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Brandon Hicks helps keep Florida Gators on path to perfection

The first person UF coach Urban Meyer found in the Gators' celebratory postgame locker room Saturday was junior linebacker Brandon Hicks. Meyer grabbed Hicks by the arm and pulled him close.

``Here we go,'' Meyer told him. ``You've been here before.''

Hicks is an example of why the top-ranked Gators (11-0) have one of the best defenses in the country. When strong-side linebacker A.J. Jones limped off Florida Field on Saturday during UF's 62-3 victory against FIU, Hicks was the player who received the battlefield promotion. Hicks, now a starter, certainly has been there before.

Everything on the line for Gators vs. Seminoles

Take away all the pageantry.

Take away quarterback Tim Tebow's final Gator Walk. Take away the pregame ceremony honoring the University of Florida's record-setting senior class. Take away the final home game for some of the Gators' best players in school history. Take it all away.

None of it matters if No. 1 Florida (11-0) loses to rival Florida State (6-5) on Saturday. Only the loss will be remembered. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Florida is a 24 ½-point favorite.

UF's Urban Meyer's resignation a shock

NEW ORLEANS -- The rise to power of University of Florida football coach Urban Meyer appears to be over.

The university announced Saturday that Meyer, who has won two national championships in five seasons with the Gators, will coach his final game for UF on New Year's Day in the Sugar Bowl. In nine seasons as a head coach, Meyer has amassed a record of 95-18. On Saturday, Meyer's decision to resign shocked everyone from well-connected UF officials to Gators fans and their rivals.

According to UF, Meyer will be available at a Sugar Bowl news conference at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, shortly after the Gators arrive in New Orleans. Meyer said in a prepared statement released Saturday evening that concerns for his health and family are the reasons for the abrupt resignation. He has lived with an arachnoid cyst on his brain for more than a decade.

Florida State, BYU are model of efficiency on third down

PROVO, Utah -- If ever there was a training video demonstrating third-down proficiency, the first-half tape of Florida State's 54-28 victory against No. 7 Brigham Young University on Saturday night would be it.

The teams combined to convert all 10 third downs of the first half -- seven by Florida State, which used two Christian Ponder runs and two Ponder-to- Bert Reed passes on third downs to extend an 18-play, 86-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter.

Ponder had third-down runs of 5, 7 and 9 yards on the Seminoles' first two scoring drives. Ponder's 25-yard pass to Reed on third-and-11 put FSU at midfield and extended the 18-play drive.

Facing last strike, Florida State's Bert Reed straightens up

TALLAHASSEE -- One year ago this month, Bert Reed thought his college football career might be over. At least at Florida State.

After already serving two one-game suspensions for violations of team rules, the then-freshman receiver had found trouble yet again.

This time, he was among a group of Seminoles who got mixed up in a lunchtime brawl at the university's student union.