GAINESVILLE - They have avoided saying it out loud all week, but it is safe to say the Gators have revenge on their minds.
Florida (3-2, 1-1) hosts Mississippi (2-2, 1-0) on Saturday with clear memories of last year's trip to Oxford, Miss., where the Rebels upset then-No.6 Florida - a victory that caused Rebels fans to run on the field in droves and left the Gators with bitter memories that still haunt them.
"It was just a sick feeling, because we knew we should have won that game," defensive end Travis Harris said. "... It was just a sick feeling for us. "I haven't heard (players talk about) revenge or anything like that. It's something that you kind of know. You just know. Last year we should have beaten them, and they come in my house this weekend, and we definitely want to pay them back for how we felt last year."
But this game is about more than exacting revenge.
With a win over Ole Miss, the Gators will carry a 4-2 record into arguably the toughest stretch of its season. The Gators are at No.6 LSU next week, then at No.8 Arkansas on Oct.18.
Tiger Stadium has been ranked in numerous polls as one of the top 10 toughest places to play, and Arkansas has the SEC's best home winning percentage: 85.3. Since Houston Nutt took over in 1998, the Razorbacks are 31-5 at home.
If Florida loses to the Rebels, the Gators could be 3-5 entering its Nov.1 game against No.11 Georgia. To be bowl eligible, Florida needs at least six wins.
Florida coach Ron Zook isn't one to look ahead.
"Our team understands that all we can control is what we can control, what we can do," he said. "Obviously we've got to play one game at a time and the next game coming up is a big game."
RECOVERY UNDER WAY: As the UF offensive line continues to go through ups and downs, tackle Jon Colon says he still is trying to work his way back after missing the first three games with a strained knee ligament.
"It's still not 100 percent, but I feel a whole lot better this week than I did last week," Colon said. "I think every week I should feel better. Pretty soon I should be full go and get a whole lot more reps."
Colon, a junior who also had offseason back surgery, said he has been mentally prepared for the past two games, but is struggling to get back to where he was before the injury.
"Basically, the injury is pretty much healed, but it's the strength of my leg that's just not the same as it was before the injury," he said. "So that limits me in my performance a little bit, but I'm getting back."
HOW SLOW WAS HE?: Senior receiver Carlos Perez still gets barbs from some of teammates for letting Kentucky defenders chase him down at the 20-yard line after a 69-yard pass from Chris Leak.
Perez said there is a logical explanation.
"I had to wait for the pass a little bit," he said jokingly. "That was my excuse. I was in a full sprint and I had to wait and catch it. In the Miami game (a 50-yard TD catch) I was in stride and I didn't have to stop and didn't get caught. But my fellow receivers are talking. ... Everyone's saying "If that was me ... "'
LOOKING FOR ANSWERS: Mississippi coach David Cutcliffe said Monday he and his staff will spend the week breaking down every aspect of the Rebels personnel in hopes of correcting some of the problems that have plagued them. Ole Miss has lost two games in which it had double-digit leads in the fourth quarter: a 13-point lead against Memphis and 11 points against Texas Tech.
"I don't think it's been energy or we've slowed down from an effort standpoint," Cutcliffe said. "You have to make key plays in critical times. And when you get in those critical times, that's the difference maker. I don't think we've gone conservative and given up leads because we sat on it. I've looked at everything possible that I could look at and I can simply tell you that we haven't made the plays we need to make to be successful. Now whether they are playing harder, better, I haven't seen a letup."
- Antonya English covers Florida athletics. She can be reached at 813 226-3389 or english@sptimes.com
