Spurrier Goes for the Jugular Rather Than Juggling

Rex Grossman was able to finish what he started.

Florida Coach Steve Spurrier abandoned his quarterback juggling act in the Southeastern Conference championship game Saturday, leaving the ball in the hands of the brash redshirt freshman.

Grossman responded by throwing four touchdown passes in leading No. 7-ranked Florida to a 28-6 victory over No. 18 Auburn and its first SEC championship since 1996.

“You can stay in there a long time if you play well and do what you’re supposed to do,” said Spurrier, who had no need to display his notoriously quick hook.

Grossman, who shared playing time most of the season with senior Jesse Palmer, was on the field for all but two plays as Spurrier fulfilled his pledge to give the younger player most of the snaps.

Grossman was 17-for-26 passing for 238 yards with one interception as the Gators earned a spot in the Sugar Bowl.

“Rex is an excellent passer. Hopefully, he will get a lot more knowledgeable,” Spurrier said. “If he gets it all down, he has a chance to be pretty good some day.”

Florida (10-2) dominated Auburn (9-3) for the second time this season. Grossman threw a touchdown pass on each of the first five possessions in the Gators’ 38-7 rout on Oct. 14.

Afterward the first game, Grossman compared Auburn’s defense to the Florida scout team, providing plenty of bulletin-board fodder heading into the rematch. Unfortunately for the Tigers, the motivational edge wasn’t nearly enough to overcome the Gators’ quickness and depth.

“They have more speed than anybody we have played,” Coach Tommy Tuberville said. “We didn’t have the answer.”

Earnest Graham complemented Grossman’s passing with a career-high 169 rushing yards, and the Gators’ ball-hawking defense came up with critical turnovers in the first half.

Spurrier was carried off the field on the shoulders of his players, who lingered on the field for several minutes to celebrate with their fans. Clearly, the Gators were elated to be back on top in the SEC, which they have won six times in 10 years.

Auburn fumbled on its first possession and Florida capitalized. On third-and-goal from the 10, Grossman threaded a touchdown pass to Reche Caldwell through a crowd of defenders.

Caldwell scored again before the first quarter ended, this time on a spectacular 66-yard catch and run. He delivered a brutal straight-arm to one would-be tackler and outraced the rest of the Auburn defense down the right sideline.

The Gators made it 21-0 when Grossman hooked up with another receiver, Jabar Gaffney, for a 27-yard touchdown pass. Grossman delivered a perfectly placed pass over the head of safety Rob Pate, who was running just behind Gaffney but never looked back to pick up the ball.

Auburn didn’t score until Damon Duval kicked a 44-yard field goal on the final play of the first half. But that wasn’t enough to make up for all of the Tiger mistakes.

With first down at the Florida 22, Auburn squandered a chance to get back in the game when Ben Leard’s bad pass was intercepted by Lito Sheppard at the 7.

The Tigers drove deep into Florida territory on their next possession, converting fourth-and-five at the 29 on Leard’s 15-yard pass play to Lorenzo Diamond.

On the next play, Rudi Johnson was hit by Travis Carroll and lost the ball, which rolled to the three before Mike Nattiel fell on it for the Gators. It was his second fumble recovery of the game. Florida led the nation by causing 40 turnovers this season.