Saturday (Nov 11) will be a typical November game day in Gainesville, Florida. Steve Spurrier will lead his team onto Florida Field (the Swamp) at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to face another highly ranked SEC foe on national CBS television for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff. What isn’t so typical is that Spurrier who coached the Gators to a National Championship in 1996 will be leading the South Carolina Gamecocks into the Swamp, one of the more intimidating venue in college football. The shoe is on the other foot, or perhaps most appropriately said the “Visor” is on the other side.

The Gamecocks (5-4, 3-4 SEC) have played well in games against ranked SEC foe in 2006 coming up a touchdown short in their last three attempts against Auburn, Tennessee and Arkansas.

Florida head coach Urban Meyer will have his hands full keeping his Gators focused having already clinched the SEC Eastern Division Crown because he knows the Gamecocks will be motivated and still have plenty to play for this football season. Right now South Carolina is playing for a bowl bid needing one more win to reach the NCAA mandated six bowl eligibility rule. A win over the Gators would put the Gamecocks into the bowl pool of SEC eligible teams and a chance to improve their bowl position with a win over Middle Tennessee next weekend in Columbia.

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Meyer will look to his senior quarterback Chris Leak to keep the Gators balanced and the Gamecocks off balance. Leak is 48-of-82 for 650 yards and nine touchdowns in his three starts against the Gamecocks. His nine career touchdown passes against South Carolina are tied with Kentucky for the highest amount he has thrown against a single opponent.

Spurrier has named junior quarterback Blake Mitchell the starter after his masterful performance against Arkansas last week passing for 213 yards on 15 attempts and leading South Carolina on two second half drives resulting in touchdowns. The start at Florida will be Mitchell’s first since game three when senior quarterback Svelle Newton replaced him.

Odds makers have tagged Florida the favorite at a –13.5-point chalk with a total of 44. The Gators, while having a great year straight up (8-1) have not fared well against the spread in 2006 going 3-6 and have lost three covers in a row ATS.

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