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This time, Steve Spurrier might actually
make Florida (No. 6 ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll; No. 7 AP) run.
The Gators, who seemed to shut down on both sides of the ball after
taking a 25-point lead, needed a 1-yard touchdown run by Robert
Gillespie to seal a 32-14 win over Auburn on Saturday night.
It was Florida's 70th Southeastern Conference victory this decade
for the Gators (6-1, 4-1) and their fifth straight win over Auburn
(3-4, 1-3). It was also Spurrier's 99th win at Florida, which
moved him past Barry Switzer for the most victories by a coach in
the first 10 years at a Division I-A school.
But it was hardly the effort Spurrier wanted
from the Gators, who angered him so much in last week's 31-10 win
over LSU he threatened to make them run as punishment. He
backed off the threat, but might reconsider. The Gators were able to
move the ball at will through the first half, rolling up 319 yards
total offense. But five trips into the red zone ended in four
field goals by Jeff Chandler and Doug Johnson was intercepted in the
end zone as Florida led just 19-0 at halftime. Florida opened
the second half by scoring on its first possession -- a 62-yard
touchdown run by Bo Carroll that extended the lead to 25-0.
From there, the Gators seemed to shut down.
They had just 80 total yards in the third quarter -- 62 on Carroll's
run -- and finished with 499 for the game. The only
person Spurrier would point a finger at after the game was Johnson.
Johnson, limited in practice most of last
week with a sore throwing shoulder, finished 24-of-43 for 310 yards,
one touchdown and two interceptions. Florida's defense also
did its part to let Auburn back in the game. After holding the
Tigers to just 54 yards total offense in the first half, Florida
softened up to allow a total of 246 yards. But the Gators were
able to hold Auburn to just one yard rushing, forcing Auburn to
mount its comeback through the air. Jeff Klein, filling in for
injured quarterback Ben Leard since Leard separated his shoulder,
led Auburn on two surprising scoring drives that pulled the Tigers
back in the game and rejuvenated their offense. Klein led the
Tigers on an 11-play drive, ending it with a 23-yard touchdown pass
to Ronney Daniels that made it 25-7 with 3:42 to play in the third
quarter.
Auburn forced Florida to punt three plays
after its first score and Klein engineered another scoring drive.
His 16-yard touchdown pass to Daniels made it
25-14. As Florida tried to rebound, Johnson was
intercepted for the second time by Larry Casher.
But the Gators finally buckled down and Bennie
Alexander intercepted a pass by Klein six plays later to get the
ball back. Gillespie scored on the next possession to seal the
win with 2:59 to play. Auburn, which started the season 3-0,
has lost four straight. The Tigers are off next week. |
