No. 1 Florida Gators (8-0, 6-0 SEC) vs. Vanderbilt Commodores (2-7, 0-5)
7:15 p.m. Saturday, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
TV: ESPN 2
Weather: Clear skies, low of 58, 100 percent chance of swamp-like conditions
Spread: Florida by 35
Series: Florida leads, 30-9-2. Florida has not lost to Vanderbilt since 1988, a string of 18 games. The Gators are 17-1-1 at Florida Field.
Last Week
Florida: Beat Georgia, 41-17
Vanderbilt: Lost to Georgia Tech, 56-31
GATORS INJURY REPORT
OUT: LB Brandon Spikes (suspension, LB Brandon Hicks (hamstring), DT Brandon Antwine (shoulder), WR Carl Moore (back), LB Brendan Beal (neck), CB Jeremy Brown (back), CB Moses Jenkins (concussion), LT Matt Patchan (ACL)
PROBABLE: RB Chris Rainey (shoulder), WR Deonte Thompson (rib), RB Mike Gillislee (hamstring).
COMMODORES INJURY REPORT
OUT: QB Larry Smith (hamstring)
DOUBTFUL: LT Thomas Welch (sprained ankle).
PROBABLE: RB Zac Stacy (ankle).
COACHES
Florida: Urban Meyer, fifth season (52-9, 30-8 SEC)
Vanderbilt: Bobby Johnson, ninth year (29-63)
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Florida Offense
QB – Tim Tebow (1,323 passing yards, 551 rushing yards, 18 total TDs, 4 INTs, 4 lost fumbles)
RB – Jeff Demps (488 rushing yards, 5 TDs), Chris Rainey (380 yards, 3 TDs, 2 blocked punts), Emmanuel Moody (295 yards, 7.6 YPC)
RECEIVER – Aaron Hernandez (36 catches, 421 yards, 2 TDs), Riley Cooper (31 catches, 474 yards, 5 TDs), Brandon James (752 all-purpose yards, 2 TDs)
Florida Defense
DL — Carlos Dunlap (25 tackles, 6 sacks, 7 TFL), Jermaine Cunningham, (2 forced fumbles, 5 sacks, 9.5 TFL)
LB — Ryan Stamper (48 tackles, 4 TFL, 1 sack, 1 INT), A.J. Jones (32 tackles, 3 INT, 3 sacks).
DB — Joe Haden (32 tackles, 2 INTs, 2 acks), Janoris Jenkins (2 INTs, 2 TFL) Ahmad Black (45 tackles, 1 INT, 1.5 TFL)
Vanderbilt Offense
QB – Mackenzi Adams (239 passing yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs)
RB – Warren Norman (593 rushing yards, 852 KO return yards, 7 total TDs), Zac Stacy (389 yards, 3 TDs)
Receiver – John Cole (24 catches, 245 yards, 0 TDs), Brandon Barden (19 catches, 243 yards, 1 TD)
Vanderbilt Defense
DL – Greg Billinger (3.5 sacks, 5 TFL), Adam Smotherman (0.5 sacks, 3 TFL)
LB — Chris Marve (90 tackles, 3 FF, 1 sack), Patrick Benoist (71 tackles, 1 INT, 1.5 sacks, 3.5 TFL)
DB — Myron Lewis (36 tackles, 3 INTs), Casey Hayward (2 INTs, 8.5 TFL)
THE SKINNY
– Florida has a school- and nation-best 18-game winning streak and is 8-0 for the fourth time in school history, the first since 1996.
– The Gators clinched the SEC East division title last week with two conference games still to play. The Oct. 31 clinching date was the fourth-earliest in SEC history (Florida clinched on Oct. 29 in 1994).
– Vanderbilt lost starting QB Larry Smith to a season-ending hamstring injury last week against Georgia Tech.
– Vanderbilt senior QB Mackenzi Adams hasn’t started a game since losing to Florida 42-14 last November. Last week, Adams threw for 152 yards in relief of Smith.
– Florida All-American middle linebacker Brandon Spikes was suspended for the game for attempting to gouge the eyes of Georgia running back Washaun Ealey.
– Tebow officially holds the SEC record for rushing touchdowns with 51, though unofficially, he is still three behind Herschel Walker’s career total of 54. The SEC counts Tebow’s bowl-game touchdown yet refuses to recognize Walker’s five bowl-game touchdowns.
– Vanderbilt is 0-5 in SEC play, after going 4-4 last year.
– In last year’s matchup, a 42-14 Florida win in Nashville, Carlos Dunlap blocked two punts and Tebow accounted for five touchdowns in the first half.
– In Florida’s 18-game win streak over Vanderbilt, the Gators have won by an average score of 37-15.
– Florida’s enrollment: 51,913. Vanderbilt’s enrollment: 6,402.
– Florida is 43-2 under Meyer when holding opponents under 21 points.
– Vanderbilt RB Warren Norman is a front-runner for SEC Freshman of the Year with three kickoff return touchdowns this year. “He’d get my vote,” Meyer said.
– Florida running backs coach Kenny Carter was the running backs coach and recruiting coordinator at Vanderbilt from 2004-07.
– Vanderbilt will play 12 straight games without a bye week this season.
– The Gators have scored a touchdown on just 28 percent of Red Zone attempts in conference games (8 of 29).
– Florida ranks 90th in the nation in passing offense, 94th on punt returns and 77th in sacks allowed.
– Florida ranks No. 1 in the nation in pass efficiency defense and No. 2 in total defense, scoring defense and pass defense.
