably what Michigan’s players thought in 2007, too.

Instead, Appalachian State stunned the fifth-ranked Wolverines 34-32 in the season opener in Ann Arbor to become the first Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) team to beat a ranked Football Bowl Subdivision team. The Mountaineers were 27-point underdogs, and their victory has been called the greatest upset in NCAA football history. That Appalachian State team went on to win its third FCS national title in a row.

The Mountaineers team that comes into the Swamp is 9-1 and ranked No. 2 in The Sports Network/Fathead.com top 25 and just won a sixth consecutive Southern Conference title. But even though Appalachian State isn’t the FCS patsy the Gators normally schedule between the South Carolina and Florida State games and Florida is in a bit of disarray, there is little concern among the players that they could be the next Michigan.

“Nah,” linebacker Brandon Hicks said when asked if that could happen.

No chance?

“Nah,” he said again.

The players haven’t even talked about the possibility, offensive tackle Marcus Gilbert said. They know what happened to Michigan in 2007, but they’re more worried about figuring out how to jump-start an offense that put up just 226 yards in last Saturday’s 36-14 loss to South Carolina.

“It was a crazy victory [over Michigan],” Gilbert said. “Like I said, I’m not really worried about that. It’s 2010. It’s a different year, different teams.

“We’re very confident. We have the best talent out there. I think we’re going to come out and handle business, because a lot if guys, especially seniors, have a chip on their shoulders and are not going to let this be our last loss at the Swamp.”

It might not be as easy as some may think. The Mountaineers have one of the best offenses in the FCS, raking fourth in scoring (37.0 ppg). Quarterback DeAndre Presley is completing 63 percent of his passes for 2,066 yards and 17 touchdowns with four interceptions. He’s also rushed for 727 yards and 11 touchdowns.

“They have a great quarterback, a guy who’s mobile who can make plays,” Hicks said.

The FCS playoffs don’t begin until the following weekend, but the Mountaineers will play this game as if there’s a title at stake.

“We’re going to play this ballgame just like it was for our conference championship,” Appalachian State coach Jerry Moore said. “The thing we’re guarding against, and I talked to [the players] pretty frankly about this: The one thing we don’t want to do is take a step backwards. I think we’re playing pretty good right now.”

Florida (6-4) certainly isn’t, and with a rivalry game against Florida State up next, this has the potential to be another Michigan game.

“We’re not worried about that,” Gilbert said. “We’re just focusing [on the job at] had and try to prepare and go out and try and win this game.”

http://jacksonville.com/sports/college/ ... ut-falling" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[SuperHornet]

Florida isn't Michigan.

Appy by two TDs.

[SEMOFB2010]

Play for the win but stay healthy....that's got to be the plan going in

[ODUfanRazor]

I second the kudos for Chicken man's awesome sig and would just like to wish Appy good luck against one of my least favorite college football teams.

Represent the FCS well.