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Ponder Comes In On A High

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 27, 2008

Florida State QB Christian Ponder gets his first start against the Gators on Saturday afternoon at Doak Campbell Stadium.

He enters with confidence. Last week, Ponder had the best game of his brief career, completing 19 of 24 passes for 143 yards in a 37-3 victory at Maryland. Ponder also led FSU in rushing with 81 yards and one touchdown.

And that was after a dismal performance one week earlier against Boston College, when Ponder tossed three interceptions.

"When you have bad situations, people say it builds character," FSU offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher said. "No, it doesn't. It reveals character, and what you really have inside. And he has it inside."

FSU's past two starting quarterbacks - Drew Weatherford and Chris Rix - lost in their first starts against the Gators. But overall, in Coach Bobby Bowden's 33 seasons, FSU quarterbacks are 10-6-1 in their initial starts against the Gators.

PASSING LEADERS

Eight of the top 11 single-game passing performances in the Florida-FSU series history occurred during the 1990s.

NOT NOW

In his fourth season, Florida coach Urban Meyer has not lost to FSU.

In a state rivalry where there's no telling what influences recruiting, that seems like a good statistic to have on your side. Meyer, however, claims it's only a number right now.

"All that matters is this weekend," the Gators coach said. "Certainly, there is great tradition and rivalry between Florida and FSU. We are proud to be part of it. But we're not a staff that reflects very often. Certainly not in week 11 of the year.

"All that matters is Saturday. We don't think about it. We're just trying to get through practice."

FISHER OFFERS PRAISE

FSU offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher had a chance to know Tim Tebow while recruiting the future Heisman Trophy winner for LSU. Even then, Fisher said the Florida quarterback had that "it" quality.

"Always very confident in himself, and it transformed over into other people around him," Fisher said. "Just his consistency to compete at a high level, whether it's running, throwing, winning. He is a very dynamic guy."

PROVEN KEYS TO VICTORY

Since 1990 in the FSU-Florida series, the team with the most rushing yardage has a 17-2-1 record. The team with fewer or even in turnovers in the game is 14-5-1. The team that led at halftime has won 11 of the past 12.

GATORS ON THE RUN

Florida is averaging 6.1 yards per rush this season, which is ahead of the school-record 5.9 in 1976. The Gators are averaging 7.3 yards per play, just short of their record of 7.4 in 1995 and 2001.

GOING IN STREAKS

The FSU-Florida series has gone in streaks. Florida won nine in a row from 1968 through 1976. Florida State then won four consecutive game from 1977-80. Florida responded with six straight from 1981-86 before the Seminoles answered with a 6-1 record from 1987-93.

BOWDEN HAS HIS RESPECT

FSU coach Bobby Bowden has been coaching the Seminoles before some members of the Gators coaching staff were born.

While many believe it is time for Bowden to think about retirement, UF offensive coordinator Dan Mullen isn't one of them.

"As all coaches hope, we all hope we're doing as well as Bobby is at his age," Mullen said. "When I'm his age, I hope I'm still doing it as well as he is."

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