Gators received reality check

For all the talk that the Arkansas game wasn't a trap game, it became one Saturday.

And the Gators admit they were, indeed, trapped in the first half.

"We came in here a little overconfident, kind of riding the win we had last week (at LSU)," redshirt senior wide receiver David Nelson said. "We thought we were going to cruise through things like we did last year and we got punched right in the mouth in the first half."

That punch left the Gators trailing for the first time since the fourth quarter of the 2008 SEC Championship Game against Alabama (20-17). It left the offense with just 129 total yards and a defense sucking wind.

It was homecoming and a chance for Florida to show why it was the No. 1 team in the country, but for the first 30 minutes, the Gators lacked any sort of offensive rhythm. There were moves along the offensive line and Arkansas showed a few unfamiliar looks on defense, but in the end, the Gators expected things to fall into place.

"We just went in there with a big head, as usual," junior offensive lineman Mike Pouncey said. "They didn’t look that good on film, but they played great on Saturday."

That bad-looking team recovered three Gator fumbles, sacked All-America quarterback Tim Tebow three times, made Florida's then-No. 2 running game look less than pedestrian (23 rushes for 42 yards) and headed into halftime with a 10-3 lead.

Nelson said the first half was a "gut check" for the Gators and as they sat in shock in the locker room, Nelson said the feeling of last year's 31-30 loss to Mississippi washed over him and his teammates.

That's when the leaders took charge.

Injured senior linebacker Brandon Spikes told the team to remember what the Rebels did to them almost exactly a year prior. Tebow gave another inspiring — yet not so fiery — halftime speech and senior defensive end Jermaine Cunningham gathered the defense with a simple "It's not happening this year," before the team headed toward the South End Zone tunnel.

With Arkansas in full ambush mode, the Gators rallied behind an exhausted defense, a more focused offense and the foot of sophomore kicker Caleb Sturgis to pull off the nail-biting 23-20 win over the Razorbacks.

Redshirt junior offensive lineman Carl Johnson exhaled a sigh of relief as he rushed the field with his teammates following Jermaine Cunningham's punishing blow to Arkansas receiver Jarius Wright shortly after he received a desperation lateral from teammate Ronnie Wingo Jr. on the final play of the game.

When asked about the offense's second-half performance, Johnson said the team wasn't going to have its quarterback making anymore vows, like last year's famous Ole Miss one.

"There will be no Tim Tebow promise this year," Johnson said.

Nelson celebrated like a little kid as he sang the fight song with his teammates, band and students. He hugged and yelled, but when all the cheering ceased, Nelson couldn't help but feel mortal again.

"It is a reality check for us," he said, "knowing we can’t go into a game like that and we can’t ever prepare like we did this week."

"From now on, we’re going to remember this game and ride this feeling for the rest of the season."