USA TODAY SAYS...

	2007 Schedule/Results September Sept. 1 Florida 49, W. Kentucky 3 Sept. 8 Florida 59, Troy 31 Sept. 15 Florida 59, Tennessee 20 Sept. 22 at Mississippi 12:30 p.m. Sept. 29 Auburn TBD October Oct. 6 at LSU 8:00 p.m. Oct. 20 at Kentucky TBD Oct. 27 at Georgia 3:30 p.m. November Nov. 3 Vanderbilt TBD Nov. 10 at South Carolina TBD Nov. 17 Florida Atlantic TBD Nov. 24 Florida St. 5:00 p.m. All Times Eastern

INSIDE SLANT

Some of the fiercest competition at Florida doesn't take place on Saturdays.

It occurs earlier in the week when the team's overstocked stable of potential playmakers fights for touches in a battle to impress Gators coach Urban Meyer.

"The best thing we've got going is it's a street fight for the ball," he told the Gainesville Sun. "You don't come to Florida to stand on the sideline and watch other guys play. On Tuesday and Wednesday, you're fighting for touches. We're experiencing that and that's the way it should be."

No. 3 Florida (3-0, 1-0) heads to Ole Miss (1-2, 0-1) on Sept. 22 for its next fight. The Gators are averaging 55.7 points and 521.3 yards of offense this year behind quarterback Tim Tebow, return specialist Brandon James and wideout Percy Harvin, among others.

Tebow averages 342.3 yards of total offense per game, James tallies 187.5 all-purpose yards per game and Harvin averages 14.3 yards every time he touches the ball.

Others include receiver Riley Cooper (five catches, three touchdowns) and tailback Kestahn Moore (5.2 yards per carry).

"Our guys are practicing awful hard on Tuesday and Wednesday," Meyer said. "That's when we determine who's going to touch the ball in the game."

The Gators are not looking past a Rebels team that ranks last in the SEC in total defense (466.0 yards per game) and pass defense (291.0). This is the first road game for many of the young Florida players.

"I definitely think it's a challenge," Tebow said. "A lot of guys haven't played on the road and it will be new for a lot of people. We have to really step things up and hopefully keep it going."

NOTES, QUOTES

—QB Tim Tebow was named the Walter Camp Foundation national offensive player of the week after accounting for 360 yards of total offense and four touchdowns in a 59-20 rout of Tennessee. He leads all quarterbacks nationally with five rushing touchdowns.

—WR Percy Harvin is tied for 10th in the SEC with 123.7 all-purpose yards per game. He had 195 all-purpose yards vs. the Volunteers, averaging 15 yards per touch with four catches for 120 yards and nine carries for 75 yards.

SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: Florida leads the SEC in scoring (55.7 points per game), passing (286.7 yards per game) and total offense (521.3). The Gators are 20-for-21 in the red zone with 18 touchdowns and two field goals. The offensive line has surrendered just two sacks in three games.

SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: Twenty-four of the 54 points scored against Florida this season have come in the third quarter. The Gators have allowed just 46.0 rushing yards per game, the sixth-stingiest run defense in the nation. LB Brandon Spikes is fourth in the SEC with 29 tackles and DE Derrick Harvey is tied for fourth with two sacks.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "We have to go out there and practice and work on getting better and not just be satisfied with the big win (against Tennessee). All we've done is go 3-0 and beat one SEC team." — Florida quarterback Tim Tebow.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

THIS WEEK'S GAME: Florida at Mississippi, Sept. 22 — The Gators have lost their last three games in the Magnolia State, two to Mississippi State and one to Ole Miss. This is the 22nd meeting between the programs, with the Rebels holding a slim edge at 11-9-1. They have not played each other since 2003. Florida is 12-0 in the month of September in the Urban Meyer era.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: QB Tim Tebow — Dual-threat sophomore has 13 touchdown passes and 13 rushing TDs in his career. He ranks second in the nation in pass efficiency (228.8), trailing only Rutgers' Mike Teel (236.7).

RB Brandon James — The SEC Special Teams Player of the Week tallied 193 all-purpose yards vs. Tennessee, including 159 on returns. He had a career-long 83-yard punt return for a touchdown and leads the nation with an average of 30.8 yards per punt return.

CB Joe Haden — The true freshman has started every game and ranks fourth on the team in tackles with 13. He played a flawless game against the Volunteers, according to coaches, making nine plays in nine opportunities.

ROSTER REPORT: Coach Urban Meyer added a few more names to the Gators' injury report this week. Guard Maurkice Pouncey is listed as day-to-day with a sprained ankle, while WR Riley Cooper (ankle) and DT Brandon Antwine (elbow) should be healthy. CB Markihe Anderson (knee) will likely sit out.

True freshman LB Jerimy Finch sustained a season-ending knee injury when he was tackled after intercepting a pass in the fourth quarter against Tennessee. He had surgery on Sept. 16 to repair ligament damage and a broken bone, Meyer said.

Senior WR Andre Caldwell will miss his second consecutive game with a sprained knee, but Meyer said there is a chance he could return for the Sept. 29 game against Auburn.