The Gators and LSU meet for the sixth time since 2006 with both ranked in the top 10 of the Associated Press poll. (Photo: Jay Metz/UAA Communications)
Charting The Gators: Florida's start a rarity in program history
Wednesday, October 9, 2019 | Football, Scott Carter
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By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In his first go-round at Florida, Dan Mullen was part of a quick turnaround as offensive coordinator.
Gators fans need no reminder that three highly inconsistent seasons with Ron Zook as head coach led to the hiring of Urban Meyer following the 2004 season. In Meyer's second season, and with Mullen calling the plays, the Gators won their first six games in 2006, including a home win over No. 9 LSU.
The following week, the second-ranked Gators traveled to face No. 11 Auburn. They lost 27-17. It was a major buzzkill for a program on the rise.
Not for long.
Dan Mullen earned his biggest win since returning to Gainesville with last week's victory over Auburn at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA Communications)
The Gators rebounded two weeks later with a Halloween victory over 25th-ranked Georgia in Jacksonville and kept on winning. They beat Arkansas in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game and then needed some help.
The Gators got some when UCLA upset No. 2-ranked USC. Would No. 4 Florida's SEC championship be enough to lift the Gators past No. 3 Michigan? The previous week Michigan was ranked second entering its showdown with the No. 1-ranked Buckeyes. The Wolverines lost a classic, 42-39.
In the end, the Gators got their shot at the Buckeyes instead of an Ohio State-Michigan rematch in the BCS title game. As they say, the rest is history. Florida demolished Ohio State 41-14 to win the program's second national title.
Thirteen years later, the No. 7-ranked Gators (6-0, 3-0) face No. 5 LSU (5-0, 1-0) on Saturday night in Baton Rouge, the sixth time since that 2006 season both programs enter their annual meeting ranked in the top 10 of the Associated Press poll. Florida is coming off an impressive home win over No. 7 Auburn, earning a dose of respect in Mullen's second season.
"Dan Mullen has done a tremendous job,'' LSU coach Ed Orgeron said this week. "This is a well-coached football team. I know most of those guys on the staff, they do great job."
Florida has opened a season with six consecutive wins for the fourth time since the historic '06 season and only 10th time in program history, setting up a much-anticipated showdown in Death Valley. Win or lose, there's a lot of season left. And a lot of possibilities.
CHARTING THE GATORS
A look at the seasons in the 113-year history of Florida's football team that the Gators have been unbeaten after the first six games:
SEASON
AP POLL
NOTABLE
1911*
N/A
Finished 5-0-1 in six-game season; beat The Citadel and Clemson
1928
N/A
Beat Clemson 27-6 in Jacksonville on way to 8-0 start
1966
No. 7
Defeated Auburn 30-27 on Steve Spurrier's FG; finished 9-2
1969
No. 7
Lost at Auburn on way to 9-1-1 season in Ray Graves' final year
1983**
No. 6
Beat East Carolina 24-17 at home to improve to 6-0-1; lost next two
1985***
No. 2
Beat Virginia Tech for 6-0-1 start during a 9-1-1 season
1995
No. 2
Crushed Georgia 52-17 in Athens on way to a perfect regular season
1996
No. 1
Defeated Auburn 51-10 on way to 10-0 start; won first national title
2006
No. 2
Lost 27-17 at Auburn, rebounded to win last seven and national title
2009
No. 2
Won at Mississippi State, started 12-0 in Tim Tebow's final season
2012
No. 3
Beat Spurrier's South Carolina team at Swamp, finished 11-2
2015
No. 8
Lost 35-28 at LSU in Jim McElwain's first season, which ended 10-4
2019
No. 7
Face No. 5 Tigers on road in Dan Mullen's second season
*Tied South Carolina 6-6 in second game
**Tied Southern Cal on road 19-19 in second game
***Tied Rutgers 28-28 in second game NEWS, NOTES & NUGGETS
Gators head coach Dan Mullen said Wednesday that redshirt junior quarterback Kyle Trask (knee) practiced full-go on Tuesday and is expected to play Saturday. Trask has completed 70 of 97 passes (72.2 percent) for 881 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions.
According to LSU's media guide, two of Death Valley's top 25 crowds in school history came against the Gators: 102,321 (current capacity) in 2015 and 102,043 (13th overall) in 2016. The largest announced road crowd in UF history is 109,061 at Tennessee in 2004.
The Gators seek to defeat a top-10 opponent in back-to-back games for the first time since wins over No. 4 LSU and No. 9 South Carolina in 2012.
Florida has won 10 consecutive games, marking the seventh time in program history it has accomplished the feat. The other times: 22 in a row over the 2008-09 seasons; 12 in a row in 1995; 11 in a row over the 2006-07 seasons; 11 in a row over the 1927-28 seasons; 10 in a row in 1996; 10 in a row over the 1984-85 seasons.
The Gators lead the nation in takeaways (19) and interceptions (12), topped by three from junior safety Shawn Davis.
Florida's 26 sacks through six games rank third among FBS teams, led by a team-high four from senior linebacker/defensive end Jonathan Greenard. The Gators have 63 sacks in 19 games under second-year defensive coordinator Todd Grantham.
Tight end Kyle Pitts has 25 receptions, which places him second among FBS tight ends behind Giovanni Ricci (27) of Western Michigan.
UF sophomore kicker Evan McPherson has now made 24 of 27 career field goals (88.9 percent), which places him third nationally since the start of last season for kickers with at least 25 attempts.
LSU has scored 273 points in its first five games, more than any team in the Southeastern Conference era. The Tigers are averaging 571.0 yards per game and 416.0 yards passing per game.
Tigers senior quarterback Joe Burrow leads the SEC in total offense (385.2 ypg), passing yards per game (372.8), passing yards (1,864) and ranks second in passing touchdowns (22) behind Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa (23).
