College football

Gators catch on

The seniors leave with a win, and a feeling that glory is close to returning.

By ANTONYA ENGLISH
Published January 3, 2006

	[Times photo: James Borchuck]
	Game MVP Dallas Baker puts one foot down in bounds as he hauls in a touchdown to put Florida ahead 28-7 with one second remaining in the first half. Photo gallery

TAMPA - When the final seconds had ticked away and their careers were officially over, the senior members of the Florida team stood in the Bucs locker room at Raymond James Stadium as winners one last time.

They told the underclassmen they had given all they had, done everything within their power to get the Florida program back on the right track.

"Now it's up to you to do it," they said.

Call it the passing of the torch and the hope for a new Gator era after a 31-24 victory over Iowa in front of 65,881 at Monday's Outback Bowl.

Only Todd McCullough, who played in Florida's win over Maryland in the 2002 Orange Bowl and later redshirted, had won a bowl among current Gators.

They also led a young team under a first-year coach to its first season of nine or more wins since 2001 and left a lasting impression on teammates.

"They did their part," sophomore linebacker Brandon Siler said. "Now it's our turn. It's time to start winning championships again."

Florida capped a season in which, for the first time, it won a bowl and defeated Tennessee, Georgia and Florida State. It is what coach Urban Meyer called a "springboard" to the future.

"They have set a standard and hopefully we live up to that standard in the offseason and next year and that's go compete at the highest level," Meyer said. "Our senior class has done a lot for this team. I really have a lot of admiration for them. They are some terrific young men. I've learned a lot from them. I've learned more from them than they've learned from me."

Like so much of their season, the springboard victory didn't come easily.

After junior receiver Dallas Baker's 38-yard touchdown from Chris Leak with 5:23 remaining in the third quarter, the Gators (9-3) led 31-7. But Iowa didn't give up.

The Hawkeyes (7-5) pulled to within 10 with touchdown passes of 4 and 14 yards from Drew Tate to Ed Hinkel, the latter coming with 6:59 left in the game.

Florida's biggest play of the second half came at the 4:48 mark. On fourth and 1 at its 19-yard line, Meyer called for a fake punt, and fullback Billy Latsko rushed for a first down. The Gators went on to run three more minutes off the game clock.

"That was a huge call and a huge play in the game," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. "You know it takes a lot of courage, a lot of confidence in your defense to make that call, and most important to execute it."

Iowa answered with a 45-yard field goal by Kyle Schlicher with 1:24 left. Then the Hawkeyes recovered an onside kick at Florida's 47-yard line but a controversial offside call negated the play. A review of the game tape showed it appeared Florida had 12 men on the field during the play and Iowa was adamant it wasn't offside.

"I'm a little biased," Ferentz said. "It looked a lot onside to me."

Florida's Chad Jackson recovered the next onside attempt and the Gators ran out the clock.

"This was big for the senior class," senior center Mike Degory said. "We wanted to get these guys a momentum swing for the offseason and a big bowl win does that."

Florida's early first-half lead came on the heels of big plays on special teams and defense. The Gators led 7-0 before their first drive. Jemalle Cornelius blocked a punt by Iowa's Andy Fenstermaker and Tremaine McCollum returned it 6 yards for a touchdown 1:35 into the first quarter.

Senior Vernell Brown's 60-yard interception return for a touchdown gave the Gators a 17-0 lead. Baker had two touchdowns, including a 24-yarder one second before halftime, a gutsy call by Meyer to bypass the field-goal attempt. The play was set up by two costly penalties against Iowa - roughing the kicker with 33 seconds left that gave the Gators a first down, and a personal foul that kept the drive going.

"Hopefully people can see now that I can play in the fall the way I play in the spring," said Baker, who was named MVP with 10 catches for 147 yards.

Florida converted 5-of-9 third downs in the first half and had two drives of 13 and 15 plays that led deep into the red zone, but only came away with three points.

Leak was 25-of-40 for 278 yards and two touchdowns, his 26th 200-yard passing game, tying Rex Grossman for third all-time at Florida.

Tate was 32-of-55 for 346 yards and three touchdowns.

"This game set the tone for the future," senior defensive end Jeremy Mincey said. "You could see it in the locker room. Guys believe. They believe. This program is ready to be great in the future, just like the old days again."

[Last modified January 3, 2006, 02:00:11]