DALLAS (FWAA) The Florida Gators rushed for 418 yards against a defense allowing 105.1 per game and whipped their arch-rival Georgia, 38-20, in Jacksonville to earn the Big Game National Team of the Week honor for games of the weekend of Nov. 1.
The announcement came exclusively on SiriusXM Radio's "College Sports Today," hosted by Jason Horowitz and Dan Hawkins.
Tailbacks Kevin Taylor each had career games, with Taylor running 25 times for 197 yards and two touchdowns, and Jones matching the 25 carries for 192 yards and two scores. The tandem became the first Florida rushing pair to eclipse 100 yards since 2011, and the 418 yards on the ground were the most for Florida in 25 seasons.
Taylor and Jones became the first Florida rushing tandem to both eclipse 100 yards since 2011, and the 418 yards on the ground were the most for Florida in 25 seasons. It was also Floridas most rushing yards in an SEC game since totaling 454 against Vanderbilt in 1975. Georgia·s rushing defense was second only to Alabama in the SEC statistically.
"It's awesome, a thing of beauty," Florida head coach Will Muschamp said after the game. "This is very expected for me. In watching this film and preparing for this game, I felt very comfortable about our football team and what we were going to be able to accomplish. "I never once blinked about our team or their effort or their preparation or how they were going to play in this game."
Other Big Game National Team of the Week nominees for the weekend of Nov. 1:
Maryland (6-3): Brad Craddock booted a 43-yard field goal with 51 seconds left to give Maryland a 20-19 win over Penn State. The win was only the second for Maryland in the 38-game series and the first at Penn State. Maryland's other series win came in 1961. The Terrapins held Penn State to 219 total yards and 42 yards rushing, both season lows for the Maryland defense.
TCU (7-1): One week after an 82-point offensive outburst, Jaden Oberkrom kicked a 37-yard field goal as time expired as the Horned Frogs survived for a come-from-behind 31-30 win at West Virginia. Down 27-14 midway through the third quarter, TCU held WVU to one first down the rest of the game to spark the rally.
The Football Writers Association of America has named a national team of the week since the 2002 season. This is the first season The Big Game Football Factory has presented the award. Members of the FWAA All-America Committee decide the weekly honor. Each remaining Monday during the 2014 college football regular season, the FWAA will name a National Team of the Week.
Big Game USA is the largest American-owned football factory. Nearly half of all Football Bowl Subdivision programs play with a ball made by Big Game USA. This season, Big Game has introduced gametag, the latest development in football technology. It allows fans an opportunity to own a piece of football memorabilia, but more than that, gametag· offers complete authentication. Currently, four Division I schools (Mississippi State, Navy, Nebraska and Texas A&M) use balls equipped with gametag·. For more information about Big Game USA, visit biggameusa.com or contact Josh Eells at 972-292-0700 or jeells@biggameusa.com.
The Football Writers Association of America, a non-profit organization
founded in 1941, consists of more than 1,400 men and women who cover college football.
The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key
executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas
that include gameday operations, major awards and its annual All-America team. For
more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson
at tiger@fwaa.com or 214-870-6516.