2008 Florida Gators Football Preview

2008 Florida Gators season preview from Maddux Sports. Below you can find our official florida gators football preview as well as the 2008 Florida Gators Football Schedule. We also offer a free odds comparison service of lines and totals on the NCAA football odds page.

Coach: Urban Meyer (4th year at Florida)
Team Name: Gators
2007 Overall Record: 9-4
Returning Starters: 8

The Florida Gators (9-4 overall; 5-3 SEC) certainly put points on the board last season, averaging 42.5 PPG, ranking them third in the nation. They earned a trip to the Capital One Bowl where they met the Michigan Wolverines. The Wolverines beat the Gators by a score of 41-35. The good news is that Florida lost just two offensive starters from last season. Look for them to continue to rack up the points.

Quarterback Tim Tebow, who won the Heisman last year, can throw and run. Tebow, a junior, threw for 3,286 yards and ran for 895 yards. In the air, he hit for 32 touchdowns and rushed for 23 more. The Gators are especially versatile. Along with the talented Tebow, sophomore Chris Rainey can play both tailback and wide receiver. The club is deep in receivers with junior Percy Harvin (59 REC, 858 YDS, 4 TDs) leading the group. Harvin, another multitalented performer, also ran for 764 yards. At tight end, senior Cornelius Ingram, who had seven touchdowns catches last season, is consistent and reliable. The frontline is seasoned and tough.

The main problem on defense for the Gators last year was the passing game. The team was 98th nationally and last in the SEC on pass “D.” Junior corner Wondy Pierre-Louis, who’s a talented player, had two picks last season. The other corner and one safety spot look good, but the final safety position is up for grabs. The frontline is a shambles except for Junior DE Jermaine Cunningham who notched 6.5 sacks last season. The linebackers are solid, led by Brandon Spikes (131 tackles, 81 solo). Meyer hired two new defensive coaches and recruited a lot of talent to help out. Time will tell if his efforts will pay off.

Nine wins are almost assured for the Gators. They’ll face their first big test at home against Tennessee on September 15. The game at LSU on October 6 is a toss up, and Georgia, who they play on November 1, is a must win. That game will define the season for both teams.

The Gators will contend for the top spot in the SEC and in the nation. Head coach Urban Meyer in three years at Florida has a 31-8 record. The guy knows how to win. In seven seasons as a college coach, Meyer is 70-16. Look for him to use as much of his offensive talent as he can to bury opponents.

Florida Gators Football Schedule

Date	Opponent	Home/Away
Aug 30	Hawaii	Home
Sep 6	Miami	Home
Sep 20	Tennessee	Away
Sep 27	Mississippi	Home
Oct 4	Arkansas	Away
Oct 11	LSU	Home
Oct 25	Kentucky	Home
Nov 1	Georgia	Neutral
Nov 8	Vanderbilt	Away
Nov 15	South Carolina	Home
Nov 22	The Citadel	Home
Nov 29	Florida State	Away

 

For more info on the 2008 Florida Gators football program, view the Gators official website or scroll down below to read up on the rest of the SEC competition.