News / Sports
Florida Beats Arkansas 38-28 for SEC Championship, Begins Lobbying for BCS Championship Invitation.
The Florida Gators opened up a 17-0 lead against the Arkansas Razorbacks and then held on to beat their SEC opponent to be crowned conference champion. Their 38-28 victory coupled with the USC loss to UCLA puts Florida in the mix for a BCS Championship invitation.
The Gators racked up 202 yards on the ground, surpassing the Razorbacks highly touted running game by 70 yards. Percy Harvin accounted for 105 of those yards on just six carries. Harvin also scored Florida’s second touchdown, their first came on Chris Leak’s 9-yard run in the first quarter.
After Florida jumped to their 17-0 lead the Razorbacks seemed to wake up a bit. They ended the first half with a 48-yard touchdown pass from Casey Dick to Marcus Monk to make the score 17-7 at halftime.
Arkansas came out in the second half and seemed prepared to build off the momentum they established before the break. The Razorbacks defense picked off Chris Leak on Florida’s opening possession and then mounted a seven play 32-yard touchdown drive that cut the deficit to 17-14.
The tide of the game continued to turn in the Razorbacks favor when Antwain Robinson intercepted another Leak pass and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown and Arkansas grabbed their first lead 21-17.
Just as things were looking good for the Razorbacks fortune took a turn and Florida was the beneficiary. Forced to punt after another ineffective offensive series, Eric Wilbur put up a 52-yard hanger that Arkansas’ Reggie Fish couldn’t handle and the Gators recovered the fumble in the end zone for a touchdown and the 24-21 lead.
Arkansas was then forced to punt and on Florida’s first play from scrimmage Percy Harvin busted a 67-yard touchdown run for a 31-21 lead. Arkansas answered with a touchdown of their own to trail by just three but the Florida offense had begun to click and the Razorbacks couldn’t muster a defensive stop when they needed one.
Florida now turns their attention to the BCS Championship and will begin lobbying for their invitation to meet Ohio State in the Glendale, Arizona contest.
