OHIO'S OWN Urban Meyer led Florida to the 2006 national title over the team he rooted for when he was growing up Meyer was born and raised in Ohio In fact when he was younger he hoped to someday play for the Buckeyes Meyer grew up in the town of Ashtabula Ohio He starred in baseball Meyer's father was often demanding and emphasized athletic success Once when he was a senior in high school Meyer played a brilliant game as both a hitter and a fielder But Meyer made an out in the last inning His father was so mad he made Meyer run the 5 miles 8 km home Meyer eventually accomplished his dream of coaching the Buckeyes He left Florida in 2010 and was hired by Ohio State in 2011. Meyer led the Buckeyes to three Big Ten titles and a national title in 2014. He retired from coaching after the 2018 season but remained working in the Ohio State athletics department in addition to becoming a broadcaster Meyer worked to make the Gators believe they were better than Ohio State Florida proved it was worthy throughout the year The Gators play in the Southeastern Conference SEC Many considered it to be the toughest football conference in 2006. Florida was one of six SEC teams ranked among the nation's top 25 in the final poll that season The Gators beat four of the other five Florida's only loss came against the Auburn Tigers Auburn finished the season ranked ninth 6
Gators junior defensive end Jarvis Moss required no convincing We were such a tight team and had our own identity he said We knew who we were and what Ohio State was Our coaches didn't have to convince us we could beat Ohio State I think everybody on our team knew we were better than Ohio State and faster than them before we even played the game Ohio State did have one speedy player who could give the Gators problems Wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. showed off that speed on the opening kickoff Ginn returned it 93 yards for a touchdown Meyer believed his team needed to answer with a touchdown on the next drive And that is what the Gators did Senior quarterback Chris Leak threw a touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Dallas Baker to tie the game After that the Gators never looked back Standout freshman wide receiver Percy Harvin scored a touchdown on a short run just minutes later in the first quarter And senior running back DeShawn Wynn added another touchdown on the first play of the second quarter That stretched the Gators lead to 21-7 But the Buckeyes were not ready to give up They came back four plays later with a touchdown Then Florida responded with two field goals And Moss took matters into his own hands He sacked Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith who fumbled the ball The Gators recovered on Ohio State's 5 yard line Meyer sent Florida's dual threat quarterback Tim Tebow onto the field Then just a freshman Tebow would eventually become an 7
Riduell ܝܝܝܝ Florida freshman quarterback Tim Tebow prepares to throw in the first half of the 2007 national championship game all time great for the Gators But in 2006 he was mainly used in spot situations to try to confuse defenses This time Meyer called for a passing play And Tebow completed a pass to junior wide receiver Andre Caldwell for the touchdown That put Florida up 34-14 at halftime The play capped a stunning first half against what had been a powerful defense in Ohio State 8
Florida added one more GATORS GLORY touchdown in the second half It was Florida beat Ohio State to become enough to secure a dominating 41-14 the national champions in football victory After the game Meyer held the in January 2007. Nine months crystal championship trophy above his earlier the Gators had won the head Then he passed it to Leak The men's basketball championship senior planted a big kiss on the trophy The school became the first to He had finished his college career as a capture the title in both sports champion Florida was the number one in the same year Three months after Florida and Ohio State faced team in the nation off for the football title the two The college football world was schools faced off in the basketball stunned Many were surprised that championship game Florida Florida won let alone by 27 points won this one as well claiming But Baker was among the many Florida back to back titles players who expected a victory I'm not surprised at all he said while his teammates celebrated We had something to prove Some people were predicting Ohio State to win 41-14 Well it was 41-14 for the University of Florida Nobody gave us a chance Now we can finally throw up a number one We had a lot of doubters out there the media the Ohio State fans No one can doubt us now We're national champs 9
