Florida Gators Football: A Look Back at the Last Time the Gators Met Ohio State

Prior to the game, there were many nationally known and highly respected college football analysts who said Florida had no business playing in the game.

They cried for Michigan to be given a rematch with Ohio State, this time in Glendale, Ariz. with the BCS national championship on the line.

However, by the time midnight struck and Jan. 8, 2007, turned into Jan. 9, 2007, no one was talking about the Buckeyes' 42-39 victory against the Wolverines less than two months later.

No, the focus was on the Gators. And rightfully so.

That night Florida crushed OSU 41-14 and began what will extend to a string of six straight BCS titles for the Southeastern Conference when Louisiana State and Alabama face off this coming January in New Orleans.

But that game didn't start off so well for UF.

Buckeyes' receiver Ted Ginn, Jr.—one of the few Buckeyes with the speed to match Florida's—took the opening kickoff back 93 yards for a touchdown...and then was injured in the celebration.

After that, it was all Gators.

The game's Most Outstanding Player on offense, UF senior quarterback Chris Leak, completed 25 of 36 passes for 213 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions.

Led by future Minnesota Viking Percy Harvin's nine receptions for 60 yards, six different Gators caught passes from Leak that night. Included in that were tight end Cornelius Ingram (four catches for 58 yards) and fullback Billy Latsko (two receptions for 17 yards), two players who grew up within 20 minutes of The Swamp.

And college football's future glamor boy, Tim Tebow, did as he had all year and came off the sidelines to provide a different look than Leak.

Just a freshman, Tebow completed his only pass attempt for a one-yard touchdown to Andre Caldwell while also carrying 10 times for 39 yards with a one-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter that capped the scoring.

Defensively, Florida allowed a total of 82 yards. That is not a typo. Eighty-two yards—35 from 4-of-14 passing from Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Troy Smith and 47 rushing.

The game's defensive MOP, Derrick Harvey, and fellow defensive end Jarvis Moss combined to sack Smith five times, and after the contest Moss was quoted as saying the Gators had played several teams in the SEC better than the previously unbeaten Buckeyes.

Who was it who didn't belong in the game?

Six years later, with Florida and Ohio State set to play one another in the Gator Bowl, the SEC remains high atop the college football landscape with no end in clear sight.