Teams' Belt Records

Previous Belt Meetings: None

The top-ranked, 5-0 Florida Gators of Coach Urban Meyer welcomed the 3-2 Arkansas Razorbacks of coach Bobby Petrino for a Homecoming match-up at The Swamp.  The Gators played a very sloppy game offensively & needed 27-yard field goal from PK Caleb Sturgis in the final seconds to secure a 23-20 victory in retaining The Belt.  Defenses for both teams dominated a scoreless 1^st quarter with Sturgis missing a 37-yard field goal attempt on the only scoring opportunity of the quarter.  Late in the quarter, Florida's All-SEC QB Tim Tebow was sacked by Arkansas' DE Jake Bequette who also forced a fumble that was recovered by the Razorbacks' DT Zach Stadther giving Arkansas the ball at the Gators' 31-yard line.  It took nine plays against the stout Florida defense before Razorbacks' RB Broderick Green carried the final yard giving Arkansas a 7-0 lead just 1 play into the 2^nd quarter.  The Gators responded with a 12-play drive to the Razorbacks' 8-yard line when Tebow fumbled for the second time in the game with Arkansas' LB Jerry Franklin recovering to end the drive.  Florida's next drive got to the Razorbacks' 9-yard line before Tebow completed a short pass to Gators' All-American TE Aaron Hernandez who fumbled with Arkansas' CB Ramon Broadway recovering for the Razorbacks.  Florida finally held onto the ball long enough for Sturgis to kick a 30-yard field goal with 1:40 left in the half but the Razorbacks were not done.  Arkansas' QB Ryan Mallett completed a 46-yard pass to WR Greg Childs to start the 2-minute drive that drove to the Gators' 5-yard line before Razorbacks' PK Alex Tejada kicked a 22-yard field goal as time expired & Arkansas went to the locker room with a 10-3 halftime lead.  Florida opened the 2^nd half with an 8-play drive that resulted in a 51-yard field goal from Sturgis closing the Gators gap to 10-6.  The teams traded punts twice before the Razorbacks drove to the Florida 23-yard line but Tejada missed a 40-yard field goal attempt.  On the next snap, Tebow found WR Deonte Thompson who made the catch for a 77-yard touchdown giving the Gators a 13-10 lead with 2:59 left in the 3^rd quarter.  Arkansas' RB Dennis Johnson returned the ensuing kick-off 33 yards to the Razorbacks' 41-yard line before adding runs of 18 & 25 yards on a 7-play drive that ended with Tejada tying the game at 13-13 after a 31-yard field goal as the 3^rd quarter ended.  Florida was unable to get out of their own territory on the next drive but Mallett connected with Childs for a 75-yard touchdown pass that gave Arkansas a 20-13 lead with 9:40 to play.  Back-to-back 15-yard penalties against the Razorbacks helped the Gators' next drive that resulted in a 10-yard touchdown run by Florida's RB Jeff Demps that tied the game at 20-20 with 7:27 to play.  Mallett continued to find holes in the Gators' defense as he drove Arkansas to the Florida 21-yard line but Tejada failed to convert a 38-yard field goal attempt giving the Gators a final chance to win the game in regulation.  Fourteen plays & 69 yards later at the Razorbacks' 10-yard line, Sturgis lined up his 27-yard field goal attempt as the clock read 0:13 to play.  His kick was true & Florida had a hard-fought win.  Tebow finished with 255 yard passing with a touchdown but was sacked 6 times & fumbled twice.  Mallett threw for 224 yards with a touchdown while being sacked 4 times, Johnson added 107 yards rushing & Childs had 4 catches for 135 yards with a touchdown in the loss.  Florida finished the season 13-1, ranked 3^rd nationally while the Razorbacks finished 8-5.  Arkansas would play for The Belt again in 2010.